LOCKPORT, N.Y. -- More than 83,000 handgun owners in New York have already re-certified their permits, according to New York State Police.
"So far, it's been going fairly smooth," Niagara County Clerk Joe Jastrzemski said.
Troopers believe the response in this first two months of the process has been positive, considering the deadline is roughly 11 months away. Anybody who received a permit before January 2013 must recertify by the end of January 2018.
Because this is the first time New York has required recertification, state police said it's impossible to know exactly how many active permit holders there are in the state. New York City, Long Island and Westchester County are also exempt because they already required permit holders to recertify.
Jastrzemski said the easiest and most painless way to do it is online, but he was concerned his constituents in rural areas might not have access to the state police website. Specifically for that reason, he set up a laptop computer at his office.
"It's been used somewhat on a regular basis," he said. "Once or twice, sometimes three times a week somebody will come in and utilize the computer."
The clerk said he's found many people prefer to physically mail the recertification form.
Handgun owner Brad Clark said he mailed his form in on January 1.
"Online, you have no (evidence) if they got it or received it or who's getting it," he said. "At least if I put it in the mail and make a copy of it, I've got documentation of where it went, when it went."
Clark said he has no problem with the state updating the records, but was a little concerned when his and his wife's forms were initially sent back to them.
"It was just kind of confusing so I don't know who they've got doing it but it seems like they're overwhelmed and if there's any one little quirk in it, they send it back."
In fact, state police said paper forms should not cause any issues for them and they are encouraging people to file whichever way is easiest for them. They said about 18 percent of the applications they've received so far have come in the mail.
Another point of confusion is an option for permit holders to opt out of having their information publicly disclosed under the SAFE Act. While many people have already requested their information be kept private through their county clerk's office, NYSP said those who haven't can do it through the recertification process without filling out a separate form.
Jastrzemski said that's among the many things that hasn't been clearly communicated to his office at this point. The clerk said his priority continues to be letting people know they must re-certify.
"We're just trying to be proactive and help our Niagara County residents the best that we can," he said.