# Licensed in MA/Insured elsewhere



## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

I hate to take everyone's focus away from "ticketed by cop with suite," but I have a two part question and need advice. In April, I will be getting discharged from active duty, and I plan on driving my POV home. I am currently licensed in MA, however my POV is registered and insured in SC. If I was to be stopped during any point of my cross country journey, what type of consequences would there be? Hopefully, I would be able to explain my situation and appeal to the discretion of the Officer.

Also, could you point me in the right direction as far as transporting a firearm? I don't know if there is a thread already active regarding this, so I apologize if I'm wasting time. I just don't feel like paying two different FFL dealers $$$ for something I could potentially do for free. Thanks and be safe.


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## csauce777 (Jan 10, 2005)

A. Explain you just got discharged from active duty. Nobody is gonna say anything.

B. Some chapter 90 wiz would have to give specifics but there are provisions for vets.

C. If your license is valid, and your plates and insurance are valid, until you're back in Mass as a resident, I don't believe you need to register and insure then here.

D. Thank you for your service.


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## 263FPD (Oct 29, 2004)

What he said. You are all set. 


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

USMCMP5811 said:


> Yup, once back in MA, you have 30 days to register your vehicle with MA plates.
> 
> As to the firearm question, do you have a current, valid MA LTC?


I do, I just received my approved renewal and it is now sitting at my local PD. I am going to have a family member pick it up and send it down to me.


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

USMCMP5811 said:


> Ok, you can transport the weapon(s) on your own. Just make sure they are unloaded and ammo stored separately.


Ok thanks, some people I work with suggested disassembling it but I think that may be a bit excessive.


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## Irishpride (May 5, 2002)

Unloaded in a locked container in the trunk, ammo not in the same container as the firearm, good to go


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2013)

USAF286 said:


> Ok thanks, some people I work with suggested disassembling it but I think that may be a bit excessive.


Not excessive.

There are some LE agencies down south who do things a lot differently that we do them here. Not in a million years would I hassle a recently discharged veteran who was traveling home with firearms, but then again I've heard horror stories about the Virginia State Police, you're going to have to drive through Virginia on your way home, and it's a huge state.

Always err on the side of caution. As stated previously, you have 30 days to re-register your car once you get back here. Good luck, and thank you for your service.


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## Danusmc0321 (May 21, 2012)

On 95 I have never NOT seen a Trooper sitting in the first turn out that's in Emporia VA. Its right on the NC/VA border and it's a drive I made a lot. I was always transporting a firearm just follow the law and what the guys above me said and you will have no issues. The VA Troopers do not fuck around and I have heard plenty of Monday morning stories from guys flying to get back to base on a Sunday being pulled over and it was always a VA Trooper. Be careful and drive the speed limit, there's nothing worse than being excited to be going home on terminal leave and finally getting there and then having to pay a ticket from 6 states away..


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

I would've thought USAF286 having Carolina plates would've made him look like a good ole boy to those VA guys. At least not having yankee plates may make him less of a target? What the fuck is wrong with VA and FL State Police?


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## Herrdoktor (Jun 23, 2010)

Per VA (18.2-308) code you have to have your firearm 'secured' in your vehicle if you don't have a concealed carry permit. What secured means has not yet been defined, but just lock it up and you are fine. 

As for VSP they write everyone (including VA County police) but unless you are waving a firearm around there is no reason to think you have a firearm in your vehicle.


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## 7MPOC (Mar 16, 2004)

I know you said you are being discharged from active duty but will you remain enlisted? If so I believe you can keep your vehicle registered in another state longer than 30 days if you are still enlisted. I will have to break out my motor vehicle law book though. There are several time extensions for various military reasons.


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## Guest (Mar 6, 2013)

7MPOC said:


> I know you said you are being discharged from active duty but will you remain enlisted? If so I believe you can keep your vehicle registered in another state longer than 30 days if you are still enlisted. I will have to break out my motor vehicle law book though. There are several time extensions for various military reasons.


Once you ETS, you're out, unless you take terminal leave, which may trigger a military exemption, but best to just register your car in MA if you plan on staying for awhile. There's always a Chapter 90 Commando lurking somewhere.


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Do they still sit you in the passenger seat of their cruiser while they write you?


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## Herrdoktor (Jun 23, 2010)

Hush said:


> Do they still sit you in the passenger seat of their cruiser while they write you?


Yup I actually didn't know they did that until my wife (gf at the time) was stopped.

Nothing says safety like pulling someone out of their car on the interstate for a simple speeding charge.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

Apparently VSP has forgotten all the help they got when their Trooper was injured in NYC at the "event".


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

7MPOC said:


> I know you said you are being discharged from active duty but will you remain enlisted? If so I believe you can keep your vehicle registered in another state longer than 30 days if you are still enlisted. I will have to break out my motor vehicle law book though. There are several time extensions for various military reasons.


Yeah, like Delta mentioned below I will be on terminal leave for roughly a month after I get home. I'm not worried about being in mass, I just want to arrive there UNMOLESTED. I appreciate all the input. Thanks!

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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

Johnny Law said:


> I would've thought USAF286 having Carolina plates would've made him look like a good ole boy to those VA guys. At least not having yankee plates may make him less of a target? What the fuck is wrong with VA and FL State Police?


Carolina plate* none of that two plate nonsense down here! Ya hear? 

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## RonnyBoy (Mar 5, 2013)

Be careful of the cameras on the highway while driving through Washington DC. They are the top cameras in the country for issuing speeding tickets b/c the highway drops down below 65 for no good reason (IMO).

Thank you for your service, safe drive home.


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

USAF286 said:


> I'm not worried about being in mass, I just want to arrive there UNMOLESTED. I appreciate all the input. Thanks!


Then make sure you don't stop at any rest areas to "pee"


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

After hearing some horror stories and seeing how they are with their asinine laws, I would be more worried about driving through NJ or NY than VA.

But keep it locked up with the ammo locked up separately and you should be GTG. When I'm driving east/west to or from MA, I purposely drop south and extend my trip through CT as to only have to drive 40 or so miles through NY state into PA as to avoid any hassles. Taking I-90 all they way across NY would shave 1-2 hours off my travel time but I would rather deprive them of taxes on the gas, the toll revenues, and the New Yorkers anyway.

There is a federal law that allows a person to possess a secured firearm in interstate travel and be exempt from the laws of that state provided you only make normal stops for food, gas, and rest, and the firearm remains adequately secured at all times. It would be worth it to have a copy of it with you just in case, but there are documented instances of troopers etc. seizing firearms and hanging people out to dry irregardless of the laws when they feel like it.

Safe travels!

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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

I've carried through NY NJ and Delaware. Never had a problem, but then again I've never had to draw either. NJ and their gay "dum-dum" laws tho, that pisses me off.


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

Dum-dum laws?


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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

USAF286 said:


> Dum-dum laws?


No one can carry, use or possess hollow point bullets there. That's all I use except for practice. Dum-dum is an old term for hollow points.


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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)

Johnny Law said:


> No one can carry, use or possess hollow point bullets there. That's all I use except for practice. Dum-dum is an old term for hollow points.


That includes LEO's as well?

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## Johnny Law (Aug 8, 2008)

USAF286 said:


> That includes LEO's as well?


 I think on duty personnel are exempt, like on patrol in NJ on duty. Not any of us here on the job though.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

It does not exempt LEO's, but I have noy heard any horror stories in a while. A couple of years ago there were some penal law experts that decided to gig cops for that, but I do not think it went anywhere.


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## Goose (Dec 1, 2004)

IIRC, the recent changes to the LEOSA exempts off-duty LEOs from ammo type restrictions. I think Detroit is the same as NJ in the no JHP sense.

Hornady has some ammo in their Critical Defense line that has some sort of a gelatinous-plug in the nose which is designed to comply with laws against hollow points while still having adequate expanding performance. I think the only other option is the Federal EFMJ (Expanding Full Metal Jacket), which doesn't perform as well as many other hollow points available on the market.

Unfortunately the restrictive laws open up law-abiding individuals to additional liability over normal hollow point rounds, since a FMJ round is far more likely to penetrate through an attacker and keep going than a JHP.


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## Herrdoktor (Jun 23, 2010)

Johnny Law said:


> I would've thought USAF286 having Carolina plates would've made him look like a good ole boy to those VA guys. At least not having yankee plates may make him less of a target? What the fuck is wrong with VA and FL State Police?


As much as we clown on VSP here it should be mentioned they did just lose one of their guys today 

http://www.nbc12.com/story/21546758/shots-fired-at-vsp-trooper-on-i-85-highway-closed-in-dinwiddie


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## Hush (Feb 1, 2009)

Shit, RIP Trooper.


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