CCW Courses

Getting Your Arizona CCW: Why Training Still Matters in a Constitutional Carry State

Arizona has been a Constitutional Carry state since 2010, meaning any adult who can legally possess a firearm can carry one concealed without a permit. So why do thousands of Arizonans still get a Concealed Weapons Permit (CCW) every year?

Because "legal to carry" and "prepared to carry" are two different things and a enhanced CCW course gives you real, practical advantages that Constitutional Carry alone doesn't. The law gave you the right to carry, but it didn't give you the training.

Any adult who can legally own a firearm can carry one concealed without asking the state for permission. No class, no fingerprints, no permit. So, it's a fair question, one we get asked constantly, why bother getting a CCW at all?

We've taught this course to thousands of Arizonians over the years, and the ones who walk out afterward almost always say some version of the same thing: "I didn't realize how much I didn't know." That's the gap a CCW class fills. Below is why we still think it's worth your time and money, even though technically you don't have to do it.

You can carry across state lines

Constitutional Carry stops working the second you cross into Nevada, or Colorado, or wherever else you're headed. Arizona's permitless carry law is Arizona's law, it has zero effect anywhere else. A CCW, on the other hand, is honored by somewhere around 30 other states, give or take (reciprocity agreements shift from year to year, so it's worth double-checking before any trip). If you road-trip, hunt out of state, visit family, or travel for work, that's the difference between staying legal and not.

 

The school-zone exemption actually matters

Most people don't think about this until we bring it up in class: federal law bans carrying within 1,000 feet of a school, and Constitutional Carry doesn't get you out of that. A valid CCW does. Once you map out how many streets, parking lots, and errands fall inside a 1,000-foot radius of a school in most Arizona neighborhoods, this stops being a minor technicality and starts being something you actually need to think about.

 

Nobody requires you to know anything — until we do

This is the big one. Under Constitutional Carry, the state doesn't require you to take a single class before you strap on a loaded gun and walk out your front door. No safety training. No instruction on when you're legally allowed to use force. Nothing.

Our course covers what that leaves out:

• • Arizona and federal firearms law, in plain language
  • Justifiable use of force — what the law actually says, not what you've heard secondhand
  • Safe handling and carry practices you'll actually use
  • How to read a situation and de-escalate before it gets to that point
  • (Shoot/ No-Shoot Scenario Simulator and Live-Fire) Live-fire marksmanship, so the gun on your hip isn't just theoretical

None of that is required. All of it is the difference between being legally allowed to carry and being genuinely ready to.

 

If you ever have to use it, your training record backs you up

Nobody wants to think about this part, but it's real: if you're ever in a self-defense situation, having documented, formal training on file matters. It shows you understood the law and the responsibility before anything happened — not after. That can carry real weight, both in a courtroom and in how the whole situation gets evaluated.

 

A few practical perks most people don't think about

A CCW can also smooth out background checks when you're buying a firearm, since you've already been fingerprinted and vetted by the state. Some businesses and specific carry situations treat license holders differently than unlicensed carriers, too — small things, but they add up.

 

The right to carry and the readiness to carry aren't the same thing

Constitutional Carry means the state stepped out of your way. It didn't step in to make sure you know what you're doing. That part's still on you, and honestly, we think that's how it should be. A gun is serious, and the responsibility that comes with carrying one doesn't go away just because the paperwork did.

If you're ready to actually put in the time and get trained the right way, we'd love to have you in class. Our instructors have real backgrounds in military, security, and law enforcement, and we keep the course practical, not a lecture you sit through to check a box.

Reach out and we'll get you on the schedule for our next session.

This is general information, not legal advice. Gun laws — including reciprocity with other states — change often, so always confirm current Arizona and federal law before you carry.

Select the date and time below to register for a class.
We offer several options, including courses featuring shoot/don't-shoot simulation scenarios, Live-Fire training, as well as a Ladies-Only CCW Course.

The CCW Course Consists of the Following Modules:

1. 1. U.S. Constitution
   2. Arizona Law
   3. Interaction With Law Enforcement
   4. CCW Permit Advantages
   5. Firearm Safety
   6. Firearm and Ammunition Selection
   7. Loading, Unloading & Clearing Malfunctions
   8. Types of Carry
   9. Combat Mindset
   10. Shooting Fundamentals

 

CCW Course

Please select one option below:

• • Standard Course — $65
    Includes fingerprinting

• • Simulator Package — $80
    Includes 3 shoot/don't-shoot scenarios

• • All-Inclusive Package — $165
    Everything above, plus our one-stop-shop service; we obtain your money order and personally submit your application to the AZ Department of Public Safety.
    We will email you your receipt from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which will include your application number.

 

CCW Course — Ladies Only

Please select one option below:

• • Standard Course — $60
    Includes fingerprinting

• • Simulator Package — $75
    Includes 3 shoot/don't-shoot scenarios

• • All-Inclusive Package — $145
    Everything above, plus our one-stop-shop service; we obtain your money order and personally submit your application to the AZ Department of Public Safety.

We will email you your receipt from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, which will include your application number.