Southern Illinois residents encouraged to renew Firearm Owner ID cards before June 1

Southern Illinois residents are being encouraged to renew their Firearm Owner Identification Cards, FOID, before June 1 to avoid potential delays with their renewal applications.  

“Renewing your FOID card sooner rather than later will help residents get their cards quicker and avoid any potential delays in purchasing a new firearm,” State Rep. Natalie Phelps Finnie, D-Elizabethtown, said in a news release. 

“With many Southern Illinois residents renewing their licenses, there may be a significant delay, which can be avoided by taking the time to apply early.” 

Phelps Finnie encourages residents to visit the Illinois State Police’s Firearm Services Bureau website at ispfsb.com to renew online. The cost of the card is $10. 

Applicants must be Illinois residents and must include their Illinois driver’s license or state ID card number, Phelps Finnie noted.

Applicants under the age of 21 must have a parents’ signature on the application. 

Anyone who needs assistance with FOID card renewal, and those who prefer paper applications, can call 217-782-7980 and select menu option 0. 

Phelps Finnie said that applicants should make sure the name and address on FOID applications match the records on file for them at the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, otherwise the renewal process will be delayed.

“We expect tens of thousands of renewal applications to come in over the next few months,” Illinois State Police director Leo Schmitz said. 

“We recommend gun owners get their renewal applications in at least one to two months in advance so we have adequate time to process them and get a new card out before expiration.”