The eighteen-hour training requirement
Before New York issues or renews a concealed carry license, the applicant must complete an eighteen-hour course approved by the Division of Criminal Justice Services: at least sixteen hours of in-person classroom instruction and at least two hours of live-fire range training. The applicant must score at least eighty percent on a written test and demonstrate live-fire proficiency. In New York City, the training certificate must be dated no more than six months before the application is submitted.
01The requirement
An applicant for a concealed carry license must complete an in-person live curriculum of at least sixteen hours plus at least two hours of live-fire range training, given by a duly authorized instructor approved by the Division of Criminal Justice Services.
The applicant must demonstrate proficiency by scoring at least eighty percent on a written test and by satisfying the live-fire standard.
The live-fire standard requires firing five rounds from a standing position at four yards, with at least four of five rounds on target.
Proof of training is required for concealed carry licenses issued on or after September 1, 2022.
02What the curriculum must cover
The statute prescribes the curriculum: general firearm safety; safe storage requirements and general secure storage best practices; state and federal gun laws; situational awareness; conflict de-escalation; best practices when encountering law enforcement; the statutory and case law relating to the use of deadly force; suicide prevention; and the basic principles of marksmanship.
03How long the certificate is good for
The six-month clock is the most common scheduling mistake in a New York City application. Training early feels productive, but a certificate that ages out while the rest of the packet is being assembled has to be redone at full cost. The course belongs in the middle of the sequence, not at the start.
New York City requires that the training certificate have been obtained no more than six months before the application is submitted.
How many hours of training does New York require for concealed carry?
Eighteen — at least sixteen hours of in-person classroom instruction and at least two hours of live-fire range training, with a DCJS-approved instructor, under Penal Law §400.00(19).
What score do I need to pass?
At least eighty percent on the written test, plus the live-fire qualification: five rounds from a standing position at four yards, with at least four on target.
How long is the training certificate valid in NYC?
Under 38 RCNY §5-03 the certificate must be dated no more than six months before you submit your application. That is a New York City rule; the state statute sets no expiration.
Is training required for a premises license?
The §400.00(19) requirement is written for concealed carry licenses. Requirements for premises licenses differ, and New York City sets its own application rules in 38 RCNY chapter 5.
Reading the law is step one. Applying is step two.
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