Gun Owners: Protect Your Privacy

Patty Ritchie

February 15, 2013

A new state law allows gun owners to protect the privacy of your personal information--including your home address.

In order to take advantage of this new law, and to protect your privacy and the security of yourself, your family, home or business, you need to complete a special form, and return it to your county licensing agency.

You should not delay.  The personal information included on your gun permits, including your home address and other information, could be released to anyone who requests it after May 15.

The need for this new law was made clear late last year after a downstate newspaper published the names and addresses of tens of thousands of lawful gun permit holders in that region. I believe that publication of that information was an invasion of those permit holders’ personal privacy, and potentially exposed those citizens to harassment, or worse.

I am a strong supporter of gun owners’ rights--it's why I voted against Albany’s unnecessary new gun control law. (You can read my statement on the gun control law here.)

I also am concerned about protecting your privacy and security, so I hope you will take advantage of the privacy protection provisions of this law.

Click here to request a form to protect your privacy.

Click this link to read the State Police FAQ concerning the provisions of this new law and to download a copy of the form.

Return your completed forms to your county licensing agent: 

Oswego County Clerk, 46 East Bridge St., Oswego, NY 13126

Jefferson County Sheriff's Dept., 753 Waterman Drive, Watertown, NY 13601

St. Lawrence County, Pistol Permit Office, 48 Court St., Canton, NY 13617