Yet another MSP oddity

daggo66 · Jan 23, 2020

One of the issues raised regarding the HQL was that the only way to pay was to use a credit/debit card.

Now that the Wear and Carry (HGP) process is online only you would think the same thing applies. Oh, no. There is no way to pay using a card. You must send in a check. The wording makes you think there is a card payment method, but there isn’t. When my wife renewed using the system for the first time, we just figured we missed it along the way so we sent a check.

Last night I did my renewal. There is absolutely no way to pay by card. Furthermore there is a statement that says “paying by check will delay your application.” WTF? It was that statement that made us wonder the first time. It also goes on to state that you must include your name and application number otherwise they won’t be able to match up the payment to the application.

This has left me scratching my head based on the whole HQL situation of not allowing payments other than by card.

welder516 · Jan 23, 2020

One thing i always expect from the MSP is pure wackey-ness . The whole scheme is meant to dissuade persons from applying IMHO

I can buy on Amazon with a few clicks , but the cluster%$#@ set up by the MSP is a waste .

daggo66 · Jan 23, 2020

welder516 said:
One thing i always expect from the MSP is pure wackey-ness . The whole scheme is meant to dissuade persons from applying IMHO

I can buy on Amazon with a few clicks , but the cluster%$#@ set up by the MSP is a waste .

That’s exactly what my wife said. They’re trying to find ways to deny you.

roadking · Jan 23, 2020

daggo66 said:
One of the issues raised regarding the HQL was that the only way to pay was to use a credit/debit card.

Now that the Wear and Carry (HGP) process is online only you would think the same thing applies. Oh, no. There is no way to pay using a card. You must send in a check. The wording makes you think there is a card payment method, but there isn’t. When my wife renewed using the system for the first time, we just figured we missed it along the way so we sent a check.

Last night I did my renewal. There is absolutely no way to pay by card. Furthermore there is a statement that says “paying by check will delay your application.” WTF? It was that statement that made us wonder the first time. It also goes on to state that you must include your name and application number otherwise they won’t be able to match up the payment to the application.

This has left me scratching my head based on the whole HQL situation of not allowing payments other than by card.

I don’t attribute this to anything devious. I see it as another example of hacked together software. No government entity puts any time into designing user friendly interfaces. Most of the systems work, but they are not intuitive or easy. Finding where to log in on the EZ Pass site is frustrating. The MVA site works well, but looks like it was written by a higher schooler in 1995. And so on. And this doesn’t even address conflicting information like you are seeing with forms of payment. Government organizations don’t have the best software designers or marketing folks (to make sure there’s a consistent public message). This one isn’t a conspiracy. It’s either “not my job”, not good at their job, or both.

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TheBert · Jan 23, 2020

A credit card transaction is highly visible and not easily denied by the MSP.

When the MSP returns your application with the check you wrote there is no record of the transaction. This allows the MSP to fudge the numbers of applicants and approvals. X% of the applications processed were approved. The is no % of applications received and returned.

It’s not who votes, it’s how the votes are counted!

rseymorejr · Jan 23, 2020

Typical government efficiency

Kharn · Jan 23, 2020

I believe it's because the wording in the law states the method of payments:
"(e) Fees -- Method of payment. -- The applicant may pay a fee under this section by a personal check, business check, certified check, or money order."

They would need to accept that "may" is not "shall" in order to accept credit cards...

Kharn · Jan 23, 2020

Activated my bump stock.

Stoveman · Jan 23, 2020

As I recall it when this was being debated the MSP wanted to be able to accept payment electronically but some of the legiscritters, including at least one R who represents SoMD and a large Amish community, didn't want the ability to pay by check eliminated.

It would seem to me that there are more people who don't write checks than there are people with computers who don't use credit cards but what do I know? :shrug:

kenpo333 · Jan 23, 2020

Went to the MSP regional meeting in Oct to explain how to fill out the electronic application. When came to payment method the officer said that you had to send a check which brought a lot of desent from the FFL's and Instructors present. The basicly said they couldn't and we mentionsed that you could do it for an HQL. The only answer they had is that that was the HQL department and the Wear and Carry Division could not. We asked why and they said they didn't have an answer.

esqappellate · Jan 23, 2020

daggo66 said:
One of the issues raised regarding the HQL was that the only way to pay was to use a credit/debit card.

Now that the Wear and Carry (HGP) process is online only you would think the same thing applies. Oh, no. There is no way to pay using a card. You must send in a check. The wording makes you think there is a card payment method, but there isn’t. When my wife renewed using the system for the first time, we just figured we missed it along the way so we sent a check.

Last night I did my renewal. There is absolutely no way to pay by card. Furthermore there is a statement that says “paying by check will delay your application.” WTF? It was that statement that made us wonder the first time. It also goes on to state that you must include your name and application number otherwise they won’t be able to match up the payment to the application.

This has left me scratching my head based on the whole HQL situation of not allowing payments other than by card.

I am advised by the LD that they will allow (indeed mandate) payment by credit card as soon as they set up and test the capability for doing so. Don't ask me why that is so hard. I have no clue.

Kharn · Jan 23, 2020

esqappellate said:
I am advised by the LD that they will allow (indeed mandate) payment by credit card as soon as they set up and test the capability for doing so. Don't ask me why that is so hard. I have no clue.

But that mandate would require a change to state law, as the section I cited states we may pay by check, etc.

daggo66 · Jan 23, 2020

Kharn said:
But that mandate would require a change to state law, as the section I cited states we may pay by check, etc.

“May” not must.

esqappellate · Jan 23, 2020

Kharn said:
But that mandate would require a change to state law, as the section I cited states we may pay by check, etc.

See MD Code, Public Safety, § 5-304, as revised last term. It now says that
(e) The applicant shall pay a fee under this section by an electronic check, a credit card, or a method of online payment approved by the Secretary.

So, arguably, in requiring a check now, the MSP is in violation of current law. :rolleyes:

ComeGet · Jan 23, 2020

Sounds like they adopted their business model from "Brazil."

Mark75H · Jan 23, 2020

esqappellate said:
See MD Code, Public Safety, § 5-304, as revised last term. It now says that
(e) The applicant shall pay a fee under this section by an electronic check, a credit card, or a method of online payment approved by the Secretary.

So, arguably, in requiring a check now, the MSP is in violation of current law.

I am shocked :rolleyes:

Kharn · Jan 23, 2020

esqappellate said:
See MD Code, Public Safety, § 5-304, as revised last term. It now says that
(e) The applicant shall pay a fee under this section by an electronic check, a credit card, or a method of online payment approved by the Secretary.

So, arguably, in requiring a check now, the MSP is in violation of current law.

Ah, I thought the 2018 reference I looked at was the latest version. A personal check is scanned and converted into an electronic debit by almost every retailer by their point of sale system, so it's arguable.

Yet another MSP oddity

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