Improper use of pistol permits in Franklin County will become infinitely more difficult after this weekend.
Starting Monday, the pistol permits issued in Franklin County will feature picture IDs along with the permit holder’s information.
The permits, which were previously made out of paper, will now be plastic cards similar to a driver’s license.
Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said this new permit format is something many people have wanted for years.
“All of the counties surrounding us have sturdy permits that aren’t destroyed as easily,” Oliver said. “They also feature picture IDs. I’ve had a large number of people ask me about getting these kind of permits for Franklin County, so I’m glad that our residents will now have access to better quality permits.”
Oliver said the new permits would be helpful from a law enforcement standpoint since the picture ID will make it harder for people to switch and swap permits.
“The permits were easier to misuse before because there wasn’t a way to identify the person positively from just looking at the permit,” Oliver said. “Now you won’t be able to just pass your permit off to someone and have them claim its theirs thanks to these pictures.
“The new system that goes with it will also make tracking the permits and the auditing process easier.”
Oliver said the permits can now be used as a form of ID since the pictures are displayed so they will serve several functions besides just being a pistol permit.
He added that it will take a little time to get used to the new system, but pretty soon, the process for getting a pistol permit will be even quicker than it was before, even though a picture will have to be taken and uploaded.
“This new system will just be better for everyone,” he said.
The price for obtaining a pistol permit in Franklin County is $12.50. Oliver said at this time, the price will remain the same.
“A lot of counties had to go up on their prices when they switched to this new format, but we’re hoping we can keep the price the same for as long as we can,” Oliver said.
Anyone wishing to obtain a pistol permit in Franklin County can visit the Sheriff’s Office to fill out the paperwork.