Concealed Carry Permit - Legal Form of ID?

I got my VA nonresident permit last week, so this week I have been trying to get used to carrying. Tonight however I was not carrying as I was going to "bars" (restaurants that serve liquor). I presented my permit to one bar as my photo ID, and they let me in no problem. A bit later I went to another bar, showed my permit, and the LEO standing by the bouncer tried to tell me that the permit was not a good enough ID. I told him that it was in fact issued by the state police and had everything he may need to know on it. It has my information including DOB and descriptive features, as well as a picture. I assume a bouncer at a club may not be shown a permit often and may not know what to make of it, but I assume the cop ought to have known what it was. So, should it count as a legal photo ID, or am I mistaken?

On a sidenote, I was suprised that walking into a bar and showing a permit the LEO didn't ask if I was carrying since I can't conceal in the bar.

States vary as to what ID is allowed for proof of age, particularly with regard to buying alcohol. In some states, all that's required is a "government-issued" ID. Some states specifically require a driver's license or the "non-driver's" ID for liquor purchases.

If you plan to use your CCW as ID to gain entry into places serving booze, I would research the VA statutes regarding what constitutes valid ID for that purpose.

Just out of curiosity, did you not have a driver's license available to use for ID? That would certainly raise fewer eyebrows.

ID means drivers license, not your passport etc. Are you asking for trouble with the permit flashing? Concealed is concealed.

Our CWP doesn't have our photo on it. As far as the above poster, the Passport is the ultimate ID.

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Originally Posted by surprise

ID means drivers license, not your passport etc. Are you asking for trouble with the permit flashing? Concealed is concealed.

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Just because you have your CCH license in hand does NOT mean you are armed.

?? VA nonresident permits have photos on them? Do resident permits have photos on them now?

Seems a bit mall-ninja-ish to use that as your ID when you probably have a driver's license (unless somehow that was all you had with you). I would say using it for ID could be argued, but it would be better left in the wallet.

Generally accepted forms of ID for alcohol purchases etc would be: State issued Drivers License, State issued non-driver ID card, military ID card or a passport. At least in Alabama, no other ID's would work. Various states laws differ by location.

My CPL states that you have to have both a CPL and a ID when you carry.

Why would you use your CPL as a form of ID? That's nutty...it's a Concealed Permit, not ID! No need to flash it around....

In Florida, our Concealed Weapons License is as good as any State issued ID, except for driving purposes. :hand10:

It depends on each state as to what is acceptable ID, but personally, my CWFL is an ID of last resort.

Technically I'd say your CHP is not a valid ID. While VA non-resident permits do have a photo on them, you still must carry another government issued photo ID when carrying a gun. Since the photo on the permit does not qualify as a photo ID for carrying, I would assume it does not qualify as a photo ID for other purposes either.

From Virginia State Code:

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H. The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall specify only the following information: name, address, date of birth, gender, height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes, and signature of the permittee; the signature of the judge issuing the permit, or of the clerk of court who has been authorized to sign such permits by the issuing judge; the date of issuance; and the expiration date. The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall be no larger than two inches wide by three and one-fourth inches long and shall be of a uniform style prescribed by the Department of State Police. The person issued the permit shall have such permit on his person at all times during which he is carrying a concealed handgun and shall display the permit and a photo-identification issued by a government agency of the Commonwealth or by the United States Department of Defense or United States State Department (passport) upon demand by a law-enforcement officer.

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Originally Posted by Paymeister

?? VA nonresident permits have photos on them? Do resident permits have photos on them now?

Seems a bit mall-ninja-ish to use that as your ID when you probably have a driver's license (unless somehow that was all you had with you). I would say using it for ID could be argued, but it would be better left in the wallet.

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VA resident permits do not have photo's, non-resident permits do. Personally I wish VA would adopt a better type of permit. The cheap card stock they use sucks. They already have the hardware and software available to issue a permit similar to Driver Licenses and State Photo ID cards.

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Originally Posted by surprise

ID means drivers license, not your passport etc. Are you asking for trouble with the permit flashing? Concealed is concealed.

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ID does not mean only drivers license. There are many acceptable forms of ID, including a passport. My retired military ID is a valid for of ID as well (although I have been to places that had no idea what it was).

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H. The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall specify only the following information: name, address, date of birth, gender, height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes, and signature of the permittee; the signature of the judge issuing the permit, or of the clerk of court who has been authorized to sign such permits by the issuing judge; the date of issuance; and the expiration date. The permit to carry a concealed handgun shall be no larger than two inches wide by three and one-fourth inches long and shall be of a uniform style prescribed by the Department of State Police. The person issued the permit shall have such permit on his person at all times during which he is carrying a concealed handgun and shall display the permit and a photo-identification issued by a government agency of the Commonwealth or by the United States Department of Defense or United States State Department (passport) upon demand by a law-enforcement officer.

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When the CC laws were passed in '96 here in Kansas, your drivers license indicated your CC status, just like it does if you've got a motorcycle permit.

That quickly changed because the concept of CC is anonymity; if you need to show an ID to cash a check you don't want some clerk freaking out because you may be packing heat.

You can use it as ID, but unless you're stopped by a cop for a broken tail light, it's a good idea to keep it in your wallet. (Most cops around here are cool with CC, they just want to know who they're stopping. When they run your DL they'll know anyway, so it's best to let them know up front.)