Are Online Concealed Carry Permits a Scam?
UPDATE Dec 30th 2020: As of January 1st 2021 Virginia will no longer be accepting online-only training as qualifying one to apply for the concealed carry permit. The below article becomes then very outdated or irrelevant but has been left in its original state as a reference for anyone researching the topic.
As a full-time marketer in the firearm industry, I see a lot of advertising for “Online Concealed Carry Classes, Permits, and Certificates.” While there is legitimacy at the core of some of the product offerings these courses and products are often marketed in a way that is unethical and misleading and worse many of the providers are deceiving customers and setting them up for legal challenges.
This is extra frustrating because here at ConcealedCarry.com we also have an online concealed carry qualifying course we offer and we strive to do it with integrity and many of these “Online Concealed Carry” websites and companies give us and every other legitimate company in the firearm training space a bad name.
Today I hope to clarify what it is all about and remove the veil of confusion placed there by unethical marketers, scammers, and the various people who just have no idea what they are talking about.
What Is The Real Loophole / Product Being Offered?
There are 3 things that are true about the Virginia State Concealed Carry Permit that together create a perfect storm or loophole.
First, Virginia will issue a permit to a non-resident. So anyone living in any of the 50 states may apply.
Second, the Virginia non-resident permit is relatively widely honored. As of this writing, it is valid in 29 US states.
Third, while Virginia does require applicants to complete a firearm training course; they allow that the ENTIRE course can be completed virtually or online.
So this creates an opportunity for any US adult resident to watch some online videos and apply for the Virginia permit which will then be valid in 29 US states. Not bad right? This tends to appeal to a number of consumers including:
- Someone who lives in a state or county where permits are may-issue and essentially impossible to obtain (Think NJ, MD, MA, HI, and parts of CA). By getting the VA non-resident permit they still can't carry in their home state but at least they have concealed carry options in 29 other states they may travel to.
- Someone who lives in one of those 29 states that honor the VA non-resident permit AND their home state doesn't require residents obtain the resident permit. Residents of these states (Think TX, IA, NM, AZ, OH, & others) may prefer watching some online videos to taking an in-person class for the sake of convenience or cost.
- Someone who already has their home permit but is very limited in reciprocity (Think residents of IL, PA, DC, CA, OR and others) may find that by getting the VA non-resident permit in addition to their own they increase the number of states where they can carry by a small or substantial amount.
Here is an example of the states who honor the Virginia non-resident concealed carry permit. More than half of that map is green, which is where it's honored. Click here to see where you permit is honored in.
So companies like this one (the site you are on right now) and many others figured out we can create an online video-based course that someone can watch and then be qualified to apply for the Virginia permit.
What Are The Misleading Ways These Online Courses Are Often Marketed?
The problem with this? Many of the companies that offer such a product advertise it in ways that are misleading or unethical.
Here is an example that was sent out by GunBroker about 2 weeks ago (Note Gunbroker isn't selling this product. GunBroker “rents” their email list out to third party advertisers who pay GunBroker a fee to have their advertisement sent to GunBroker email subscribers. Apparently GunBroker doesn't vet them for good ethics or morals. The actual advertiser behind this BS misleading advertisement is USConcealedOnline dot com)
Here are the lies and misleading parts of this email advertisement:
- You cannot download a Concealed Carry Permit. You can download a certificate that says you completed a class but that certificate is NOT a permit. You still have to turn around and mail that certificate to a government agency (State of Virginia) and apply for the permit.
- There are NO ANTI-GUN groups trying to get rid of this. There is plenty of anti-gun legislation out there and we work hard to track it and report on it but there isn't so much as a whisper by any politician or group about trying to force Virginia to stop accepting online training or stop issuing permits to non-residents. NOBODY CARES AT ALL. If the advertisement said, “anti-gun groups might try to get rid of it” that would at least be plausible and acceptable. As it is written it is a lie.
- It says you will encounter Zero government red tape and specifically says you won't expose your info to the feds. BIG FAT LIE. After you download your fancy class completion certificate from their site you have to mail it to the State of Virginia along with some fingerprints and a notarized application. Virginia State Police then conducts a background check that includes an FBI check with your fingerprints. So while you don't have to go through any government red tape to download the certificate from their site you do very much so have to go through a standard state background check and FBI check to get the permit.
Ultimately there is a great danger in that this site and its advertisement are giving gun owners the impression that the class completion certificate they will download IS an actual concealed carry permit. It is not. That paper doesn't give you special permission to do anything whatsoever beyond being able to apply for a REAL permit from the state of Virginia.
Please note I've picked on this particular advertiser and website but a quick Google search will yield about a dozen comparably deceptive websites offering a similar product.
One thing many of them do that I feel is unethical is asking you to invest your time in watching the videos and answering questions without any mention that there is going to be a cost or how much that cost is. After you have given them your time and energy then you get the payment form. If you don't want to pay you have wasted that time.
If Interested How Do You Choose From the Various Options?
If you are interested in taking an online class and applying for your non-resident Virginia permit you have options out there. Here are 3 considerations you might use in helping select the online course you are going to take … and remember I'm biased as we sell one of these online courses ourselves on this website.
Ethical Standards
I think anyone would agree after reading the above that many of these companies are trying to deceive you or hide the truth in the fine print. Do you want to give them your hard-earned money and count on them to guide you through a legal process that will hopefully lead you to carry a firearm legally? I don't recommend it. Look for a provider that is honest about what they are selling, what the process to obtain the permit will entail, and what it is going to cost you.
Quality of Content
You have to consider the quality of the education itself. If you have to sit in front of a screen and watch some videos about gun safety, basic handling, laws, etc., I would expect you want a quality education. This can be hard to ascertain as to the quality of the instructor who recorded the videos or the content itself but one thing you can look for is the length of content.
Many of these websites boast that the entire online “class” is only 30 minutes long. You may have spent a lifetime shooting guns and may have taken a dozen concealed carry classes previously and thus feel you don't really need to learn anything new. That would be a mistake and a poor approach to gun ownership. We should all endeavor to learn as much as we can and get a refresher on things we already know as often as we can.
Cost
I've priced out many of these online courses and from what I can tell the average is about $65. I found a few as high as $95 and one as low as $39 but $65 to $70 seems to be the standard cost. Now, all other things being equal (the ethical and quality standards mentioned above) I would say go with one of the cheaper options.
Customer Service and Consumer Experience
Some of these websites are poorly engineered, lack modern security protocols, and have an online user experience that is poor and confusing. If you are going to pay money for an online video course buy it from a company that has technology that makes it easy to understand how to take that course.
Worse, a lot of these guys have zero customer support or really bad customer support. Check the reviews on their Facebook pages or Google the website and the word SCAM to see if there are negative reviews online. Or, just call the phone number and see if someone actually picks up the phone.
Our customer service team gets 1-2 calls or emails a week from someone who purchased an online class from one of our “competitors” who need help with the actual VA State application process and contacts us for support. That is a good indication that those other companies are in some cases NOT taking care of their customers.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Now if you are considering pursuing one of these online concealed carry classes you may have a few questions I haven't answered above. Here are the most common questions we get on this topic along with some concise answers:
I was told that the paper / certificate / permit I downloaded from a website is a concealed carry permit. Is that not true?
You were lied to or at the very least deceived. Go back and read the fine print on that website or at least read the actual document you downloaded. If it really says it is a concealed carry permit you should contact the authorities and have them investigate it.
How much will it cost to get the Virginia Non-Resident permit?
You will incur the following costs:
- Whatever you pay for the online class or certificate itself
- Whatever you may have to pay locally to an organization or sheriff's office to get 2 copies of your fingerprints to mail with your application to the Virginia State Police
- Whatever cost you may incur to get 2 passport quality photos to mail with your application to the Virginia State Police
- A $100 Application fee payable to the Virginia State Police
Will I have to pass a background check to get the Virginia Non-Resident Permit?
Yes. Virginia State Police will use the information you put on the application, along with the fingerprints you are required to submit, to conduct both a state and FBI background check.
Can I take an online class and then just use the certificate to apply for my own home state's permit?
Probably not. So far as I'm aware Virginia and Oregon are the only two states in the US that will accept online ONLY training as meeting the training requirement to apply for a permit. If you live anywhere else that requires training you likely need to complete an in-person class. There are a few states (OH & TX) where a portion of the state-mandated class may be completed online but in those cases, you still have to complete at least a portion of the class in person with an instructor.
I was able to download some sort of class completion certificate from some website but I don't know how to actually apply for the VA permit. What do I do?
You write a negative review for the company that left you hanging and unsupported and then you click here and read this simple guide.
Time For My Shameless Plug
There are a handful of companies offering an online-only course that do so with integrity and offer quality instruction and we strive to be one of those.
Our online concealed carry course is over 3 and 1/2 hours long of high-quality instruction. I've never had someone tell me, no matter how experienced of a shooter, that they didn't learn something new and enjoy the course.
Our online course is only $39. So far as I'm aware it is the lowest cost option on the market.
We have an intuitive and easy to use online training platform. We sell over 10 online courses … this is something we do a lot of and we've invested in the right tools and technology. You can even download our FREE mobile app and complete the course right on your phone via our app.
We have US-based customer service that responds to all emails and voicemails and takes live phone calls during business hours. We won't leave you hanging.
Please consider completing our Online Concealed Carry Course should you be interested in such a product!
Beginning January1, 2020 Tennessee will accept online concealed carry course as part of their concealed carry permit application requirements. Will you be offering an online course specifically for Tennessee?
Fred, that might be something we do eventually. Some more research on our end will be necessary to make sure we meet all their requirements.
What if I had a restraining order against me in 2007. Will this prevent me from obtaining in Indiana?
Don’t you have to get the permit from the state you live in? I moved to Nevada and had a Utah permit. I was told by Utah at time of renewal that I had to obtain the Nevada permit prior to renewing my Utah permit cause of my residency.
That varies by state. Not all states require you have a local resident permit and a large number of states will honor a non-resident permit.
Does your online course meet the requirements for LA AND TEXAS CC permits?
What is required of these states once the course is completed?
Thanks
Jim, no it does not. In TX I know they are now allowing that the classroom portion of the class be taught online and then the shooting qualification be done in person with an instructor but our online class does not currently meet the qualifications for that TX classroom portion. Last I checked, and I could be wrong, LA doesn’t allow any virtual training for their permit qualifications.
Jacob, I have been CC for over a year and been told that SC & possibly NC does not recognize the online conceal carry. Can you shade a little light on this for me? Thank You Sir…Jim
James, North Carolina (along with a handful of other states) DOES honor the VA non-resident permit BUT requires that residents have the local state permit. Put differently, if I (living in Colorado) have a non-resident VA permit I can carry in North Carolina. However, a North Carolina resident could not carry in NC with the VA non-resident permit because NC requires NC residents have the NC permit. SC doesn’t honor the VA non-resident permit at all. So assuming you are asking if a resident of NC or SC could circumvent the local permitting system and obtain the VA non-resident permit instead the answer is no. On the other hand if you are asking if online training will meet the requirements to apply for the NC or SC permit then the answer is also no. Both states require you complete the required training class in-person.
I have a New York State concealed carry permit. Which state permit should I apply for?
Jim, great work obtaining your NY permit. You might consider taking our online course and applying for your VA non-resident permit. Once obtained that would extend your reciprocity to an additional 5-7 states. You might also consider applying for your FL or UT permits which would have a similar effect but would require an in-person class.
Would I be ok carrying with a VA non-resident permit in Arkansas?
Yes
I am from California and with our new governor who it seems to me trying Everything he can by passing more Gun laws (I believe presently he passed(15) New Gun Laws) Now if that isn’t trying to take away Our 2nd Amendment away from us (Then what is) I am a Member of the USCCA and I have received my Certificate but my question is am I really just spinning my wheels or what? Trying to get my CCL from the State of California??
William it is a question of the county in which you reside. Some CA Counties are may issue and some are shall issue. If you live in a shall issue county they will issue you a permit once you complete the required training. May issue counties are challenging… as you effectively have to convince them you have “good cause” to get a permit. What the county considers good cause will vary from county to county but probably would include people who have had documented threats against them or people who handle large amounts of cash etc.
Work in Missouri and Alabama?
A resident of any state can apply for the Virginia non-resident permit. Both Alabama and Missouri honor the Virginia non-resident permit so if you are asking if a resident of either of those states could get a non-resident permit from Virginia and use it to carry in their home state the answer is yes.
Hi Jacob, how do we check which counties may issue or shall issue? I live in Temple City, Californa,
Good news David. Since this article was written the US Supreme court decided on the Bruen case which now requires Shall issue for all permits everywhere in the nation. So your county in California is Shall issue.
I live in riverside County ca. Does the same apply?
Jacob, here is my own shameless plug. In the old days, this would have been classified as an “unsolicited testamonial.”
I received a small handgun as a gift a couple of years ago. I am a retired Army guy (25 years, 11B E8) and I am very familiar with guns, but I didn’t own one. When I received my gift, I researched responsible organizations, and selected yours. I know where you’re coming from (pun intended: I used to live in West Bend). Wisconsinites are genuine and dedicated. So I joined your group.
I now live in Arizona, where a CCW permit is not required. We can put a small pistol in our pocket and go anywhere, nobody the wiser (at least they haven’t installed scanners in my local Walmart yet). Still, the general consensus here is, you probably would be better off to get a permit, especially if you are going to travel.
So I am going to sign up for your course. I will apply for the official CCW permit. I trust you and your organization. Thank you.
Dennis thank you, but I feel compelled to suggest you may be confusing us (ConcealedCarry.com) with the USCCA whose website is USConcealedCarry.com. We are friendly companies, partners in some ventures, and all around good friends; but not the same company. Regardless we hope we can also earn your trust. Thank you for your service!
I took a 47 min online cours in Oregon and will have ther certificate mailed to me. Will I be able to carry after taking it to the county sheriffs for fingerprints and background check?
Yes almost certainly. Oregon does accept proof of online training.
After completing the class on your site would the steps be the same in Michigan?
No. This online class only qualifies one to apply for the Virginia permit.
Can this online course be used to apply for a provisional CC permit for >18 <21?
Utah
No
Hello and Thank you for all you guys are doing!!
I paid $150 dollars a couple years ago to take the class and obtain my CCP where I live here in FL. It wasn’t a easy process as we had to drive over 100 miles to the closes office to get the background check and have our ID cards mailed to us. My wife wants to get her permit but with this virus mess going they canceled her class. Just wondering if your class would be an option. Thanks again for all your doing informing us. Any help or recommendations will be appreciated!!!!!
Calvin, it isn’t a good replacement option for a FL resident. You, or your wife, could take the online class and apply for the VA non-resident permit but it wouldn’t be honored in Florida. That gives you a permit that is valid in 29 states but not your home state.
I have Washington State CCW license. Does that aid/hinder/make a difference to any other permit. Does any of the group permits include Oregon. We travel there more than other states?
Barry, getting a Virginia non-resident permit would give you some incremental reciprocity. Wyoming and New Mexico for example. However, if it is Oregon you are concerned about I suggest getting an Oregon permit. Oregon will issue a permit to a resident of Washington.
I have not the time in my life to be taken advantaged of.. i have been told by lepersonal that this so called way to gain a concealed permit to carry a handgun.. therefore i am requesting that moneys you have aquired from my bank account to be replaced in said account.. after witch you are to cease removing any monies from said account,and then destroy information that you have of mine…thank you… there
Frank,
I just had a customer service rep check for your information and can say that you’re not in our system. It seems like there is a case of mistaken identity? I urge you to look at your email history or receipt to see which company you dealt with and contact them. I can assure you that it was not us.
Thank you,
Josh
Is this still true for NC residents?Taking a course in person doesn’t appeal to me especially right now.Thanks.
David, if you click through to more comprehensive information about the online class you’ll find it isn’t very helpful for North Carolina residents. As I understand it most counties in NC require residents to have a resident permit and will not recognize a non-resident permit in the hands of a NC resident.
I took your online course after carefully examining the multiple reciprocity maps you have shown that show NM as a state which will honor reciprocity with Virginia. However, after completion, I followed your advice to confirm with local (NM) state authority that this is correct. This is the information I received in a direct email from New Mexico DPS Concealed Carry Division:
“Reciprocity means permission granted for an out of state licenses issued to a person who is not a New Mexico resident to be used in the state of New Mexico by a licensee visiting or passing through the state.
A person establishing New Mexico residency must transfer his or her license from another state. The license holder has 90 days from establishing New Mexico residency to file an application for a New Mexico renewed license on the form prescribed by the department.”
This full text can be found here: http://164.64.110.134/parts/title10/10.008.0002.html
What this says is that in NM, reciprocity is only good for people visiting or passing through, but that NM residents cannot carry concealed under the VA non-resident permit for any longer than 90 days after becoming a NM resident.
Are you aware of this? If I had known that your course only gets me 3 months of concealed carry in NM before having to do an in-person class (required in NM) and process a completely new application (and fees, fingerprinting, etc.) I would not have taken the online class through ConcealedCarry.com.
Please advise.
Damien, I will send you a direct email as well, but there are several states that require residents to have a resident permit. Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carlina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In each of those states the Virginia Non-resident permit is honored but a resident of the state must have a resident permit.
is the VA non resident permit legal in MT?
John if you are asking if Montana honors the VA non-resident permit the answer is yes.
Kansas and Missouri no longer require a permit. Used to have New Hampshire and Pennsylvania when they were $20, no photo or fingerprints required. I think Pennsylvania is no longer issuing by mail. New Hampshire costs $100 for non-resident and offers very limited reciprocity. Still, it is the easiest to get, just download the form and mail it with the money. But, of the 28 reciprocal states listed on the New Hampshire web site, 12 are Constitutional Carry states, where no permit is required anyway.
Hi Jacob,
Thanks for all the info so far. I will be taking your course. One VA range that has a competition I’m interested in has some wording about legal to own and transport in the state of VA, citing examples as firearm purchase in VA, CCW in VA, and a couple other things that have wondering. A Non-resident CCW would solve all this.
I’ve been shooting roughly 40 years, and have taught safety about four years (I’m not certified…) as part of a shotgun learn to shoot league. I consider myself firearm knowledgable and proficient with pistol, rifle and shotgun – all targets only.
My question is one of confidence – I do not always test well, and though I do not believe it will be necessary, are retest options part of the class you offer, or is it one and done?
Thanks again for info and services.
Good question Frank. If you get any question wrong in the online test, you can rewatch that section and reset and retake that quiz section as many times as you need.
This is false advertising at its finest such a scam was a Minnesota site and is not valid permit in minnesota. SCAM SCAM SCAM
I completed the online course and was given a link to download my certificate needed to apply for my concealed carry permit. However, the link doesn’t work. This online course was provided by USA Carry Online. Please advise how I can get my certificate. Than you.
Carrie, you bought and took that class from a competitor of us. So I don’t know how you follow up with them and get your certificate. I suggest contacting them.
I have done bkground check and Appl. fee in home state. How is that handled with online course?
The fingerprints and application are mailed into the state and processed remotely.
Hi there Jacob, quick question- If I am already a Virginia resident, is there an option on the ceritficate/application for filing as a Virginia resident? Or is there a different course altogether?
Coach, same course, same application for residents and non-residents.
I would like to know the status of my application.
I would recommend contacting the governing body to whom you applied.
I am a NC resident. I understand there are some counties in NC that do allow a resident to carry concealed with the VA License. However I haven’t been able to locate these counties.
Can you help with this question ?
Danny, I don’t know if there are counties that allow it, I just know it is determined at the county level.
If after obtaining the VA permit, I wanted to apply for one in the State of Missouri, even though a permit is not required; will the State of Missouri accept the documentation already provided to the State of Virginia for the background check etc, or do I have to take the States required course, safety training and do a background check again? Thanks.
It will have no bearing on the process in Missouri at all. You will have to take the MO required course and submit to their background check etc.
Are the CC permits able to use when buying a gun to bypass the back ground check ?
No. Very few states actually allow permit holders to bypass the background check with a valid permit but even in those states that do they require the local permit to do so.
My wife sent her CCW application to the VA State police in mid-July 2020, received 7/20/20 but we were wondering how long it usually takes for the permit to return? I know NV is usually 3 to 6 months, which is ridiculous and depends on the county you live in!
Right now its really unpredictable. Under normal conditions I would say 90 days but expect a longer wait due to COVID and higher than normal demand.
I feel your whole marketing efforts are a Scam. They get some personal info, have you check the box for a long & complicated Terms & Condition statement and then, when you enter your CC info = they provide NO product or service and just collect their $.
If you want any detailed info on my experience, please let me know.
John, I’m concerned because you used the word “your” suggesting you feel our marketing efforts are a scam. We do not do what you described. I presume you are referring to other vendors which I also referred to in my above article.
I live in Washington. I received the scam email and decided to research and found your site. Question, I am an elderly female(59) and due to the riots I am now wanting protection. Should I apply for my WA CCP or the VA? I saw also by looking into your site, if I live in WA I should apply for Utah. Could you direct me?
Rita, I strongly encourage you to apply for your Washington permit. The Virginia non-resident permit is not honored in Washington so it actually wouldn’t help you at all in your home state. While the UT non-resident permit would be honored in Washington its arguably more difficult to obtain than the Washington permit. Glad to hear you have decided to take a proactive step in protecting yourself!
You sent me an email with the the threatening headline “Carry a gun now!… deM!”
Is that your selling point now? Threatening my life? Then some fear mongering about the second amendment because a Dem is now President elect?
What makes it worse is I’m not a registered democrat, been involved in any campaigns and I don’t vote because I can’t. I’m an ex-pat immigrant.
But they can come round and put that theory to the test as we do carry a gun.
And you personally can see my lawyer for a terroistic threat.
Josh, you have us confused with someone else. We’ve never sent an email with that subject line or anything similar to it. We are often mistaken for other, often less ethical businesses in our industry.
I am a Nomad SD resident. I would like to get a CCW permit, but don’t expect to be in SD any time soon — not before summer 2021 at least. Is it possible for me to apply for an online permit and complete the permit in another online CCW-permit friendly state, such as Utah? Or do I need to travel to SD to complete the permit process. IOW, can Utah do my background check even though I am not a Utah resident? (I am currently in Utah for a short while and have family here.) This type of permit process would be exceptionally useful for those of us who travel constantly and are never really in one place very long, i.e., nomads.
Your map says Colorado does not accept Virginia CCW permits; this website says they do (with restrictions):
https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/ccw_reciprocity_map/va-gun-laws/
Who is right?
Tom, Colorado honors the RESIDENT VA permit but the map on this page reflects the states that honor the VA Non-Resident permit.
UPDATE Oct 1st 2020: As of January 1st 2021 Virginia will no longer be accepting online-only training as qualifying one to apply for the concealed carry permit.
So this whole article and way of getting a license is unfortunately kind of a moot point isn’t it?
Yep correct. The application needs to be postmarked by Dec 31st, 2020. So here in a week or 2 I’ll be updating this article.
My friend lives in Staten Island NYC and got a 50 state concealed carry permit and his friends too. We both went to a gun shop where he bought a hand gun but can only buy 1 every 90 days because he lives in nyc. New Jersey residents can buy 1 every 30 days and both states require a permit to each hand gun you buy.
He also can fly with it only domestic. He won’t tell me how he did it. He said it’s a lot of money. I said $1500 and he said no way. Much more. Does anyone know?
My carry permit is pa.
There are 3 possibilities. 1: Your friend is lying. 2: Your friend has been deceived. 3: Your friend is former law enforcement.
I have a valid Texas peace officers license and that doesn’t hold any water as far as CCW is concerned in TX. Just a tid bit you might could use.