Protect with confidence
Register for your Ohio CCW Training
Take your training online, in a traditional in-person class, or with women only.
It's easy to put off.
Whether you’ve:
- felt too busy
- worried you weren't good enough at shooting
- thought you ought to know more before you take the class
…we get it. But, leave your concerns at the door.
At Armed2Defend, our courses are for all levels and all schedules.
Ready to register?
Use a quick link to select your course.
Online
Learn at your own pace.
in person
Get everything done in one day.
Women Only
Leave your worries at the door.
not sure yet? let’s dive a little deeper.
Hi there, we're
Kevin & Alisha.
We're ordinary people who take our safety seriously.
Since 2010, we’ve trained around 25,000 in our Ohio concealed carry courses. We’ve also trained over 600 NRA and USCCA Certified Instructors and have earned nearly 1000 5-star reviews on Google, plus over 460 Facebook recommendations from our graduates. Additionally, we’ve won the Angie’s List Super Service Award since 2013.
But, here’s what matters way, way more to us: These accomplishments mean nothing if we fail to serve you. That’s why, in each course we teach, the world turns off for a window of time, and we zero in hard on how we can help you practically carry with confidence.
We can't wait to meet you!
The goal isn’t to just “check a box.”
You want to be trained
Good news – jumping through hoops isn’t our style.
Here’s what you can expect instead.
Super-practical training.
Everyone's relationship to guns is different. We meet you where you are, steer clear of fancy terms, and teach like teachers (not drill sergeants).
We want you to walk away with more than just training — we want you to leave with unwavering confidence, no matter how you felt before.
An energized classroom.
You've already put in your time in dull classrooms when you were in school. Our course is anything but a snooze fest!
Our teaching style is fun, interactive, and designed to keep everyone on the edge of their seats and excited about what their futures hold.
Safe and informative range time.
Our instructors are very patient and have lots of experience working with new and experienced shooters.
During your time on the range, walk through the steps and make sure you feel comfortable handling, loading, and shooting a gun.
Once you’ve completed your course, you’re part of our community.
Don’t hesitate to let us know how we can support your lifelong journey.
it's time to pull the trigger.
Which course is best for you?
Watch as Alisha covers your options.
Pick from three courses & train on your terms.
Online CCW
Busy work schedule? Childcare issues? Just too busy to give up a full day? Don’t let that stand in your way. You can start the class today and get it done in your free time.
SET YOUR TIMELINE
Complete the 6 hours of classroom learning on your schedule within a year. Then, schedule two hours in person for your range training.
WATCH & RE-WATCH
If the stream of information feels like drinking from a firehose, you can re-watch lessons you feel like you need to hear again.
CONQUER THE RANGE
You’ll get the same in-person, award-winning range training as students in the in-person class. The only difference is your flexibility in scheduling. Range training is held at our property in Lithopolis, Ohio.
In-Person CCW
Prefer to just get it all done in one day? Then this option is for you. In a session that runs from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Lithopolis, Ohio, you’ll get six hours of classroom time done first, then finish with two hours on the range.
LEARN & ENJOY
Many of our students are nervous when they come to class, but they quickly relax as they realize that our engaging style of teaching is fun.
ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS
Our training is comprehensive and practical, but you'll still have unique questions. We'll cover every single one!
LEAVE WITH COMMUNITY
The atmosphere of the classroom is very welcoming. Students often develop friendships with others in class that continue beyond these walls.
Women's CCW
Do you prefer to learn with other ladies? Want to approach guns from a woman’s perspective? This class is perfect for you. Most women who take this class are beginners and have never shot a gun on their own.
In a session that runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Lithopolis, Ohio, you’ll get classroom time done first, then finish with plenty of time on the range.
SMALL CLASSES TAUGHT BY WOMEN
Alisha teaches the classroom portion in groups smaller than our traditional in-person classes. This way, it's less intimidating to ask questions and you can walk away feeling empowered.
HANDS-ON TRAINING BEFORE YOU SHOOT
Guns can feel mystifying, but they're not as complicated as they seem. We do hands-on exercises in the classroom so you get comfortable handling a gun before going to the range.
LONG-TERM FRIENDSHIP & SUPPORT
Since these classes are smaller groups of women with a common goal, everyone quickly connects and often stay connected after their day together.
Compare the Options
If getting an Ohio Concealed Carry License is your goal, all 3 options meet the requirements.
Ohio only has one license. You will get the same license no matter which of these 3 classes you choose.
Range location is in Canal Winchester, Ohio (Southeast Columbus). Classroom location is 4 minutes away in Lithopolis Ohio at the historic Wagnalls Memorial Library.
In Person
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Get training done in one day
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Saturday and Weekday options
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Free passport style photo for your application
Online
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Most Flexible
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Go at your own pace
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Optimized for phone, tablet or computer
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Rewatch lessons to further your understanding
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Downloadable notes
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Same Ohio CCW license
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Schedule in person range when you're ready
Women's
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Get training done in one day
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Free passport style photo for application
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Smaller class size
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Uses a different curriculum that is designed for women
FAQs
You might still be wondering...
RANGE
Our range is on private property in Canal Winchester, Ohio (20 minutes southeast of Columbus, Ohio). Our range is covered but mostly open air. We have heaters or fans depending on the temperature, but you’ll want to dress for the weather. We also have lights.
We have range safety equipment that you can borrow for free. These include eye protection and ear protection. We require side shields for glasses to protect from casing that fly sideways.
For a restroom, we have a port-a-pot at the range, but we’re only here for the 2 hours.
Classroom
For our in person classes, we rent a large meeting room from a library that is 4 minutes down the road from our range. See more location details here. There is a microwave but not a refrigerator. There is typically a lunch option depending on which class you attend.
Nope!
In fact if you DON’T have a gun yet, we strongly encourage you to wait until after taking the training to purchase one.
I don’t have a handgun:
Online Class and In Person Training: We can provide a 22 caliber handgun and ammo for the training at no extra cost. You don’t need to let us know ahead of time if you are bringing your own or using ours.
Women’s Only CCW Class: You can rent a 22 caliber pistol and ammo for $10. The women’s class typically offers more range training than our other classes. You can make this payment at the class.
Pistol Samper: Don’t know what gun to buy yet? An optional add on to our range training is the opportunity to test fire 15 different concealed carry handguns. The $50 fee to do this also includes the ammunition. This is done in addition to your standard range training. But we’ll have it all done within the required 2 hours of range training. This is an awesome value, it would cost more than $50 just to rent one gun at a local range. After you shoot the 15 guns you’ll know what gun you want to buy. This is important because it will be the gun you like to shoot, not the gun someone says you should buy. You also make notes when shooting so that you’ll remember which guns you liked and didn’t like. You can read more about it here. You don’t have to pre-purchase it, you can buy it at the training.
I have a handgun:
If you have a gun, we strongly encourage you to bring it. The training will be much more meaningful to you if you get trained on what you own. You’ll need to provide ammo for the training as well. Typically it is around 20-50 shots for the concealed carry class. You can bring ammo or purchase it at the class. We don’t have casing or bullet restrictions on our range. But we want to keep it to standard handguns and not AR style pistols.
To bring your own gun, be sure that it is unloaded, including having your magazines unloaded. And keep it in a closed box, bag, or case. Just something to safely store it so that it isn’t out. Leave it in your car for the classroom portion. You can bring it into the range but don’t take it out until the instructor specifically asks you to take it out. For the safety of everyone in the class, handling a gun without instruction is a quick way to get dismissed from the class.
Nothing!
In fact, we see lots of students week in and week out who have never touched a gun before.
We start at the beginner level. There is no prior knowledge you need to be successful. You are coming to class to have us TEACH you. So don’t try to prepare and learn it all before.
Actually, we find that often the complete newbies are better shooters than people who have some experience!! They are fresh canvases and they soak up the new knowledge. Sometimes experienced shooters have bad habits that are hard to break.
We will teach you everything you need to know. You will walk away with so much knowledge and a new sense of confidence about handling and shooting handguns!
After taking the training, you will apply for the concealed carry license through the sheriff’s office. They will run a background check as part of the application process.
Trainers are privately owned and not government entities. We do not have the capability to run background checks on our students. This means a person could pass the concealed carry training and then be denied a license by the sheriff’s office if there is something on their background that disqualifies them.
You can find more details about the disqualifiers on pages 7-8 of the Ohio Attorney General’s Concealed Carry Law Summary PDF. Generally speaking, the 3 major disqualifiers are 1.) any felony, 2.) anything drug related, 3.) any misdemeanor offense of violence or negligent assault
If there is anything you are concerned about, it is worth talking to the sheriff’s office for clarification before spending time and money taking the training.
I highly advise you not to ask any trainer for specific advice about your situation and if it makes you ineligible. Talk to the people who actually process the applications. Trainers are private businesses that make money by you taking their class. They can tell you anything they want. But the only thing that actually matters is what the sheriff will tell you when you apply.
First off, we understand that freedom is not free We sincerely thank you for serving and sacrificing for our county.
You don’t have to take training. Ohio allows active duty military and retired and honorably discharged veterans to apply for the concealed carry license without taking a training course.
You CAN take training if you’d like to. Even though it is not required, many are still interested in taking training for their own benefit. If that is you, we would love to have you in the class.
If you are choosing to skip the training requirement, you should consult the sheriff’s office directly about the application process. Most of them have the information on their webpage.
Because each county has slight differences in how they handle applications, it’s impossible for us to give detailed information about the process. Check with the sheriff’s office in the county where you plan to apply. (You can only apply in the county you live in or a county that touches that county.)
Anyone 18 or older can take our training course. However, please understand that you must be 21 to get an Ohio Concealed Carry License.
The sheriff’s office will honor a certificate of completion from a course taken within the last 3 years. Let’s use an example. Suppose Johnny was 20 years old when he took a concealed carry training course on Dec 15, 2018. The sheriff will honor that certificate of completion until Dec 15, 2021 (3 years from the date of completion). So when Johnny turns 21 in November 2019 he will still have plenty of time to use that certificate of completion to apply for the license before it is expired. Johnny could apply for his concealed license on the day of his 21st birthday if he was in a hurry.
Sometimes parents taking the course want their 18, 19 or 20 year old child to go through the course with them to learn about gun safety even though they aren’t old enough to get the license yet. This is a great idea and we encourage it.
*Please note: Anyone under 21 would not be legally able to transport a gun to class. This is no problem at all. They will revert to using one of our .22s. If a friend or family member 21+ is also attending the class that day, they can transport a gun for the underage person.
We do require full payment ahead of time. There is a lot that goes into class day preparation on our end. We prepare paperwork specific to each student, make folders for each student, print certificates and hire lots of instructors to assist.
The billing information doesn’t have to registering student for the online transactions. So if you can give the cash to a friend or family member and use their card for the billing section that works just fine.
Please note that we do not have a storefront location for doing in person transactions. We pay to rent the classroom space only for class days. We are unable to arrange for in person payments before class.
Just like the BMV is the only place that can issue a driver’s license, the sheriff’s office is the only entity that can issue an Ohio concealed carry license.
To get a concealed carry license in Ohio you must take an 8 hour training course. Then you use your certificate of completion as proof of completing the training requirement when applying with the sheriff’s office.
Think of taking our course like taking a drivers ed course. There is no drivers ed school that can issue drivers licenses. Likewise, there is no concealed carry training courses that can issue an Ohio Concealed Carry License. Your first step will be to complete the training and your second step will be to apply at the sheriff’s office in the county you live in or an adjacent county.
When you apply through the sheriff’s office for the license there will be an additional fee you pay to them. Please contact your local sheriff’s office for any questions you may have about the license process as each county does things differently. Any information we put here could be different in your county.
It is a 5 year license and there is no retraining required to renew your Ohio CCW license. You will be able to renew directly with the sheriff’s office without taking additional training. (Although, additional training is always a good idea since shooting is a perishable skill!)
The term used to refer to what states honor other states’ licenses is reciprocity. The Ohio concealed carry license is currently honored in 39 states. (This number changes so always be sure to verify reciprocity before traveling with your concealed carry firearm!)
The Ohio Attorney General’s site has a clickable map that shows you which states honor the Ohio concealed carry license.
There is just one type of Ohio Concealed Carry License. Everyone get the same license. There are NOT different levels or types of Ohio CCW licenses that include more or less states.
The USCCA has an awesome free resource that explains the different state laws to make traveling with your gun easy. You can get it here by entering your email address.
We choose not to train pregnant women on our range because of the potential for hearing damage to the baby and the exposure to toxic substances that are an unavoidable part of shooting.
However, you are welcome to complete the 6 hour classroom portion even while pregnant! It’s actually a great idea to get the 6 hour portion done while pregnant. After delivering the baby, you can come back to complete the 2 hour range portion. Since it is sometimes hard for a mom to be away from a newborn for an extended day, many pregnant women find this to be a convenient option.
*Please note you will not be able to apply for your Ohio Concealed Carry License until after you have completed both the classroom and range time.
*There are no additional fees involved. You would pay the class fee in full for the initial classroom time. You wouldn’t owe anything when you came back to complete the range portion. We keep your paperwork on file so we know exactly what you need to complete when you come back.
There are 2 time frames that are easy to confuse:
1.) You have 3 years from the date of completing the course to apply for the license. In other words, the sheriff requires you show proof of completing an approved training course within the last 3 years. Example: if you took the course on March 26, 2020 you would be able to use that certificate of completion to apply for a license until March 26, 2023. After that time frame, if you had not applied for your license you would be back to square one and need to repeat training.
2.) The concealed carry license itself is a 5 year license. When the 5 years are up and it is time to renew, there is no retraining requirement. You will just go through the sheriff’s office to submit an application again. Sometimes they need to see a copy of your original certificate of completion and sometimes they don’t. We offer digital replacement certificates for $10 but you should clarify with the sheriff’s office if they need/want it first.
Have another question?
Let's talk about it. Just get in touch.
Protection is everything.
Give yourself the option to carry.
Get Your Free Ohio CCW Training Guide
The guide includes 5 answers for the concealed carry test.