The WV concealed carry class you need for a West Virginia Concealed Handgun License is any handgun training course that includes live firing of ammunition and is taught by a qualifying instructor. The state does not require one specific curriculum or vendor. NRA courses qualify, but so do courses from community colleges, law-enforcement organizations, state-certified instructors, and the military. Once you finish, you take the completion certificate to your county sheriff with the rest of your application.
Which Courses Count
West Virginia’s statute is broader than most applicants assume. Any of the following will satisfy the training requirement:
- Any official National Rifle Association handgun safety or training course.
- A handgun safety course offered by a law-enforcement organization, community college, or any public or private institution, using instructors certified by that institution.
- Any course taught by an instructor certified by the state of West Virginia or by the NRA.
- A handgun course conducted by any branch of the U.S. military, reserves, or National Guard, or proof of handgun qualification received during military service.
A common misconception is that only an NRA-certified instructor can sign you off. That is not the case. A class taught by a state-certified instructor at a local range, a firearms course at a community college, or a law-enforcement-sponsored training day all qualify, provided the course includes live firing. If a class is advertised as a “West Virginia concealed carry class” and uses any of the qualifying instructor categories above, it meets the statute.
The non-negotiable element is live fire. A classroom-only session, an online safety course, or a dry-fire class alone will not satisfy the requirement. You must actually shoot a handgun during the course.
What Your Certificate Must Show
When you finish the class, the instructor or the organization that ran it will give you a certificate of completion, an affidavit, or an equivalent document confirming you passed. That document needs to include the instructor’s name, signature, and NRA or state instructor identification number where applicable. Keep the original. The sheriff’s office will want to see it, not a photocopy.
If you qualified through military service rather than a civilian course, bring documentation of your handgun qualification instead of a civilian certificate.
Who Has to Take the Class
Every first-time applicant for a Concealed Handgun License must complete the training. That includes the standard license for applicants 21 and older and the provisional license for applicants 18 to 20.
Renewals are different. The statute explicitly waives the training requirement for people who previously qualified and are renewing an existing license. You still submit a renewal application through the sheriff and pay the fee, and the sheriff runs a fresh background check, but you do not have to retake the class or do another live-fire qualification.
One boundary worth knowing before you sign up: West Virginia is a permitless-carry state for most adults. Anyone at least 21 who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident and is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a concealed pistol or revolver anywhere in the state carry is legal, without any license and without any class. People take the class anyway because the resulting license is honored by more than 30 other states through reciprocity, because applicants 18 to 20 cannot use permitless carry, and because a physical license is a quick way to show law enforcement you have passed a background check and completed training.
From Class to License
With your training certificate in hand, the rest of the process runs through your county sheriff. Residents apply in their county of residence; nonresidents may apply at any county sheriff’s office in West Virginia. You have to appear in person.
Bring the following to the sheriff’s office:
- The original training certificate, instructor affidavit, or equivalent document, with the instructor’s name, signature, and certification number.
- A valid state-issued or federal-issued photo ID showing your current residence.
- Your social security card, which is used for the criminal-history background check.
- The application fee.
- The completed application form, prepared by the West Virginia State Police as Form WVSP 44A. You can download it from the State Police website or pick one up in person. Fill it out in ink or type it before the visit.
At the counter, staff will collect your fee, verify your documents, and take your fingerprints for a state and federal criminal-history search. The sheriff then reviews the application and either issues or denies the license. Most counties process applications within about 45 days, and if approved you will either receive the license by mail or be told to pick it up, depending on the county.
Fees and How Long the License Lasts
The fees paid at the sheriff’s office are:
- $50 for a standard resident license.
- $100 for a nonresident license.
- $15 for a provisional license for applicants 18 to 20.
The license is valid for five years from your most recent birthday. Because training is waived at renewal, the class is a one-time step as long as you keep your license current. If you let it lapse and want to reapply later, you start the full process over, including a fresh training course.
Where the License Still Will Not Let You Carry
The class and the license do not override location restrictions. Carrying a firearm remains prohibited at any primary or secondary school and its grounds, on school buses, at school-sponsored functions held in state education facilities, and on the premises of any court of law, including family courts. Private schools may adopt a written policy permitting firearms, but that option does not extend to public schools. Federal buildings and other federal property have their own restrictions, and private property owners can post their premises against firearms. Check for signage and confirm the rules of any venue before you carry inside.