County Clerk Michael P. Kearns and County Legislator Joe Lorigo have announced pistol permit recertification outreaches will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, January 11th at West Seneca Town Hall, 1250 Union Rd., West Seneca and 6 to 8p.m. on Thursday, January 18th at the East Aurora Library, 550 Main Street, East Aurora.

The Clerk, Legislator and staff from the County Clerk’s Office will be available to answer any questions regarding the recertification process.  Hard copies of the recertification forms will be made available at the outreach.

“I understand there are many people who disagree with and are frustrated with the NY SAFE Act. However, with the deadline for re-certification fast approaching, I do not want to see any citizen lose their pistol permit because they did not re-certify their license. I have made resources available at the County Clerk’s Office to assist with re-certification. I encourage all pistol permit holders to re-certify as soon as possible,” said Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns.  

“We want to make sure the over 50,000 pistol permit holders in Erie County continue to have their constitutional right to bear arms. This is a new requirement by New York State that many do not know about. It is our goal that hosting these outreaches will inform residents and get as many as possible recertified by the January 31^st deadline. I want to thank County Clerk Kearns for hosting these workshops,” stated Legislator Joseph Lorigo (C-West Seneca).

Because of provisions in the NY SAFE Act, pistol permit holders who received their permit prior to January 15, 2013 must re-certify with the New York State Police by January 31^st, 2018. This is the first year this requirement is in place. Over 50,000 pistol permit holders in Erie County have yet to re-certify.

Those needing to recertify can pick up hard copies of the state’s recertification form at each auto bureau in Erie County and at the Pistol Permit Office. Those forms must be mailed to the New York State Police, Pistol Permit Bureau, Building 22, 1220 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12226-2252.

Additionally, 20 computer stations located at Erie County Hall, 92 Franklin St., Buffalo are available with a direct link to the pistol permit re-certification website (www.troopers.ny.gov/firearms).

Further pistol permit re-certification outreaches will be held across the county in the coming weeks, dates and locations will be announced shortly.

Anyone with questions about the outreach or recertification process can call Clerk Kearns Office at (716) 858-8866.