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How to Change Address oncelicense is issued (Dekalb)?

10K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  phantoms 
#1 ·
I applied Dec. 1, 2017 and received the license in mid-March, a little over 100 days. I called the court once which they said to do if it took longer than 80 days, and, after a 20 minute hold time they told me it would be part of the next batch sent out. I guess it was.

In the meantime, I’ve moved, still in Dekalb though. I’d like to have the permit reissued with my correct address but I haven’t found any helpful info online, just a form from Cherokee County. This has to happen often enough that there’s a normal procedure.

What to do?
 
#5 ·
It isn't a requirement to have it reissued with a correct address, so many (my self included) don't worry about it. That is probably why you're having trouble finding the process. There is no law saying it has to be done, so nobody came up with a process. I also moved within my county and mine still has my old address.
 
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#6 ·
Thanks, that's heartening. Thought I might be aging out of the internet, hah. Want to stay legal and all. I haven't changed address in ~45 years! Amazing how fast the advertisers found me. Shoot, my bankers knew my address almost before I did. Worth the effort though: the city places are all filling up, going vertical even. Stops being paradise when the world finds it. <- a worthy signature line!
 
#7 ·
Unless you have a hankerin' to spend money needlessly, don't bother changing the address on the GWL.
Your driving license has an address on it because they need to know where to send the tickets for any traffic infraction. The GWL has one because "that's the way we've always done it". The GWL doesn't really do anything except point to a manila folder in the County Probate Court's office.
 
#8 ·
I would not bother. Why deal with DeKalb government employees more than necessary? Glutton for punishment? I never show my license to carry to anybody, including a police officer a few years back who then called for backup and had two more officers show up. I refused again and the three of them together did not force the issue. I just do not see the need to update the address. It is good for five years even if you move out of state. I would not want to even try to convince the DeKalb probate judge to update my address with one in, say, Oregon or Alaska.

It is just a card in my wallet with no real use to me. I keep it updated (I just renewed), but I would not bother changing the address. Use that time you would waste to earn more money or learn a little of a foreign language or some information on how to save some money on taxes by choosing investment vehicles that avoid them . . . you only get so much time on this earth. I want to spend as little of it as possible dealing with incompetence and mediocracy, that is, unless somebody is paying me a lot of money to deal with mediocracy and incompetence for them, which I do quite frequently and tend to enjoy.
 
#9 ·
I moved from Gwinett County to Dekalb County in November 2019. I had my GWL from Gwinett County. In February 2020, I bought a handgun in Dekalb County. When I presented my DL and my GWL, they had to run a check even though I had the GWL. This was because the addresses were different. Had they been the same, the guy said they wouldn't have had to run the check. Wasn't a big deal, other than it took 40 mins longer to get in and out of the store. Another person came in after me and was out 30 mins before me. I would like to find out how to change the address, because I don't want to go thru this hassle every time I buy a gun.
 
#10 ·
If your DL was up to date on the address they were wrong for that. The only info that needs your current address is the photo ID (AKA: GADL, GAID or if used as the photo ID the GWCL.) or a supplemental document that does have your current address on it when presented with a photo ID without current address. The address on your GWCL only matters if you are using it as your photo ID and not your DL or a GA photo ID.
 
#12 · (Edited)
All that is needed is to take his current GWCL into the probate court of the new county and apply for an address change. Cost is only a couple of bucks or so and it's not like renewing or getting a first. The gun shop where they put him through the background check did him wrong. There is only one place on the form for State issued photo ID with verified address. The GWCL can qualify for this but if his DL had his current address on it and was used to verify address the address on the GWCL is not used for any purpose. The GWCL is only used in place of the background check.
 
#13 ·
All that is needed is to take his current GWCL into the probate court of the new county and apply for an address change. Cost is only a couple of bucks or so and it's not like renewing or getting a first.
Do you know for a fact that Judge Hargrove will do that? It seems unlikely to me. I have not done a 159-county survey, but I have asked a few probate judges and they all are in agreement that the judge that issued the license has to issue a replacement with a new license. That is why I suggested contacting Judge Ballar.
The gun shop where they put him through the background check did him wrong.
An FFL is not required to accept a GWL as an alternative to the NICS check, it is just permitted to. Just the same way an FFL is not required to tolerate a NICS delay of more than 3 days. The ATF can ask all it wants, but the law says 3 days. If an FFL is waiting for 30, as some have suggested, the FFL is "doing the buyer wrong."
 
#14 · (Edited)
As JRM said, gun stores will follow their own more restrictive policies if they wish. Some gun stores will still do the NICS check if both IDs are not the same address. Some gun stores still do the NICS check, even with GWCL and with both IDs correct. Some gun stores are more restrictive than the Brady law for gun purchases that get a delay, and will delay longer than 3 business days, for whatever reason.

At my gun store, as long as one of the IDs, GWCL and DL, has the correct address, and both are still valid otherwise, good to go and no NICS check. And we follow the Brady Law, so we proceed with the purchase/release of the gun, after 3 business days.
 
#15 ·
The only time we use the address on the GWCL is if the address on the DL is wrong and the GWCL is correct. We just use the GWCL as the state issued photo ID than again to avoid the background check. It is not illegal to only use the GWCL in this manor. You can also use the GWCL as a supplement document to the DL if the DL is not current and the GWCL is.

I have only heard that to do and address change on the GWCL the probate court of the new county needs to issue the replacement with the new address.
 
#17 ·
I have only heard that to do and address change on the GWCL the probate court of the new county needs to issue the replacement with the new address.
I'm not sure that's even physically possible, because the new judge (not court -- GWLs are issued by probate judges not probate courts) would not have you record, with demographic data, photo, and signature to be able to order you a new GWL. I think the old judge has to do it. It's just a matter of the logistics of how to make it happen.
 
#16 ·
As MP wrote earlier, I would not bother changing my GWCL address after a move. I would make sure my DL is updated.
 
#20 ·
In addition to everything that' already been posted, note that most (if not all) probate courts are closed for weapons licenses with all that's going on right now. There may be quite a long wait before that changes and the ability to even consider changing the address is available again.
 
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