What a Firearm Owner's Identification Card is, who is eligible, and how to apply online with the Illinois State Police.
How to Get an Illinois FOID Card
Why do you Need a FOID?
Per the FOID act of 1968 (430 ILCS 65), a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card is required for residents of Illinois to possess or acquire the following
- Firearms
- Firearm ammunition
- Tasers
- Stun guns
FOID Eligibility
Applicants must be 21 years of age or have a parent or legal guardian sponsor that is eligible for a FOID card. FOID applicants must not be prohibited from possessing firearms in accordance with state or federal law. This requires the applicant is/has:
- Not been convicted of a felony
- Not addicted to narcotics
- Not been a patient in a mental health facility within the past five years
- Not been a patient in a mental health facility more than five years ago, unless the applicant submits a mental health certification under 430 ILCS 65/8(u)
- Not intellectually disabled
- Not an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States
- Not subject to an existing order of protection
- Not been convicted within the past 5 years of battery, assault, aggravated assault, violation of an order of protection, or a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction, in which a firearm was used or possessed
- Not been convicted of domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, or a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction
- Not an alien who has been admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa; unless the applicant is an official representative of a foreign government or who received a waiver from the Attorney General of the United States pursuant to 18 USC 922(y)(3)
- Not a minor subject to a petition filed under section 5-520 of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 alleging that the minor is a delinquent minor for the commission of an offense that if committed by an adult would be a felony
- Is a resident of the State of Illinois
- Not been adjudicated as a mentally disabled person
- Not been involuntarily admitted into a mental health facility
- Not a person whose mental condition is of such a nature that it poses a clear and present danger to the applicant, or any other person or the community
- Not developmentally disabled
- Not renounced their citizenship
- Not dishonorably discharged from the United States Armed Forces
- Not convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
- Not a person under 21 years of age and convicted of a misdemeanor other than a traffic offense or adjudged delinquent
- Not a person who intentionally makes a false statement in the FOID card application
Generally, a person must be a resident of Illinois in order to apply for a FOID card. However, there are two exceptions to the residency restrictions:
- If you are employed in Illinois and are required to carry a firearm as part of your employment
- You are an active duty member of the military permanently stationed in Illinois
FOID Application Process
Application process to get a FOID is completed online. For special circumstances and those who don’t have a computer, applicants may call the ISP at 217-782-7980.
What you need to get started:
- An hour or so of time
- Driver’s License or ID Card Number
- Method of payment (eCheck, Credit Card)
- Color Photograph
- Just like a passport photo
- Clear view of head and shoulders
- No obstruction of facial features
- Taken in the last 30 days
- Background must be a light, solid color
- No hats, sunglasses
- Must be either jpg, png or gif with a max size of 5 MB.
The FOID application fee is $10, paid online when you apply. The state e-Pay system adds a service fee. Active duty military, National Guard and Reserve members do not pay the application fee.
A FOID card is valid for 10 years, subject to automatic renewal in certain circumstances, and new cards no longer print an expiration date (Illinois State Police FAQ). The fee is $10 plus an e-Pay service fee.
Click here to visit the ISP Firearm Services Bureau to get started on your application
Click here to download step-by-step instructions for applying for a FOID online
How to apply online, step by step
Screenshots of the public pages were taken November 2026. The application screens after you sign in are not shown here; the ISP walks you through them. The ISP also publishes its own step-by-step FOID instructions.
Step 1: Go to the Firearms Services Bureau portal
Open ispfsb.com. FOID applications start from the FOID Card section.
Step 2: Sign in, or register as a new user
If you already have an account, sign in with your user ID or email, password, last name and date of birth. New applicants choose Register Now.
Step 3: Create your account
Registration takes four steps. Have an email address, your driver license or state ID, and your FOID card number if you already have one.
Step 4: Complete the FOID application
After you sign in, fill out the application, upload a color head-and-shoulders photo taken within the last 30 days, and pay the $10 fee plus the e-Pay service fee (active duty military, National Guard and Reserve members do not pay the application fee).
Step 5: Wait for your card
According to the ISP, new FOID applications are processed within 30 calendar days.
Renewing your FOID card
A FOID card is valid for 10 years, subject to automatic renewal in certain circumstances. You can renew up to 180 days before it expires, online at ispfsb.com or at one of the four ISP self-service kiosks in Lockport, Springfield, Collinsville and Du Quoin. Renewals are processed within 60 business days. New cards do not print an expiration date, so if nothing changes except the expiration date, the ISP does not mail a new card.