HCP renewal question.

[bubbiesdad]

I'm going to renew my HCP soon and have a question for those that have. Do they take your still valid HCP when you turn in the paperwork. I know the receipt is good on a renewal but it would not make sense to take the one that is still good.

Thanks,

Ken

[Mike.357]

Just do it through the mail Ken. It is a heck of a lot easier than going to Straw Plains.

[Guest vthokies03]

Just do it through the mail Ken. It is a heck of a lot easier than going to Straw Plains.

easiest way to do it. Got my letter, sent the renewal back. Got the new one a month before the old one expired.

[Volzfan]

Mail is certainly the best and easiest way!

http://www.tn.gov/safety/handgun/renewals.shtml

[BlackHawk93]

Though some reports have stated that they take your HCP when renewing, I don't think they actually do. That would be like taking away your drivers license and mailing you a new one if they didn't have the capability to issue the DL immediately. Having said that, going to the DOS to renew is really no better at getting your renewal.

They can't issue your HCP there, the receipt they give you just proves you have applied for a renewal, and if you apply in plenty of time before yours expires, by mail allows you to keep your permit IF they did take it at the DOS. Also, they supposedly mail you a receipt when you apply by mail, so if your permit was to expire before you received it, you would have that to show. All in all, I'm for the mail.

One reason I also always pay for the renewal and a duplicate at the same time. $55 gets you one and a duplicate. I have found it more comfortable to have a duplicate in case I were to misplace my wallet and not be able to find it for a couple days. (it's happened)

Edited March 28, 2012 by BlackHawk93

[bubbiesdad]

Thanks all, just called to get the renewal form sent.

[hipower]

I've had mine for 16 years now. Never done anything but send in the renwal my mail. And after having to get a duplicate liscense made, I sure wouldn't want to have to go thru the wait again. My TDL renewal came back without a photo, so I opted to have a new pic done. I'd had the same picture for the last 2 renewals at least.

Anyway, the concept of a dl without a photo struck me as absurd. I just couldn't stand it. Why would the DMV issue a liscence without a pic? Makes no sense, you need a photo id to even vote.

Edited March 28, 2012 by hipower

[Bubba0031]

Mike mentioned having to go to Straw Plains and another member referenced calling to get the renewal by mail per the instructions on the TDOS webpage from Vols link. I thought you could receive and submit a renewal application at any DOS site and that only a new applicaton have to go thru a full service DOS office. Am I wrong or has that changed?

[DaveS]

I went in today to renew my HCP. They kept my other card and said the receipt I just got is good until my new card came in. Kewl with me!

[Fallguy]

I went in today to renew my HCP. They kept my other card and said the receipt I just got is good until my new card came in. Kewl with me!

Legally that is not correct, the law says you can continue to carry with the receipt and your expired HCP.

Sort of surprising to me that they took it period though as the last few times I've been and taken my kids, they didn't even take old DLs, just punched a hole in them and gave them back.

[Guest Patty]

nope the did not take my current one.

[BlackHawk93]

Seems to be they are misinformed on this. At least at some stations. If someone wishes to renew in person, I would just leave my permit at home with the gun since you cant carry inside anyway, thereby not having it for them to take. Doesn't make sense for them to take it. Fallguy is correct, as usual. You would think they would know what to do. Just doesnt make sense to take a permit that is still valid.

[Fallguy]

Seems to be they are misinformed on this. At least at some stations. If someone wishes to renew in person, I would just leave my permit at home with the gun since you cant carry inside anyway, thereby not having it for them to take. Doesn't make sense for them to take it. Fallguy is correct, as usual. You would think they would know what to do. Just doesnt make sense to take a permit that is still valid.

Some may be posted, but not all are. The one in Hardin Co is not. I carried in there a few weeks ago when my sin got his DL.

[JAB]

I took off from work early last Wednesday. As I prefer to do things 'face to face' rather than by mail when feasible, had no desire to drive to Strawberry Plains and as I now live in Roane County and needed to go see the election commission because I had still not received my voter's registration card, I went to the driver's license center in Rockwood. To a previous poster, apparently things have changed so that now renewals must be done at full service centers. I actually originally applied for my HCP at the DL center in west Knoxville but when I went there back in February to change the address on my DL and asked about the impending renewal of my HCP I was told that only full service centers do that, now. Mine doesn't expire until August but I remember how long the wait times were for getting new permits and renewals when I got mine four years ago so I didn't want to wait. Had plenty of time to do it by mail but, as I said, I prefer doing such things in person.

Anyhow, you can imagine that the Rockwood DL center - which is a full service center - was not as busy as some, other locations - although it wasn't exactly deserted. They were doing what I would call a steady business. I saw the nice lady at the counter, got a number and the form I needed to fill out and was actually called back to the counter right as I was finishing the form - in fact, I still had a question or two to answer when they called my number. I am guessing my wait was five minutes or less. My overall experience was the most pleasant I have ever had at a DL center. I am not very familiar with where things are located in Roane County and they even told me that the election commission office is in the courthouse in Kingston. They looked at my HCP card but returned it to me so that I still have it - they did not keep it. In fact, the lady at the counter even folded up my receipt so that it had a little, short 'pocket' in the front and slipped my HCP card in that 'pocket'. That is the way it is in my wallet, now - with the card tucked into that folded 'pocket' in the receipt. I really hope that DL center doesn't fall victim to budget cuts and that it remains a full service center. When possible, even though it is actually a pretty good drive for me to go to Rockwood (I live on the Roane County/Loudon County line - so close I have a Loudon address) I will go there whenever possible if I need to do something at a DL center in the future.

Some may be posted, but not all are. The one in Hardin Co is not. I carried in there a few weeks ago when my sin got his DL.

I didn't notice if the one in Rockwood was posted or not. However, I was given a piece of paper with my application which stated that firearms are prohibited in all driver's license centers. Not a technically legal posting but as it is a state agency and the state makes the rules for firearms carry I don't know that I, personally, would want to test it.

Edited April 11, 2012 by JAB

[Fallguy]

I didn't notice if the one in Rockwood was posted or not. However, I was given a piece of paper with my application which stated that firearms are prohibited in all driver's license centers. Not a technically legal posting but as it is a state agency and the state makes the rules for firearms carry I don't know that I, personally, would want to test it.

Well I didn't have or see an application since I was there for my sons DL test.

[JAB]

Well I didn't have or see an application since I was there for my sons DL test.

Right and totally understandable. I am just saying that someone, somewhere in a position of 'authority' believes it to be a rule that you can't carry at DL centers, period. Honestly, though, that really makes very little sense, to me. The very people who have decided that I am stable, honest, trustworthy and law abiding enough to carry my firearm in public places have a rule that I can't carry my firearm in their offices - which are public places? Seems kind of like DL centers being posted to prohibit driving a car through their parking lot. If the very people who issue our permits don't trust us to carry then how can we expect anyone else to trust us?