Any person who wishes to challenge the record serving as the
basis for the denial of a FOID Card application or revocation or suspension of
a FOID Card as provided in Section 10(a-10) of the Act must first submit a
Request for FOID Investigation, Relief, and Reinstatement of Rights form, which
is available on the Department's website at
https://isp.illinois.gov/FirearmsSafety/Forms,
within 60 days after the date appearing on the FOID Card application denial
notice or a FOID Card revocation notice.
a) Record Challenges
1) The record challenger must provide the
Department with all information requested pursuant to the FOID Records
Challenge Requirements/Checklist available on the Department's website at
https://isp.illinois.gov/FirearmsSafety/Forms;
2) any other reasonable documentation
requested by the Department related to the determination of the record
challenge.
3) Documentation should
be submitted to:
Illinois State Police
Office of Firearms Safety
801 South 7th Street, Suite 600-S
Springfield, IL 62703
or via e-mail to:
ISP. FOID.Appeals@illinois.gov and
4) Upon receiving complete documentation for
the record challenge, the Department will investigate the circumstances
surrounding the denial or revocation action. If the Director is satisfied that
the record challenger does not meet one of the grounds for denial and
revocation under Section 8 of the Firearms Owners Identification Card Act, then
the Director or the Director's designee will approve the record
challenge.
b) FOID Card
holders or applicants who wish to appeal the denial of a FOID Card application
or the revocation of a FOID Card pursuant to Section 8(c) or 8(n) of the Act
due to either a federal conviction or an out of state conviction must contact
the jurisdiction of conviction for relief. The Director may not grant relief
for these firearms prohibitors.
c)
The record challenge process will not begin until the Department has received
all the required documentation. If a record challenger fails to provide all of
the required documentation within 60 days, the record challenge will be denied
and closed.
d) Once five years have
passed since a voluntary mental health admission or a clear and present
designation has been made, pursuant to Section
8.1(d) of the
Act, the petitioner
must have received a mental health evaluation by a
physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner as defined in the
Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code [405 ILCS 5 ]
and received a certification that he or she is not a clear and present
danger to himself or herself or others to be eligible to receive a
FOID Card. Applicants who do not have the required certification may not
request relief. The decision to deny an application serves as a final
administrative decision and shall be subject to judicial review under the
provisions of the Administrative Review Law pursuant to Section 11 of the
Act.
e) Individuals with felony
convictions required to seek relief before the circuit court pursuant to
Section 10(a) of the Act may petition in writing the circuit court in the
individual's county of residence for a hearing unless the individual no longer
resides in Illinois. Out of State residents may petition in writing the circuit
court in the county of conviction. The Director may not grant relief for felony
convictions that are within the jurisdiction of the courts pursuant to Section
10(a) of the Act, unless directed to do so by a court with appropriate
jurisdiction.
f) Effective January
1, 2023, pursuant to Section 10(a-5) of the FOID Act, the Board shall
consider any appeal under subsection (a) beginning January 1, 2023,
other than an appeal directed to the circuit court and except when the
applicant is challenging the record upon which the decision to deny or revoke
was based as provided in subsection (a-10). The Department shall
process all decisions of the Board. This shall include:
1) Sending correspondence to the FOID Card
holder or applicant;
2) Updating
the FOID Card holder or applicant's status within the Department's online
FOID/FCCL system; and
3) Sending
new or replacement FOID Cards as ordered by the Board.
g) If the Director or the Director's designee
denies a record challenge under subsection (a), pursuant to Section 10(a-10) of
the Act, the petitioner cannot request an administrative hearing but rather,
the Director shall render a final administrative decision, which shall be
subject to judicial review under the provisions of the Administrative Review
Law pursuant to Section 11 of the Act.
h) In the event a final administrative
decision is rendered and the record challenge is denied, a new application from
the petitioner will not be accepted until two years have passed since the date
of the last denial unless directed to do so by a court with appropriate
jurisdiction.