Moving to Herndon/DC area. CCW info please!

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CPshooter

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Hello,

I'm about to graduate college and just received a serious job offer in Herndon, VA. I'm currently in Indiana and have my lifetime concealed carry permit. I did some research already, and it seems that Virginia does not honor my Indiana permit.

I will only be in VA for one year before I'm relocated again. I searched and dug up some good information, but still have some questions.

Will I need to apply for an out of state permit since I won't be there long enough to establish residency?

I read in another post that someone would be allowed to open carry without a permit, but I believe they already held a permit from another state that is honored by Virginia. What's the deal with this? Does my Indiana permit count for anything or will I have to take a class and then pay another $100 for a temporary permit?

I won't have time to bother with shooting/safety classes or anything like that, unless I can do them online. I just want to be able to keep my H&K P2000sk loaded with me in the car in case I find myself in a bad neighborhood. IWB carry or open carry would be nice though.

Thanks in advance!

Tony
 
If you are Living/Working in VA for 90 continuous days ... you are a resident.

PA non-resident permit will cover VA, and it's cheap.

http://www.co.centre.pa.us/sheriff/license_application.asp

"Open Carry" in the N.Va / DC area is just begging for a hassle ..."legal" or not. Remember, just about ever other block is "government property" of some type or another. It's a whole different world from Indiana.
 
yea once you leave northern va it gets better but northern va is pretty uptight. though it is legal. dc is a no fly zone
 
You do not need a permit to carry in your car. A recent law change allows carry in a glove box or console. You cannot conceal the weapon on your person while in the car. OC is ok and northern VA has gotten better as far as OC. Most LEO's are used to it now.

I carry there every weekend. I also have a VA non resident CCW
 
Herdon's right on the DC and MD border. Those borders are not trivial to the armed citizen.
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Well actually if you are driving you will spend a lot of time getting into MD. or DC. . Herndon is about 15 street miles from either. Those miles take a lot of time to travel around here.:banghead:
Joe
 
Jolly Rogers
Well actually if you are driving you will spend a lot of time getting into MD. or DC. . Herndon is about 15 street miles from either. Those miles take a lot of time to travel around here.
Joe
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All it takes is an unscheduled car wreck on the beltway to find yourself on a detour taking you into places that could have you facing felony charges. More than one person has crossed Chain Bridge not aware that no mans land lie on the other side.
 
swinokur said:
You do not need a permit to carry in your car. A recent law change allows carry in a glove box or console.
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I did not know that. The main reason that I got my permit 5 years ago was I didn't want to come from a match with one of the guns left loaded by mistake and get some cop in a fit.

To repeat others: loaded in MD is big trouble. Even having a gun in the car loaded or otherwise is trouble. (If I recall correctly, one must ONLY have a gun in the car if they are going to or from the range or gunsmith. This reason was given as to why at my club in MD there is a sign-in sheet, to protect yourself if stopped returning home. (technically MD is "may" issue, but they are not. getting one is nigh impossible unless you are one of the very very few who qualify)

And never go into DC with a gun in the car in any condition at any time. (Big news recently was some guy who had gun in camper/truck parked at the Smithsonian area from Arkansas or somewhere and they shut down the streets!)
 
Unless you can arrange things so that you never get within 1000 feet of a school, you'll need a resident permit to avoid violating federal law (the Gun Free School Zones Act). Since most churches and all day-care centers are "schools" (in Indiana--don't know about Va,), it is, as a practical matter, not possible to stay that far from a school. So all these local laws about carrying in your car without permits are really a sham, because if you do it you'll violate Federal law. Same for carrying with an out-of-state permit, because the Federal law requires a permit issued by the state in which the school is located.

The bad news from Indiana is that when you move you have to inform the Indiana authorities and you will then lose your lifetime Indiana permit.
 
Actually Herndon to DC is about 23mi driving give or take. Unless you get horribly lost and cross the Potomac River you will still be in VA. Easier in MD to end up in DC then going from VA into DC or MD. Herndon is not the border of DC or MD by a longshot. You have to cross the river to enter either DC or MD. You cant miss the Potomac River.

Since you will be a VA resident for at least a year and not military you need to
read our wonderful tax laws. You will have to register your car with the DMV within 60 days max of moving into Northern VA. And yeah they do check and you can get a ticket. See in VA we pay property taxes on our vehicles. Used to be a lot worse before the property tax relief. And our total tax bill is still signicantly lower then living in MD or DC. Car insurance is also signifcantly cheaper in NOVA then in DC or MD. BTW your neighbors will turn you in for failing to register your car and paying your property taxes.

Pay the bucks get the CCW permit in VA. Its worth not being hassled.

It used to be in VA that you could drive around all day with your handgun in plain sight ie on the seat next to you.. If you stopped quick and it fell under the seat then you committed a crime. The Town of Herndon PD is reasonably nice. Just dont hit them up on a busy Saturday night or something. A mid of the week afternoon. Also realize you fall under the jurisdiction of three police departments the Town of Herndon, Fairfax County and VA State Police and depending on how close you are to Dulles airport the airport police(Feds). If you are driving on the road to the airport you need to know whose jurisdiction you fall under.


Do it the right way and not the quick, easy and cheap way. Not worth the hassles.

VA herder
 
"Open Carry" in the N.Va / DC area is just begging for a hassle ..."legal" or not. Remember, just about ever other block is "government property" of some type or another. It's a whole different world from Indiana.
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As someone who actually lives here and OC's daily, and has for years, I've just gotta say I emphatically disagree.

If you sign up for the free email alerts from VCDL, you'll be kept up to date on any new firearms related legislation, gun show dates, and other good stuff. http://www.vcdl.org/static/va-alert.html Your email address will NOT be shared with any other organizations.
 
Wow. Thanks for all the good info guys!!

So what's my best bet? Get the PA non-resident permit to "cover VA" or get the more expensive VA non-resident and "play it safe?" Is there a difference as far as where I will/won't be able to carry between the two permits?

vaherder- thanks for all the other good advice! I really appreciate it.

Why would I lose my Indiana lifetime permit just because I'm staying in VA for UP TO one year? That doesn't seem right at all.
 
zoom6zoom said:
As someone who actually lives here and OC's daily, and has for years, I've just gotta say I emphatically disagree.

If you sign up for the free email alerts from VCDL, you'll be kept up to date on any new firearms related legislation, gun show dates, and other good stuff. http://www.vcdl.org/static/va-alert.html Your email address will NOT be shared with any other organizations.
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And I'll wager you don't spend a lot of time walking through downtown Herndon, Manasas, Arlington, Reston Alexandria or the Springfield mall. This fellow is going to Northern Virginia, a whole different animal from the rest of Virginia. Like the difference between NYC and the rest of NY State.
 
so if i am within 1000 feet of a school in VA with my pa carry permit then i am in violation of the law?
 
I got stopped more times for OC in Fairfax County than anywhere else. <sigh> I would not suggest OC until you get a good feel for how to handle the experience.

There are several decent gun shops in the Herndon/Chantilly area, and the NRA HQ is just south of Herndon off I-66. When I go back up to NoVA, I often go to shoot at Clark Bros. in Warrenton.
 
Items of note:

VA has state preemption. Local laws pertaining to firearms are null and void
Read the VA statutes on the VSP web page.

There is an exception in the GFSZA that states if you "knowingly": enter the zone you are in violation.. If you are from out of town you can't know where the schools are. That could be an affirmative defense


I live about 3 miles from both the VA and DC border. My advice? Stay in VA if you are going to carry. Transport in compliance with FOPA will most likely be an affirmative defense in MD. As mentioned, MD has very specific activities you can carry unloaded weapon to. Google MD code 4-203 to see exactly what is allowed

DC is a total crap shoot Don't carry or transport there. By the way you should NEVER consent to a search of your vehicle even if you are detained. Also say NOTHING to a cop other than ID'ing yourself.

Being arrested is a different situation as far as a search because your car will be searched and inventoried. That's legal.

Be safe.
 
mgkdrgn said
"And I'll wager you don't spend a lot of time walking through downtown Herndon, Manasas, Arlington, Reston Alexandria or the Springfield mall. This fellow is going to Northern Virginia, a whole different animal from the rest of Virginia. Like the difference between NYC and the rest of NY State."

Really. I felt safe this weekend walking unarmed in downtown Old Town Manasass w/ my girlfriend doing some Xmas shopping and having lunch. Our offices are in Reston and I would not locate our offices in dangerous area. I was just in Rosslyn, Courthouse and Ballston in Arlington yesterday and had no problems when I was talking to our clients. Fairfax County has on average 15 murders a year. Many are domestic in nature. And you really should read a little more NYC is a lot safer then it used to be and its murder rate may be lower then in your neighborhood in SC. Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, Petersburg, and Roanoke are all more dangerous then NOVA. We often go to booming metropolis of downtown Herndon for lunch and don't carry. So where do you get you info?

I have lived in NOVA for over 30 years and been stationed at Dam Neck when the Pentagon or the WH wasn't calling. I have lived in VA for over 40 years hows about you?

Va herder
 
so if i am within 1000 feet of a school in VA with my pa carry permit then i am in violation of the law?
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Yes.

There is an exception in the GFSZA that states if you "knowingly": enter the zone you are in violation.. If you are from out of town you can't know where the schools are. That could be an affirmative defense
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I suppose you could try that. Around here, the schools mostly have signs saying they're schools and there are signs on the road telling you to slow down because you're entering a school zone. Besides, the guy's going to be there for a year. How long is the dumb act likely to be good for? Best to get a Va permit.
 
vatrader01 said:
Jolly Rogers


All it takes is an unscheduled car wreck on the beltway to find yourself on a detour taking you into places that could have you facing felony charges. More than one person has crossed Chain Bridge not aware that no mans land lie on the other side.
Click to expand...
Exactly!
 
vaherder said:
mgkdrgn said
"And I'll wager you don't spend a lot of time walking through downtown Herndon, Manasas, Arlington, Reston Alexandria or the Springfield mall. This fellow is going to Northern Virginia, a whole different animal from the rest of Virginia. Like the difference between NYC and the rest of NY State."

Really. I felt safe this weekend walking unarmed in downtown Old Town Manasass w/ my girlfriend doing some Xmas shopping and having lunch. Our offices are in Reston and I would not locate our offices in dangerous area. I was just in Rosslyn, Courthouse and Ballston in Arlington yesterday and had no problems when I was talking to our clients. Fairfax County has on average 15 murders a year. Many are domestic in nature. And you really should read a little more NYC is a lot safer then it used to be and its murder rate may be lower then in your neighborhood in SC. Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton Roads, Petersburg, and Roanoke are all more dangerous then NOVA. We often go to booming metropolis of downtown Herndon for lunch and don't carry. So where do you get you info?

I have lived in NOVA for over 30 years and been stationed at Dam Neck when the Pentagon or the WH wasn't calling. I have lived in VA for over 40 years hows about you?

Va herder
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I wasn't at all commenting on how "safe or unsafe" NVa was or is. I just moved down here 4 years ago after spending 28 years living in the DC-Baltimore area.

The question I was answering was about open carry. I can't imagine anybody doing "open carry" in NVA without getting jacked up on it daily ... legal or not.
 
I OC nearly every weekend in NOVA from Alexandria to Leesburg and Arlington. I have never had a single issue with anyone. Have you OC'd in these locations?
 
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