Slight concern about vacation carry

[WvHiker]

I live in WV. Our permit is literally a certificate with a little gold seal. For wallet carry you get a reduced photocopy of this, laminated. Now, in PA I know the permits look more like a driver's license; they have a photo on the card. The WV permit just says that you have to carry state issued photo ID with the permit. Now, normally this doesn't bother me at all. In a few months I'll be going on vacation in NC. So long as I stay out of Maryland my permit is valid for the whole trip.

Now, my concern is that the further I get away from WV, the more of a chance that a LEO will look at my permit and think I just photoshopped at my desk. Anyone else ever wonder about this or have any experiences? I don't know what any other permits look like outside of WV and PA, so maybe a lot of places don't have driver's license-like permits with photos.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[XDinVA]

hiker,
my va permit looks nearly like a vehicle insurance card. with a little county seal embossed on also. have presented it to nc troopers, as well as ohio. and have not had so much as a 2nd look from either. i believe if they have doubts a phone call to WV state police will solve any issues

[SIGguy229]

Too much to worry about. There is nothing you can do about how your state produces a permit. In my county, it looks like something I did on my computer (if I had a dot matrix printer)...nothing you can do about it, except maybe 1) don't speed in a state that requires LEO notification; 2) keep your issuing authority's phone number handy (or home state police; 3) (final option) Don't shoot anyone...and if you do, they will check your permit anyway...

[ramrunnr]

The NC permit doesn't have a photo either. Here is some pics from USAcarry.com's North Carolina Concealed Carry Permit Information page.

[tkruf]

I had a GA GFL before moving to VA. It did not have a photo. My VA license doesn't have a picture. (both of those looked like they were printed on small form with inkjet printer and laminated. My NH non-resident has no picture but is on plastic like a state driver license. My wifes PA non-resident was on paper, too big for wallet carry unless you (and they say it is legal to do this) shrink it down on a copier and laminate it.

So you shouldn't have any problem. Like someone else said, just don't speed in states that require notification. NC and SC both require notification.

Make sure you check NC laws where you are going concerning carry. NC has some preemption issues.

Enjoy your trip and be safe.

[WHEC724]

My PA non-resident is just a piece of paper that I could have printed out. It's the only thing that makes it legal for me to carry in GA, which I do just about every day.

It's their choice, not mine.

[rcain007]

In Texas ours looks alot like our driver's license, and both are issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Here, a CHL is also a valid form of government ID.

[Will B. Droopy]

.

When I lived in NC in '96 it was just a very simple paper card (not sure if it was laminated), while here in MS it is exactly like our driver's licenses (i.e., very slick and official):





-Bill

[PatAz]

No photo on the Arizona permit either.

[WvHiker]

First off, thanks everyone. I'm a little less uneasy now. I'm not a speeder in any case. NC has some pretty strange laws about where you can and can't carry, but I plan to spend most of my time there reading on a beach anyway. I just don't like being without a gun on long car trips, and this one is going to be just a bit longer because I have to skirt Maryland. Worth it, though.

[SIGguy229]

Also, I carry a copy of the relevant laws of the states I'm traveling through/destination...including any reciprocity agreements (found on state police or Attorney General websites)

[WvHiker]

Good idea, Sigguy. I'll make a little sheaf of printouts before I go. Always nice to have a reference doc on hand.

[cwblanco]

In Texas ours looks alot like our driver's license, and both are issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Here, a CHL is also a valid form of government ID.

True. When voting, my wife had left her voter registration card home, and had to produce identification. She handed the clerk the CHL license, and the only comment that she got was "Hmm, I did not know that Texas had changed its driver's license form." Nothing else was said.