With all of the influx of new residents from surrounding states moving to Utah, more people are signing up for the Utah concealed firearms permit class. On January 16th of 2021, Fox 13 reporter Spencer Joseph did a story on and visited our concealed carry class and interviewed a student of ours.
We regularly receive questions about the Utah concealed carry permit or gun license, also known as the Utah Concealed Firearms permit, (CFP), some states call the permit a concealed carry weapon license (CCW) for short.
Some common questions asked are:
- Is there a shooting requirement to get a gun license?
- I want to sign up for a class and seek a pistol instructor that provides
(hands on) training with my pistol and carry gun, does your class provide that?
- How long is the class?
- What should I bring to the concealed carry class to get my license?
- Where is it legal to carry my gun
- When does Utah law allow me to legally shoot someone on my property?
Some will also comment online, “you don’t need that concealed class anymore.” I hope this article is helpful for those that are not sure if they should invest the time getting the Utah concealed firearms license.
H.B. 60, Utah’s new concealed carry law, a win for the 2nd amendment!
On May 5th, 2021, Governor Cox signed into law what is commonly known as (constitutional carry), some may confuse this with open carry and some others know it as Utah (H.B. 60). The new law allows persons over the age of 21, who are not a restricted person as defined by state and federal law, to legally carry without a concealed carry gun license from the State of Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, or (BCI), for short. This new constitutional concealed carry law ONLY applies to carrying your pistol concealed in the state of Utah in public places, it does not allow them to carry into K-12 schools and colleges. HB 60 does not allow you to carry your gun in a school zone either unless you are travelling in your vehicle through that school zone.
Some benefits of getting the Utah concealed firearms permit, (CFP).
The Utah license is good in 37 states, including Utah and there are only 13 states that have not entered into a reciprocity agreement with Utah. The Utah permit is the most desirable gun license for travel across the United States, due to the coverage that it has and some out of state residents will purchase the Utah permit as well to add additional states to their list to get more coverage.
HR-218 under the federal Law Enforcement officers safety act, (LEOSA)
This federal law signed by our former President George W. Bush allows qualified state, local and federal officers to legally conceal carry in all 50 states
If the qualified law enforcement officer served at least 10 years and retired in good standing, they are allowed to carry in all 50 states. They must be issued an ID card from their law enforcement agency that indicates their retired status and must qualify at the gun range and shoot at the same standards that a current law enforcement officer does. The retired or active qualified law enforcement officer can either qualify with the agency they retired from or qualify at a law enforcement agency in the area in which they reside.
Earlier this year, a Salt Lake County law enforcement agency firearms instructor that qualifies retired officers under LEOSA , is now recommending that the officers qualifying under LEOSA, get the Utah concealed firearms permit as dual coverage for travel outside of Utah, citing problems that were reported by retired officers carrying in other states, some running into legal troubles partly because some officers are not aware of what LEOSA means for a retired officer.
As a retired police officer with 25 years of training and experience, I recommend all person’s that own a gun, including retired law enforcement officers to get the Utah Concealed firearms permit mostly for the training on the Utah laws that are updated every year. The owner/instructor at Concealed Carry Class Utah is a retired Utah police officer and offers a discount to all law enforcement officers, active and retired, active duty and retired military, corrections officers, court bailiffs, special function officers.
Other Benefits of getting the Utah concealed firearms permit and what the curriculum provides:
The Utah CCW class has in depth discussion on the most up to date Utah laws. Some of the Utah laws discussed include but are not limited to, use of force law 76-2-402 (Force in defense of a person) aka (Stand your ground law) and forcible felonies defined. Questions are answered regarding current laws and we do real life practical scenarios that will aid you make the best decision in the event you are faced with having to defend yourself or another person.
We also have meaningful discussion on when Utah law allows a private person to defend themselves on their real property or in their home, known as force in defense of habitation (76-2-405) and on real property, (76-2-407). We commonly receive questions from students who will ask, “when can I shoot someone coming onto my property” or “when is it okay to shoot someone that comes into my home” There seems to be a lot of confusion with people on these questions and discussion seems to help.
Hands on pistol instruction and optional shooting at the gun range:
At Concealed Carry Class Utah, we will allow (hands on) instruction on your pistol so that you are comfortable and safe loading/unloading your gun, clearing common malfunctions, selecting a good holster, how to safely draw a gun from the concealment holster and other training as needed by the individual student. Each student is unique in their self defense needs and we will address each individual concern for them and design a training plan just right for their needs.
We discuss where you can and can not carry your gun, even if you have your permit. There are places you can not carry your gun and if you are caught, you can be arrested or cited. TSA did an article earlier this year on the dramatic increase of persons carrying guns in restricted areas at the airports. They are citing passengers and confiscating their guns in some cases. We also talk about the safe storage of your gun to keep kids and other persons safe from having access to your gun. Carrying in unauthorized areas can be reduced through good training with a class that is inexpensive.
So in summary,
Take a Utah concealed firearms course today and get your gun license to carry responsibly. Seek out a pistol instructor that allows hands on training with your gun. It is recommended you take a combined basic pistol course that allows a new shooter to receive training on their pistol and allows for a shooting qualification, (something Utah does not require). We offer a significant discount if you sign up for the pistol course at the time you attend your CCW class. We also stand out in that we will take your required FBI fingerprint cards and passport photo in class and will hand deliver your application packet to BCI. a one stop shop to get your permit, it will arrive in your mailbox in about 60 days.
Military and Law enforcement friendly,
We are law enforcement and military friendly instructors, we offer discounts to active or retired law enforcement officers and military.
Stay safe out there and stay informed.
Phil Snyder
(Retired) Unified Police Officer of Salt Lake
NRA instructor and Concealed firearms instructor