Arizona Concealed Carry Training Requirements

Training Requirements for Arizona Concealed Carry Permit

Overview

Arizona is a constitutional carry state, meaning individuals 21 years of age or older (or 19+ with military service) may carry a concealed weapon without a permit. However, to obtain an official Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) issued by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), applicants must demonstrate competence with a firearm through approved training.

Statutory Basis

Training requirements are established under A.R.S. § 13-3112, subsections E(6) and N.

Demonstrating Competence with a Firearm (A.R.S. § 13-3112(N))

An applicant must demonstrate competence with a firearm through any one of the following methods:

1. General Firearms Safety or Training Course - Completion of any firearms safety or training course or class that is available to the general public, offered by a law enforcement agency, a junior college, a college, or a private or public institution, academy, organization, or firearms training school, and that is approved by DPS or that uses instructors certified by the National Rifle Association (NRA).

2. Hunter Education or Safety Course - Completion of any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Arizona Game and Fish Department or a similar agency of another state.

3. NRA Firearms Safety or Training Course - Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course.

4. Law Enforcement Firearms Course - Completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or other divisions or subdivisions of law enforcement or security enforcement, and that is approved by DPS.

5. Military Service - Evidence of current military service or proof of honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions from the United States Armed Forces.

6. Out-of-State Concealed Carry Permit - A valid current or expired concealed weapon, firearm, or handgun permit or license issued by another state or a political subdivision of another state that has a training or testing requirement for initial issuance.

7. Police Agency Firearms Course - Completion of any governmental police agency firearms training course and qualification to carry a firearm in the course of normal police duties.

8. Other Approved Firearms Training - Completion of any other firearms safety or training course or class conducted by a DPS-approved or NRA-certified firearms instructor.

Documentation Requirements (A.R.S. § 13-3112(E)(6))

Applicants must provide adequate documentation that they have satisfactorily completed a training program or demonstrated competence with a firearm. "Adequate documentation" is defined as:

• (a) A current or expired permit issued by DPS pursuant to A.R.S. § 13-3112.
• (b) An original or copy of a certificate, card, or document showing the applicant has completed any qualifying course or class, or an affidavit from the instructor, school, club, or organization that conducted or taught the course attesting to the applicant's completion.
• (c) An original or copy of a DD-214 indicating honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions, a certificate of completion of basic training, or any other document demonstrating proof of current or former military service.
• (d) An original or copy of a concealed weapon, firearm, or handgun permit or license from another state (as prescribed by subsection N, paragraph 6).

Key Notes on Training

• The statute uses the phrase "has ever demonstrated competence" - meaning the training does not need to be recent; it can have been completed at any point in the applicant's lifetime.
• No additional training is required for permit renewal. The renewal process requires a criminal history records check but does not mandate additional firearms training (A.R.S. § 13-3112(K)).
• Training can be completed in any state or political subdivision in the United States (A.R.S. § 13-3112(E)(6)).

NRA Online Course Restriction

DPS has noted (via an NRA letter posted on the DPS website) that there are restrictions regarding the use of the NRA's name, titles, and trademarks for online firearms training courses. Applicants should verify that any NRA-branded course they complete is properly authorized.

Law Enforcement Officer Exemptions

The following individuals are exempt from the initial firearms safety training requirement to obtain a CCW permit:

• Peace officers who are certified active duty by the Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training (AZPOST) Board
• Federally credentialed peace officers
• Honorably retired federal, state, or local peace officers with a minimum of 10 years of service
• Active duty county detention officers who have been weapons certified

Certificate of Firearms Proficiency (A.R.S. § 13-3112(T))

DPS may issue Certificates of Firearms Proficiency for purposes of implementing the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 (LEOSA) (P.L. 108-277; 18 U.S.C. §§ 926B and 926C). Requirements include:

• Retired or separated officers must complete a qualifications exam with the firearm they intend to carry, including a judgmental shooting evaluation
• Qualifications must be administered by an AZPOST Board certified firearms instructor or an NRA instructor approved by DPS's Concealed Weapons Permit Unit (CWPU)
• Active-duty officers may carry a firearm with law enforcement credentials without this certificate

AZPOST Firearms Qualification Standards

As of 2023, the AZPOST Board approved revised qualification courses:

• 40-Shot Daytime Semi-Automatic Qualification Course
• 40-Shot Nighttime Semi-Automatic Qualification Course
• Updated qualification courses were approved in 2025 and include Daytime, Nighttime, and Low-Light/Night courses
• These standards apply to peace officer qualifications under R13-4-111C