Unrestricted course drawing signup

YOUR ENROLLMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SARATOGA COUNTY ADVANCED FIREARMS COURSE DOES NOT GUARANTEE AN UNRESTRICTED HANDGUN CONCEALED CARRY LICENSE WILL BE ISSUD TO YOU.

Successful completion of the Advanced Firearms Course is one of several requirements mandated by the issuing authority when applying for an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license in Saratoga County. 

A license-holder who successfully completes the Advanced Firearms Course must submit an Amendment form to the Sheriff’s Office in which he/she requests the issuance of an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license.  The submission of this Amendment initiates a completely NEW investigation into the license-holder’s:

1. Background;
2. Character and fitness;
3. Mental health history;
4. Criminal history (even one (1) prior arrest will have a significant impact on whether an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license will be granted, regardless of disclosure);
5. Moral character;
6. Prior and/or current illegal use of controlled substances (a prior DWI, DWAI, DWAI-drug(s) arrest will have a significant impact on whether an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license will be granted, regardless of disclosure);
7. Immigration/naturalization status;
8. Military experience and discharge status;
9. Ability to follow directions and abide by the instructions of the Sheriff’s Pistol License Office and the Licensing Officer/Judge. 
10. Disclosure of the event, along with explanation of same, may not necessarily satisfy the licensing officer, as noted above.

Even one (1) prior arrest in an applicant's history may be considered justifiable cause by the issuing authority as reason for denial of an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license, regardless of disclosure and detailed explanation of the event.

The renewed background investigation is conducted despite the fact that one was completed at the time the original hunting and target license was issued.  Please be advised, each application is judged on its own merit, but historically, individuals with just one (1) prior arrest, regardless of the disclosure, has given the issuing authority serious concern when determining whether to issue an unrestricted handgun concealed carry license.

Please CAREFULLY AND FULLY  consider ALL of the above information PRIOR to  enrolling in the Advanced Firearms Course, which requires a significant investment of time and resources.

This message is being posted due to a substantial increase in the number of applications for an unrestricted concealed carry handgun license being denied by the issuing authority for reasons directly linked to an applicatn's prior arrest(s), or other issue(s) appearing in the applicant's background, character or history.  

By completing the registration form below and entering into the Randomized Drawing Process (offered through Training House Saratoga) for an opportunity to attend the Saratoga County Unrestricted Handgun Course, which is one of several requirements required for consideration when applying for an Unrestricted Handgun License in Saratoga County, I attest I have PERSONALLY read the Notice as indicated above, and FULLY UNDERSTAND the ramifications its content may have upon my application.

You may only register ONCE.

• Individuals may only register ONCE. Multiple registrations will cause immediate and permanent removal of the individual from the list.  (List is reviewed regularly for duplicate registrations.) 
  
• Registration numbers may NOT be transferred to another individual.
• Registrants are responsible for understanding ALL requirements to apply for an unrestricted license in Saratoga County - including testing and qualification requirements.
• Selected registrants can NOT transfer their seat to another individual.
• Selected registrants can NOT change their class date under any circumstances.
• Selected registrants missing their course date, no-showing for class, or arriving late to class will have their seat cancelled without refund or recourse.
• Selected registrants must pay course fee by deadline provided at time of selection. Failure to pay fee by deadline forfeits their seat. No exceptions.
• Registrants should review, understand and be CONFIDENT IN THEIR ABILITY TO PASS the live-fire qualification requirements of the course, while adhering to ALL universal firearms safety rules, PRIOR to entering into the drawing. SIGNIFICANT LIVE-FIRE PRACTICE SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE APPLICANT PRIOR TO REGISTERING FOR THE DRAWING (Requirements for the live-fire portion of the course can be found by clicking HERE.)  NOTE:  Live-fire qualification must be completed with a handgun firing CENTER-FIRE ammunition ONLY.  NO .22's allowed.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
• ALL firearms and equipment used by the applicant during the live-fire qualification portion of the course, must be SAFE Act compliant, and legal to possess and use by the appplicant at the time of the course.
• SPECIAL NOTE:  Applicants MUST review and confirm any magazine (ammunition feeding device) brought to the course is compliant with the SAFE Act.  It is ILLEGAL to possess a magazine (ammunition feeding device), in NYS, that is capable of holding more than 10 rounds.

• Once an individual completes the above registration form and hits the "SUBMIT" button, our system will create a unique and permanent drawing number for that individual. This drawing number will be provided via e-mail to the individual and stored in our system.
• Each month a random drawing will occur from this pool of unique user numbers to select the upcoming month's unrestricted course seats (currently 12 seats per course/month).
• Twelve (12) seats will be drawn each month, along with twelve (12) alternates.
• Selected registrants will be notified using the E-MAIL contact information they provided when registering for the drawing. This notification will contain the requirements and details to confirm their seat.
• Selected registrants unable to attend their scheduled course date, and who notify us PRIOR to their payment due date, will have their user-number added back into the pool for upcoming drawings. This seat will then be allocated to the first registrant on the alternate list. This process will continue, chronologically, until all seats are filled. Once all seats are filled, any remaining registrants on the alternate list will have their user-number added back into the pool for upcoming drawings.
• This process will repeat each month with non-selected registrants remaining in the pool and eligible for the next monthly randomized drawing.
• NOTE: Randomized monthly drawings will be executed using www.random.org, an online tool that produces true random numbers. Click here for detailed info on Random.org.