Albany County Home >
County Clerk >
Programs & Services > IMPORTANT UPDATE about Changes in the NYS Pistol Permit Law
| Deeds and Mortgages Online |
| Images of deeds and mortgages from 1980 to the present are instantly available on screen in our office. We have also made available copies of deeds and mortgages through the Internet. Learn More » |
NEW! FOIL Requests by Email
Albany County now accepts Public Information ("FOIL") requests by email.Learn More...
| Contact Information |
Albany County Clerk Monday-Friday Voice: (518) 487-5100 |
Email the Clerk
Hon. Thomas G. Clingan
Albany County Clerk
First Deputy County Clerks
Lynn M. Vaillancourt
Geraldine M. Gould
Deputy County Clerk
Marlene J. Dion
Albany County Clerk Programs and Services
IMPORTANT UPDATE about Changes in the NYS Pistol Permit Law
Information about the new NY SAFE Act, and requests for non-disclosure under the FOIL law
The NY State Police have released the form that pistol permit holders must submit to request that their name and address NOT be disclosed under a Freedom of Information request. This form can be downloaded here [PDF*]. Follow the instructions on the form and submit it to our office:
We forward all such requests to the judges (who are the "licensing officers" under State law) and have received most of them back already. The judges have approved all such requests we have received back so far. If any such request is DENIED, we will notify that denied permit holder immediately by mail. Blank forms are also available at the County Clerk's office at no charge. We regret that this unexpected new State mandate does not provide any funding for us to mail blank forms to permit holders, therefore we strongly recommend that you either download this blank form from the above link or have someone do this for you. During the 120 days from January 15, 2013 until mid-May 2013, Albany County will not be disclosing ANY pistol permit names and addresses under FOIL. This waiting period is set in the new State law and is likely intended to allow time for permit holders to request exemption as described above. |
Pistol permits are governed by section 400.00 of the Penal law of the State of New York. This is a long and complex law, many of whose provisions were just amended, with different effective dates for different sections. You can read the exact law on the NYS Legislature's website: http://goo.gl/es3BJ
General information of the NY SAFE Act is available on the State website at: http://www.governor.ny.gov/nysafeact/gun-reform
Registering assault weapons: The State Police have set up a website to help gun owners recognize and register such weapons. Please go to http://www.governor.ny.gov/nysafeact/registration-questionnaire
The deadline to register any such weapon is April 15, 2014. Blank assault weapon registration forms are also available at any State Police office.
Renewable pistol permits: There is a new Penal law section, 400 - 5(b), which can be summarized as follows:
All licensees shall be recertified by the Division of State Police every five years thereafter. Any license issued before the effective date of the chapter of the laws of Two Thousand Thirteen which added this paragraph shall be recertified on or before January Thirty-First, Two Thousand Eighteen, and not less than one year prior to such date.
We believe this means: The State Police will be responsible for this new recertification process, and they have not yet informed County Clerks how they are going to implement this program, but by January 2018 all current lifetime pistol permits will be replaced by 5-year recertified permits everywhere in New York State.
Printer-friendly page| Forms Available Online |
We're pleased to offer downloadable DBA and FOIL forms along with other useful information. Learn More » |
