Gun ranges can be exciting places to practice your marksmanship, test a new gun, or take gun safety classes needed for specialty permits. While gun ranges are a great place to blow off steam, the presence of firearms makes them extremely dangerous without proper precautions. Gun ranges ask for ID so that the owners ensure they know who is on-site.

Gun ranges aren’t just asking for your ID in order to invade your privacy. They are often doing it to protect both themselves and their patrons from undue liability. While there are a multitude of reasons that a gun range might ask for your ID, we are going to talk about the three most likely reasons.

Age Verification – Meeting Minimum Age Requirements

The first, and simplest reason that gun ranges will ask for your ID is to verify that you’re even old enough to be there. While there is no federal age requirement for entry into a gun range, there are state requirements which set a minimum age of 18 or 21. 

While it isn’t impossible to shoot at a gun range as a minor, you must have a parent or guardian with you, who must also be over the minimum age. Most gun ranges are required to check the age of their patrons in order to cover any liability that may arise from letting an underage person fire a gun. Some private ranges also set their own age limits to keep kids out, thus decreasing their overall liability.

Participant Tracking

Some gun ranges check IDs. Others go a step further and make copies of them. If they are using ID scanning technology, they may store digital copies of the ID on the cloud. This is done so that in the event of an accident or property destruction, the gun range is able to narrow down the list of individuals present at the time of the event. If a preventable event occurs due to negligence on the gun range’s part, they can lose their license to operate. So, by keeping a copy of your ID for tracking purposes, if something happens, they are able to better cooperate with authorities.

Background Checks

The third and arguably most important reason that gun ranges check ID is to run a background check. Especially if it is the first time you’re visiting a gun range, you will more than likely be subjected to a background check. But why? 

In 1968, a federal law was passed that prevents any convicted felon, and even some of those with violent misdemeanors from possessing or using a firearm, therefore they would not be allowed to shoot at a gun range. If any felon is found with possession of one at a gun range, it is possible that they are arrested. That being said, it is possible that exceptions can be made at the discretion of police or parole officers. 

Federal law also prohibits those with severe mental illness from possessing a gun, thus excluding them from gun ranges. If you have been previously admitted to a mental institution or have been deemed mentally unwell, this may appear on a background check, and would thus exclude you from visiting a gun range.

How IDScan.net Can Help

IDScan.net can help address all 3 of these issues. First, our VeriScan software combined with the correct scanner can easily verify age in a matter of seconds. You just scan the ID using the scanner and our software takes care of the rest. 

VeriScan can also address the tracking aspect with our built in visitor management system. Upon scanning of an ID, it stores the information in the visitor management platform, saving it for quick and easy retrieval at a later date. However, if you are concerned about state privacy retention laws, don’t worry, the setting can be customized to automatically delete personal information after a certain period of time.

Our software is also able to satisfy your requirement for background checks. We allow for a variety of 3rd party checks to be added into our VeriScan platform, thus allowing you to check for both criminal and mental health histories of your patrons. 
At IDScan.net, we strive to provide technology for a safer, smarter world. So if you’re interested in learning more about how our technology can help your gun range ensure compliance while protecting the safety of your customers, be sure to contact us!