REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION OF HANDGUN COMPETENCE 

Florida and Virginia law do not include a specific classroom training requirement for the issuance of a concealed weapon license.  Rather, their laws require the applicant to submit documentation demonstrating proficiency with a firearm and they allow a number of different types of documentation:

• Any “approved” hunter education or hunter safety course certificate that has NRA instructor’s NRA certification number on it along with his or her printed name and signature; 
• Any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course certificate of completion that has the NRA instructor’s NRA certification number on it along with his or her printed name and signature; 
• A certificate of completion of any firearm safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by a law enforcement agency, junior college, college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school, utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, or the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, along with their names and accepted firearms trainer certification numbers; 
• A certificate of completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement that has the instructor’s law enforcement firearms instructor certification number on it along with his or her printed name and signature; 
• Active-duty and retired law enforcement personnel need only submit documentation reflecting their status as currently sworn law enforcement officers or law enforcement retirees. Active-duty officers usually submit copies of their commission paperwork. Retirees usually submit formal statements on their former employers' letterhead indicating retiree status; 
• An applicant who served in the Armed Forces and was honorably discharged can submit a copy of his DD Form 214; 
• Current members of the Armed Forces can now submit either of the following documents to confirm firearms proficiency: (1) a copy of their military orders (for example, the letter calling them to active-duty), OR (2) a statement of military service signed by the base's personnel officer or commander of the unit. This letter must identify the applicant specifically and provide his/her date of entry; 
• A certificate of completion of any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state-certified firearms instructor or by an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association, that has the instructor’s NRA certification number on it along with his or her printed name and signature. 

NOTE: These are the basic requirements as they are set forth in Florida’s and Virginia’s laws.  Our class meets these requirements and the Certificate of Completion of our class routinely is accepted by Florida and Virginia as proof of the required training.

RECOGNIZE that you can choose to just do the application paperwork with us and not take our class, if you can submit with your applications to Florida and Virginia any of the forms of proof of “firearms/handgun competence or proficiency” listed above. We do not and cannot evaluate the legal validity of your documentation papers.