Yes, you need training before Ohio will issue a concealed handgun license. You must submit a competency certification and a certification that you read...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Yes, you need training before Ohio will issue a concealed handgun license. You must submit a competency certification and a certification that you read the safety pamphlet. A qualifying course includes at least eight hours of training in the safe handling and use of a firearm. For most certifications, the training must fall within the 3 years before you apply.
No license issues until the applicant submits a competency certification and a safety pamphlet certification under R.C. 2923.125(D)(1)(l). The Ohio peace officer training commission prepares that pamphlet.
Under R.C. 2923.125(G)(1), a qualifying course includes at least eight hours of training in the safe handling and use of a firearm. The course must include live-fire training under R.C. 2923.125(G)(1)(e).
A qualifying course must cover each of these topics:
Under R.C. 2923.125(B)(3), most competency certifications must reflect training completed within the three years immediately preceding the application.
A course taken under R.C. 2923.125(B)(3)(b)(ii) must use instructors certified by a national gun advocacy organization, the executive director of the Ohio peace officer training commission, or a governmental official or entity of another state. Other certification routes have their own terms.
We found no Ohio statute that sets how long a competency certification stays good once it has been issued to a retired peace officer or a retired federal law enforcement officer: the ten-year condition in R.C. 2923.125(B)(3) dates the retirement the certification relates to, not the certification itself, having read that statute in full on September 23, 2026.
| Rule | Requirement | Citation | Fact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course length | At least 8 hours of safe handling and use training | R.C. 2923.125(G)(1) | |
| Live fire | Course must include live-fire training | R.C. 2923.125(G)(1)(e) | |
| Course date | Most certifications: completed within the 3 years before the application | R.C. 2923.125(B)(3) | |
| Instructors | For a (B)(3)(b) course, certified by a national gun advocacy organization, the Ohio peace officer training commission's executive director, or another state's official or entity | R.C. 2923.125(B)(3)(b)(ii) |
A competency certification is one of the conditions for a concealed handgun license to issue under R.C. 2923.125(D)(1)(l).
A qualifying course includes at least eight hours of training in the safe handling and use of a firearm.
The course must include at least two hours of in-person range time and live-fire training.
For most certifications, the qualifying course must have been completed within the 3 years before the application.
We found no Ohio statute that puts a ten-year limit, or any other time limit, on a competency certification based on military service, retirement from military service, or an honorable discharge, having read R.C. 2923.125 in full on September 23, 2026.
You must be at least 21 years old to receive a concealed handgun license.
A resident of Ohio for five or more years pays a $67 nonrefundable fee under R.C. 2923.125(B)(1)(a)(i). A resident of less than five years, or a nonresident employed in Ohio, pays $67 plus the actual FBI background check cost under R.C. 2923.125(B)(1)(a)(ii).
This page covers one part of our Ohio concealed carry guide.
Read the complete Ohio guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.