Becoming A DOJ Certified Instructor And Maintaining Current DOJ Certified Instructor Certification

Effective January 1, 2015, all DOJ Certified Instructor applicants are required to have a valid Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and must obtain a COE prior to submitting an application as a DOJ Certified Instructor.

The Certificate of Eligibility instructions and application is available at Certificate of Eligibility Please note that COEs must be renewed annually. The COE processing time is approximately 4 – 8 weeks.

Once you have obtained your COE number from the Bureau of Firearms, you can apply to become a DOJ Certified Instructor by completing a Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) Program DOJ Certified Instructor application (form BOF 037) available at https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms or apply online through the FSC Certified Instructor Firearm Certification System at https://fcs.doj.ca.gov/login-form. Please note that a DOJ Certified Instructor's certification is valid for five years provided he or she maintains a valid COE. The processing time for manual applications is up to four weeks and online applications is 3-4 business days.

To renew DOJ Certified Instructor certification a FSC Program DOJ Certified Instructor application (form BOF 037) available at https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms must be submitted with the renewal box checked or renewing online through the FSC Certified Instructor Firearm Certification System at https://fcs.doj.ca.gov/login-form and accepting the Conditions of Use.

Firearm Safety Certificate Program

Effective January 1, 2015, the Handgun Safety Certificate program was replaced with the Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) program. Under the FSC program, requirements that previously applied to handguns only now apply to all firearms (handguns and long guns), unless exempt. A list of exemptions is available on this website.

A valid Handgun Safety Certificate can still be used to purchase/acquire handguns only until it expires. For long gun purchases/acquisitions made January 1, 2015, and thereafter, an FSC will be required. Once an FSC is obtained, it can be used for both handgun and long gun purchases/acquisitions.

FSCs are acquired by taking and passing a written test on firearm safety, generally at participating firearms dealerships and private firearms training facilities. A Firearm Safety Certificate Study Guide to help individuals prepare for the FSC test is available for viewing/downloading from this website. A Firearm Safety webinar is also available for viewing or download on the Videos page.

The firearm safety demonstration protocols and DOJ Certified Instructor standards have been established and implemented by DOJ. An explanation of the firearm safety demonstration can be found starting on page 12 of the Firearm Safety Certificate Study Guide.

The following forms and publications are available at https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms

Forms

Update: These forms now contain fields you can fill in on-screen by first downloading and saving the form to your computer.


Publications

For additional information regarding the FSC program, please review the following or send an email to boffscprogram@doj.ca.gov:


Specified Training Organizations In Firearms Safety

Organizations Specified by Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b) as providing Acceptable Firearms Safety Training.

Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b), authorizes Department of Justice to certify individuals possessing a training certificate from an organization enumerated under this subdivision to be a DOJ Certified Instructor.

The training organizations specified under Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b) are:

  1. Department of Consumer Affairs, State of California-Firearm Training Instructor.
  2. Director of Civilian Marksmanship, Instructor or Rangemaster.
  3. Federal Government, Certified Rangemaster or Firearm Instructor.
  4. Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Firearm Instructor Training Program or Rangemaster.
  5. United States Military, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) as marksmanship or firearms instructor. Assignment as Range Officer or Safety Officer is not sufficient.
  6. National Rifle Association-Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement Instructor, Rangemaster, or Training Counselor.
  7. Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), State of California-Firearm Instructor or Rangemaster.
  8. Authorization from a State of California accredited school to teach a firearm training course.

Comparable Training In Firearms Safety

Entities Recognized by DOJ as Providing Comparable Firearm Safety Training to Those Entities Specified by Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b).

Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b) authorizes the California Department of Justice (DOJ) to recognize entities which provide firearms safety training comparable to the entities specified within that subdivision. Individuals possessing a Certificate of Completion from any of the entities so recognized by DOJ may apply to be a DOJ Certified Instructor.

The entities recognized by DOJ as providing firearms safety training comparable to the entities specified by Penal Code section 31635, subdivision (b) are:

Name Owner City and State Phone Number
2nd Amendment Sports Bakersfield (661) 323-4512
29 Outdoor Gear Jerome Kunzman American Canyon, CA (510) 376-0303
Armed Response Marksman Shiloh Darrow Tehachapi, CA (661) 243-3117
Ballistic Precision Inc. Daniel Comer Eureka (707) 798-5155
Baptist Security Training Frazier Baptist Vacaville (707) 386-2689
Basic Gun Safety Huntington Beach (714) 864-0203
Bear Arms Defense Corporation Elias Chalhub Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (310) 497-3401
BullsEyeTactical Firearms Training Castella (530) 235-0721
Burton Lewis Agency, LLC Glenn Burton Lewis Elk Grove, CA (916) 834-9728
Bushido Training Group Donald Wharton Brawley, CA 92227 (760) 427-3244
California Firearms Safety School San Francisco & Monterey (415) 816-0099
CCW USA Firearms Training Santee (619) 871-9834
Cal Guns Training Shawn Lindstrom Ventura, CA (805) 765-1486
Charles W Miller Firearms Training Charles Miller San Jose, CA (408) 621-5015
Coast Tactical Training Scott Jones Orange, CA (562) 583-1790
Critical Synthesis Training Facility Hanley Chan San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 779-2558
Darrell's Shooting Sports San Juan Capistrano (949) 599-4148
Defensive Accuracy Lodi (408) 687-3791
Dobbs Firearm Training Suisun City (888) 486-0250
Double Tap Training Granada Hills (818) 363-1777
Down Range Indoor Training Center William Clark Chico (530) 896-1992
Expert Firearms Training LLC Roy Bryson Oakley/California (925) 550-2780
Fast Response Security, Inc. Richard Jones California City (661) 775-5650
Firearms Training Associates Yorba Linda/California (714) 701-9918
Firearms Training Institute San Jose/California (408) 506-1884
First Priority Security Consulting LLC Keith Brown Tracy/California (510) 736-4333
Five Star Firearms and Training Truckee (530) 587-5239
Foley Firearms Training Inc. Michael Foley Menifee, CA 92585 (951) 236-6267
Foothill Firearms Kevin Kuntz Newcastle, CA 95658 (916) 663-9349
Friedman Handgun Training Peter Friedman Pleasant Hill, CA (925) 818-6642
FSC Instructor Training Course William Tidwell Alameda or Mariposa Counties (510) 552-4742 or (209) 878-3056
Gateway Cities KRAV MAGA Kealii Kaapana La Habra, CA 90631 (714) 724-8705
Geoffrey D Peabody Geoffrey D Peabody Placerville, CA (916) 644-0991
Greenhorn Outfitter, LLC Bakersfield (661) 319-5426
Gun World Daemion Garro Burbank, CA (818) 238-9071
The Gun Range San Diego Veronica Garlow San Diego, CA (858) 573-1911
The Gun School Danny R. Wells Tulare, Kings, Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara (559) 936-9909
Guns Direct Philip Sirilertjan Burbank, CA (818) 848-4867
Hammer Stryke Self-Reliance Training, Inc (209) 614-1718
High Caliber Tactical Donald Penner Fresno, CA (559) 903-7547
Hillside Range Gerald Bartholomew Los Banos (209) 704-1708
JLPFI- John Lewis Professional Firearms Instruction John Lewis Fresno, CA (559) 349-3833
John Albert Holder John Holder Redwood Valley, CA (707) 489-3380
Kings Gun Center LLC Hanford (559) 585-2000
KIT Group, LLC Santa Ana (714) 721-9233
Kiwi's Custom Guns, Inc Lyndon Yates Riverbank, CA 95367 (209) 863-2355
Liberty Firearms Training Ronald Givens Sacramento (916) 870-1854
Lock n Load Concealed Carry Training David Lungren Shingle Springs (916) 705-2258
Loyal Arms Ricky Gan Folsom (916) 680-9888
Marshall Security Training Academy Edmon Muradyan Los Angeles (323) 660-0636
Martin B. Retting Inc. Alex Reyes Culver City (310) 837-2412
Modern Warrior Gunsmithing Jonathan Katz Los Angeles (818) 930-5289
MSP Firearms Marisol Pantoja California City/California (760) 821-3195
NorCal Med Tac Brannon Schell Aptos (831) 970-0440
OSOS Security Services Training Facility Mill Valley (415) 519-3549
Pacific Outfitters Aaron Ostrom Eureka, CA (707) 443-6328
Poway Weapons & Gear John Phillips Poway, CA (858) 206-5057
Powers Security Training Bakersfield (661) 871-7273
Practical Firearms Training, LLC Yvonne Arriola French Camp, CA (925) 487-4390
Premier Tactical Training Fresno (559) 779-7742
Prestigious Investigative Firearms Training Facility Ardrick Elmore Upland, CA (909) 303-3153
Primary Defense LLC Mario Lopez Patterson, CA (209) 605-0344
Range Master John Perry San luis Obispo (805) 545-0322
The Range Grass Valley (530) 273-4440
Ray Walters Raymond Walters Jr. Modesto, CA (209) 613-5994
Rosengarten Firearms Training Marcelo Rosengarten Ripon, CA (209) 610-1425
Rynearson Safety Training Redding (530) 524-3288
Safe Firearms Education Bertrand Blanc San Jose, CA (408) 348-7966
Safety Firearm Training John Holder Ukiah (707) 489-3380
Scott R. James II Firearm Sales & Training Visalia (559) 352-6982
SEC Unarmed Private Independent Security Service Stanley Eugene Crittendon Calexico, CA (760) 357-0412
Sheepdog Defensive Training Lamar Simpson Sacramento (916) 548-5326
Shoot Safe Jason Granados Huntington Beach (714) 625-1507
Shoot Safe Learning Torrance (310) 464-0855
Shooter's Paradise of Yuba City Scott Evans Yuba City, CA 95993 (530) 673-4100
ShootSoCal Firearms Training David Anderson Buena Park, CA (818) 359-7056
Showket Training Ziyad Showket Novato, CA (415) 497-1983
Silicon Valley Tactical LLC Robert Chang Campbell, CA 95008 (408) 313-1254
Solutions Group International George Holt Riverside, CA (877) 844-8744
Southern Shooting Supply Tehachapi (661) 823-1223
Tactical 360 Christopher Martinez Bakersfield, CA 93312 (661) 497-3089
Triple Threat Solutions Roosevelt Scott Jr. Bakersfield, CA (661) 374-1180
Valley Defense Consulting, Inc. Vince Bizzini Modesto (209) 552-5728
Valley Gun, Inc. Bakersfield (661) 352-9468
Wade Roberts Firearms Training Tulare (559) 303-2848
William M E Mclaren William Mclaren Oceanside (858) 337-7876