The Firearm Owner's Identification Card
430 ILCS 65/2 — a FOID card is needed to acquire or possess a firearm, ammunition, a stun gun or a taser
No person may acquire or possess any firearm, stun gun or taser in Illinois, or firearm ammunition, without having in their possession a Firearm Owner's Identification Card issued in their name by the Illinois State Police.
Who handles this in Illinois: Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Lawyer Finder; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.
- On duty federal marshals, members of the Armed Forces and the National Guard, and federal officials required to carry firearms.
- Nonresident hunters during hunting season with valid nonresident licenses, in an area where hunting is permitted; at all other times their firearms must be unloaded and enclosed in a case.
- Nonresidents on a recognized firing or shooting range, under the same rule about cases elsewhere.
The section lists further exceptions, and whether one fits a particular person is a question for a licensed Illinois attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- 430 ILCS 65/2 — Firearm Owner's Identification Card required; exceptions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.