Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate validity

[VTpro]

After you receive your Basic Firearms Safety Course (BFSC) certificate, how long is it good for when applying as a new applicant in Massachusetts for a LTC ?

Is a 2 year old certificate good still ? or does Mass. require it to be less than 6 months ? less than 1 year ? etc.....

or does each PD/CLEO decides on validity of certificate ?

 

[JGreen]

There is no expiration according to statute with regard to BFS certificates.

 

[jdubois]

There is no statutory requirement about any time period for taking the course. It only says that you are required to submit "to the licensing authority a basic firearms safety certificate". There is, of course, the potential for suitability issues with your local CLEO for a course taken a while ago.

 

[VTpro]

Thanks JGreen

... There is, of course, the potential for suitability issues with your local CLEO for a course taken a while ago.

JDubois, yeah, this is what I'm inquiring/concerned about

wanna know if any/which police departments has stated that "they" require a " recent" certificate, and has told anyone that their cert. was too "old".

 

[jdubois]

wanna know if any/which police departments has stated that "they" require a " recent" certificate, and has told anyone that their cert. was too "old".

Well, I don't have any info exactly to that, but I tried to tell my local PD that I didn't need a certificate because I legally held an FID on June 1st, 1998 and so was grandfathered from the requirement. That went over like a lead balloon.

 

[KMaurer]

I've head a few people say that some departments are insisting of certificate issued within the 6 months of applying. Of course some departments also demand a new certificate for renewals as well. Neither requirement is anywhere in the law, but as noted above, chiefs argue it's heir way of determining who's "suitable". OTOH, some instructors have been known to simply issue "replacement" certificates to their students who have "lost" their old ones.

Ken

 

[Scrivener]

Well, I don't have any info exactly to that, but I tried to tell my local PD that I didn't need a certificate because I legally held an FID on June 1st, 1998 and so was grandfathered from the requirement. That went over like a lead balloon.

If you were, then you are. And if the statute AND the CMR aren't clear enough, there's a Superior Court decision which also states the obvious.

 

[chris73760]

I recently applied for a concealed carry permit in maine and was denied and told my firearm safety certificate was to old because it was over 5 years old.since it has no experation date on it I dont see how its to old..but anyway,got a replacement one with current date on it..all good now

 

[Scrivener]

You were screwed over. Your 5+ year old certificate was and is valid.

Not only is there NO expiration date; holding a license in June, 1998 and ANY time after October, 1998, exempts one from further certification by both statute and the CMR.

 

[vellnueve]

You were screwed over. Your 5+ year old certificate was and is valid.

Not only is there NO expiration date; holding a license in June, 1998 and ANY time after October, 1998, exempts one from further certification by both statute and the CMR.

He's talking about Maine... don't know what their requirements are. Not sure why he's talking about Maine in the MA forum either.

 

[Scrivener]

Not sure why he's talking about Maine in the MA forum either.

Then we're both confused, because I don't see it serving any rational purpose either.