Last updated on October 17th, 2024
Update January 1st 2022: The Illinois State Police will begin issuing new Firearm Owner Identification cards and will no longer issue Concealed Carry Licenses. To clarify, there will be just one card issued. On this card, if you are licensed to carry a concealed firearm, it shall be indicated on the FOID card. Until you receive this new merged identification card, the following information is accurate.
When Concealed Carry was first signed into law, it was a requirement to always have on your person (while carrying a concealed firearm), both your FOID card and Concealed Carry License. Seems a little redundant? That is no longer the case.
Shortly after Governor Rauner took office he signed, what is known as, a “clean up bill”. This cleanup bill made changes to the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, as follows…
(430 ILCS 65/2) (from Ch. 38, par. 83-2)
Sec. 2. Firearm Owner’s Identification Card required; exceptions.
(a) (1) No person may acquire or possess any firearm, stun gun, or taser within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of this Act.
(2) No person may acquire or possess firearm ammunition within this State without having in his or her possession a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card previously issued in his or her name by the Department of State Police under the provisions of this Act.(c-5) The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this Section regarding the possession of firearms and firearm ammunition do not apply to the holder of a valid concealed carry license issued under the Firearm Concealed Carry Act who is in physical possession of the concealed carry license.
Do I have to carry my FOID and my Concealed Carry License?
You do not need to carry your FOID if you have your Illinois Concealed Carry License on your person. However FOID is still required for such things as carrying a switch blade or armed security work.
My CCL and my FOID have the same serial number on them. I carry both in order to CONCEAL the fact that I am carrying when shopping/buying firearms and ammunition. I show the FOID for those purchases. I have my CCL behind my DL in my wallet, so that I can pull the DL and the CCL at once should I have a LEO ask for my DL. When I took my CCL class, my instructor advised being proactive in making my CCL status known. I’ve not had the opportunity ( ;-D ) to ID my status to a LEO in Illinois, however it was necessary for me to do so in Texas a couple of years ago. That interaction went as positively as it could, and I left it feeling like I’d made a friend. So I will continue both practices. VERY CONCERNED about the Illinois State Police not being able to fulfill their DUTY to process these government forms in a timely fashion.
I don’t know for certain but I suspect that in a “routine” traffic stop here in Illinois, the officer will “run my plate”, and that my FOID/CCL status will be known before he gets out of his/her vehicle. It would NOT SURPRISE ME for the FIRST words from the officer to be “Any weapons in the vehicle?”. So my providing my DL and CCL together is simply to express “good intentions” on my part.
I should have added that part of my decision to be proactive in providing the CCL with my DL in a traffic stop was for me to free of worrying about what my legal responsibility might be as I traveled for business state to state. Every LEO would be offered my DL and CCL by my hand immediately at the beginning of direct interaction. This also precludes me saying anything awkward like “Oh, I’ve got a gun, but it’s OK, I’ve got a permit.”. The officer can ask the questions important to them while my hands remain up on the steering wheel.
Unless your drivers license (DL) is attached to your license plate the LEO will not know that you are a CCL carrier. My DL is not attached to my plate so the LEO only knows I have a valid FOID and CCL is if he runs my DL. Hopes this helps