CCW Permit Question (Coffee County, AL)

[ForeignDude]

Hi, folks.

I just moved to Coffee County, AL, (military) and I am looking at getting my Resident CCW. Currently carrying on a reciprocal permit from NH, and I am following state law on off-limits sites (very few limits, actually).

I'd like to get a sense from anyone here who has such a permit: what restrictions does the Sheriff usually put on the permit? Is yours "unrestricted" or did he put a whole bunch of areas "off limits"? I've heard some Sheriffs in AL put so many restrictions, you're good to carry in Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel and virtually nowhere else.

 

[REB]

Welcome to ALabama.

Sorry I cant help you with Coffee county as I live in a different county. It does vary by county but here in Limestone county there are no restrictions.

 

[Tommygunn]

My Morgan County permit has no restrictions. From what I hear the main thing you're likely to encounter is no carrying in places that serve alcohol.
It's usually pretty easy to obtain a CCW despite Alabama being a "may issue" rather than a "shall issue" state.

 

[JERRY]

speak with your sheriff if he automatically puts a limitation on places that serve booze, you might get yours lifted. this is a local county thing only not a state law...some dry counties dont even make mention of places that serve booze.

 

[ForeignDude]

Thanks, guys.

By luck, I happened to be talking to a co-worker and he just happens to have a Coffee County permit. It didn't show any restrictions for anything.

Speaking of which, if the permit is unrestricted, does that mean that it would allow carry in all places allowed under AL state law? As in, it would allow carry in schools, non-sterile parts of an airport, and so on?

These county-by-county differences can a bit confusing.

 

[JERRY]

follow the permit youre issued.

 

[REB]

Yes, if the sheriff does not put any additional restrictions on your permit then you are allowed to carry anywhere in the state permitted by law. If they do put restrictions on your permit then the restrictions are state wide.

 

[Owen Sparks]

Are you stationed at Fort Rucker?

 

[ForeignDude]

Yes -- but living in Coffee.

 

[jgh4445]

Unless I'm mistaken, only the Alabama AG can put restrictions on a State CCP. A lot of the County Sheriffs think they can, but I don't think they are legal in doing so.

 

[REB]

This is not entirely true.

Under Alabama law the sheriff can issue an unlimited or qualified license to carry a concealed pistol. The AG has long help that a qualified license can restrict where, when and what an individual may carry concealed. This does not conflict with state preemption because the sheriff is a constitutional officer of the state not a county official (Parker v Amerson).

As far as I know this has never been challenged in court but there are AG opinions confirming this authority. This apply only to concealed carry and not open carry.

This is one part of our very old laws here in Alabama I would like to see changed, you have to remember that most of our concealed pistol laws date back to the 1800s. My concern is if a shall issue law is ever passed that it will contain "reasonable restrictions" that will limit where we can legally carry.

 

[razorback2003]

You don't want to trade the 'may issue' system in Alabama for a system we have in Tennessee. It stinks where we can't legally carry a handgun that just by crossing the line where i can carry in Tennessee.

 

[lemaymiami]

Foreign, all the advice given here is valid.... but.....

If you need a permit go to that Coffee county sheriff's office and follow their guidelines to the letter. As noted above the different counties operate in slightly different ways and one county's rules may not mirror what the other counties do as a matter of course. As a retired cop from another state that's the best advice I can give. Alabama was the closest I ever had to a home state (army brat) but I left there when I went into the service myself in 1968. I think you'll find any sheriff's office in that state to be very friendly and helpful to any service member.

One other minor point. Yes, there will be an occasional jurisdiction where the sheriff exceeds his/her authority regarding firearms... While you're in the service I'd let someone else be the one that goes to court over it.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

After you establish an Alabama residency,the state will no longer recognize your NH permit. Permit reciprocity is for non-residents only.

 

[ForeignDude]

JRT --

We're still good. My wife and I hold valid resident permits from another state (not recognized by AL, unfortunately); have driver's licenses from another state; vote legally in other states; own real property in another state; have our cars registered in another state; we just got here; and are in AL only temporarily. We don't have anything tying us to AL except for a temporary lease.

The military status provides additional protections in this area than would be the case for a civilian moving to AL from another state.

 

[REB]

Depending on how long you plan on staying in Alabama one option would be to get a nonresident Florida permit. Your military service meets the training requirement so all you have to do is fill out all the required paperwork including a fingerprint card and pay your money.

You can request a packet on-line but I had issues with this method around six years ago when I applied for one. If you want to make the drive across the state line you can get a packet at any police department.