Buyer Beware: Out of State Concealed Carry /Updated/
I just spent my morning making some phone calls about out of state concealed carry requirements, and I found some interesting information. Many armed citizens want to be able to carry in as many states as possible and there is a strong desire to take courses compliant in additional states. For those of us in Pennsylvania; Maryland, New Jersey, and New York are some of the new states on the block allowing carry permits that are getting a lot of attention. I’m going to go over some highlights for these states and some things that I would encourage you to look at when considering “multi-state compliant” classes.
The first one I will talk about is New York since this is probably the most difficult one to qualify for. The first hurdle you will need to clear is the limited number of circumstances NY will issue out of state carry licenses for. To qualify for an out of state carry permit you need to prove that you have a residence in NY which can be a second residence ie: hunting cabin or vacation home or you principally work in the state of NY ie: you live in PA and your job is across the state line. That’s it. If you don’t meet these requirements you can’t get an out of state carry permit. If you do meet these criteria here are the class requirements you’ll need to meet. NY requires 16 hrs in person classroom instruction and 2 hrs of range live fire instruction, and they are very specific about what criteria the instructors need to meet. You need to pass a written proficiency test with a score of 80% or higher. The live fire portion is fairly simple, 5 rounds from 4 yds with 80% (4/5) hitting the target. There are some dry fire and safe handling requirements for passing the live fire portion as well. These laws change all the time so a couple of great resources: https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/ccw_reciprocity_map/ny-gun-laws/ and 1-855-LAW-GUNS (855-529-4867) that is the direct number for NY state gun law questions.
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Next I’ll discuss New Jersey. This one gets a little bit difficult, because they continually change the standards. I’ve done a few searches of NJ compliant courses and a gigantic red flag for me has been the disclaimer that many sites have listed saying “we don’t promise the state will accept this because they keep changing the rules” or something to that effect. As of July, NJ has sort of set down better guidance, but it’s still listed as “interim training” which means it may still change. One of the big take aways I have seen in the current guidance is no classroom hours requirement, but there is a slide deck provided by the state that is required. The real kicker in this one is the current qualification requirement. NJ requires all people applying for the concealed carry permit to pass the NJ police pistol qualification, and it’s challenging if you are inexperienced. The qualification is 50 rounds with a minimum passing score of 80% (40/50). The qualification includes shooting between 1 and 25 yards, strong/main hand shooting, weak/support hand shooting, shooting from the draw, standing, kneeling, and all of these events are timed.
After writing this last year NJ changed the standard, again, and I had held off on updating this article, because no one knew how long that change was going to last. I’ve had the opportunity to do the class for a few NJ residents and they were approved for their CCW so I’m not confident in updating this section. Under the new standards you will be required to take the New Jersey Civilian Carry Assessment and Range Evaluation (CCARE). Under this you’ll be required to pass a use of force quiz with an 80% standard and take a shooting qualification of 50 rounds with a minimum 80% standard. This must be shot on a FBI “Q” target from 3, 5, 7, 10, 15. You’ll do it in 5 round strings with two strings at each distance. During the testing you will need to demonstrate safe loading, reloading, unloading, and clearing as well as safe draw procedures. This is a huge win regarding the qualification standard. It has removed the kneeling, support hand, and time standards that were previously required. The old qualification was based on the NJ law enforcement qualification and was not realistic for the everyday carry holder. For more information check out the “permit to carry” section at the following website: https://nj.gov/njsp/firearms/forms.shtml
Finally Maryland, in my opinion this is the most straight forward state to get an out of state concealed carry permit for. Maryland recently changed some of the requirements, but the Maryland State Police were kind enough to email me and let me know. One of the most important requirements is that your instructor is certified with the Maryland State Police (MSP). Even if your instructor teaches a curriculum that qualifies it won’t matter if they have not registered and received their Qualified Handgun Instructor Certificate (QHIC) from the MSP. Maryland has a 16 hr class requirement typically 14 hrs of classroom instruction and 2 hrs of range instruction; however, it doesn’t specify as long as all the topics are adequately covered and the qualification is passed. The basic qualification for MD is 25 rounds with a minimum passing score of 70% (18/25 72%). Shooters will engage targets between 3 and 15 yards, these events are timed, but none of these events are from the draw or shot single handed. If you’re interested you can check out the full training course requirements here: https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision.aspx
Lastly I wanted to give an opinion on what I would be looking for and watching out for in concealed carry courses. Is the instructor teaching in a curriculum accepted by that state ie: NY accepts NRA 16 hr course, but when I called 855-LAW-GUNS I was told USCCA 16 hr course isn’t on the list and they won’t accept it, but they will accept my Army qualifications to teach NY. Will the instructor provide support if I have trouble getting my permit? Will the instructor refund the class if I get denied because the instructor’s class/qualifications don’t meet the state minimum? If I get denied because of something that is my fault like a failed background check then I wouldn’t expect the instructor to provide a refund, but if the instructor teaches a noncompliant course advertised as compliant then I would expect my money back. If the class is supposed to be multistate compliant, are those states already reciprocal or does the class for one already meet the requirements for the other? I have seen instructors “bundle” MD and VA carry courses and increase the price for getting a multistate course. The only problem is that the MD course already meets the VA requirement, so why pay more for a class that doesn’t add anything? I would pay extra for a MD/NJ course because there are substantial differences in the qualification that would require extra range time and both states have separate slide decks that need to be taught requiring some extra classroom time. I would also ask the instructor if I was refused one of the states from that multistate class because of something that was the instructors fault, would they refund the additional portion for that refused state? These are some of the questions I would ask and some of the things I would consider when signing up for courses. Make sure you do your due diligence and don’t just take the instructor’s word for it. Stay safe.
-Derek
