FOID Card Denial and Appeals Services

Our FOID Card Denial and Appeals Services

At Williams & Nickl, we believe Illinois residents like you must be able to protect your right to bear arms. 

Illinois law requires that you obtain a Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card before legally owning a gun or ammunition in the state. Applying for a FOID card is easy.

But qualifying for a FOID card and maintaining your eligibility are often far more complicated. 

If your FOID card application has been denied or revoked for any reason, we’re ready to help you.

FOID Card Application Denials

To qualify for a FOID card, you must be an Illinois resident (with some exceptions) who’s at least 21 years old. If you’re under 21, you must have a parent or guardian sponsor who’s eligible for a FOID card. 

Further requirements generally pertain to any history of mental health problems and/or criminal convictions. Substance abuse concerns could also disqualify you from FOID card eligibility.

Once the Illinois State Police (ISP) has issued your FOID card, it’s valid for 10 years. It remains valid if you continue to meet the requirements in the Illinois Firearms Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65). 

If you no longer meet those requirements, the ISP can revoke your FOID card. Similarly, it can deny your FOID card renewal if you don’t meet all requirements.

FOID Card Reapplication After Felony Conviction

If you’re convicted of any felony offense, you automatically lose your eligibility to obtain or keep a FOID card under Illinois law. 

However, depending on your circumstances, you may be able to have your eligibility restored after a felony conviction. 

With our FOID card appeals lawyer’s help, you must demonstrate the following to the ISP director or a county court judge:

1. You haven’t been convicted of a forcible or violent felony in the past 20 years.
2. At least 20 years have passed since you were incarcerated for a forcible or violent felony conviction.
3. You are unlikely to act in any way that presents a danger to the general public.
4. Restoring your rights would not be contradictory to public interests.
5. Restoring your rights would not violate federal firearms laws.

In many cases, proving the first four criteria is fairly straightforward — but the last element may present a significant challenge. 

For example, federal law prohibits firearm ownership from these parties:

• Anyone who’s been convicted of a domestic violence offense 
• Anyone who’s been convicted of any crime punishable by more than one year in jail 

With this in mind, it’s important to work closely with an attorney who can help you restore your rights if possible.

How We Help You With FOID Card Denial or Revocation

If you’ve received a denial or revocation notice from the ISP, we’re prepared to help. 

We carefully review your application and your situation’s circumstances to determine why the ISP denied your application or revoked your FOID card. 

From there, we work with you to explore your options for appealing the decision. 

In most cases, you must make an initial appeal to the Office of the Director of the ISP. If the director denies your appeal, you may be able to file an appeal in the circuit court of your county of residence. 

We have the legal knowledge and experience to help at every stage of the appeals process.

Contact Us

Addressing FOID card revocation and denial demands distinct expertise. That’s where we come in. 

Contact us online today, or call 312-335-9470 for a confidential consultation with one of our attorneys. We’ll discuss information about appealing your FOID card denial or revocation notice. We also offer Concealed Carry License appeals services.