What Are the Requirements to Get a CCW in Arizona?

When people ask me what it takes to qualify for an Arizona Concealed Weapons Permit, the conversation often drifts toward myths they have picked up along the way. I hear the same concern repeated again and again. They assume that any conviction in their past automatically disqualifies them. That belief keeps many honest people from seeking training that could make them safer and better prepared.

The actual requirements are straightforward once you see how the law is organized. Arizona looks at two separate questions. First, do you meet the basic eligibility rules to apply for a concealed weapons permit. Second, are you considered a prohibited possessor under state or federal law. These are not the same. A person can meet the age and residency requirements yet still be barred under a prohibition they were never told about. This is one of the reasons I prefer to teach in small groups where people can ask questions freely. The permit is important, but clarity is even more valuable.

To qualify for an Arizona permit, you must be a resident of the state or a United States citizen. The standard age requirement is twenty-one. You cannot be under indictment, and any felony conviction must have been set aside, expunged, vacated, pardoned, or otherwise restored. Mental health prohibitions apply when there has been a finding of incompetence or a court-ordered commitment that has not been resolved.

Applicants born outside the United States must include proof of citizenship or lawful status. A naturalization certificate, a resident alien card, or an official record of birth abroad are acceptable. Firearm safety training is required under A.R.S. 13-3112(N), and this is where my mobile CCW classes come in. Once your application is submitted, the state asks for seventy-five days to process it.

The second part of the law concerns prohibited possessors. This category includes anyone banned by state or federal rules from owning, buying, or even holding a firearm or ammunition. These rules reach far beyond the CCW program. They include certain mental health adjudications, felony convictions without rights restored, probation terms for domestic violence, fugitives, unlawful drug users, undocumented aliens, dishonorable discharges, and specific court orders involving threats against partners or children. In my book, Arizona Guide for Gun Owners, I walk through each rule so readers understand how these restrictions are applied in the real world.

The question I hear most often during class is not about paperwork. It is about where they may carry once they have their permit. This is the area that causes the most confusion. People mix together state rules, federal rules, private property rules, and the policies of individual businesses. The permit offers advantages in many places, but it does not grant universal freedom to carry everywhere you choose. That is why I spend so much time on restricted locations. A person who carries regularly must know the limits before they step into a school zone, a federal building, or a posted establishment. Mistakes here have lasting consequences.

The permit also prepares you for something you may never face but must understand. In the book I address the legal aftermath of a defensive shooting. It is not enough to know how to draw and fire. The hours that follow will test your judgment, your memory, and your restraint. Officers arriving on scene will not know who the assailant is. They will only see a person with a firearm. Training gives you a clearer mind and a steadier hand when everything around you is breaking down.

Constitutional carry allows adults to conceal a firearm without a permit in Arizona, but it is not a substitute for training. The permit provides reciprocity in many states, faster purchases when buying a firearm, and a stronger legal footing during encounters with law enforcement. More importantly, it builds habits that help you avoid the very situations the law was written to prevent.

If you want a permit and prefer private, direct instruction, I offer mobile CCW classes across the Phoenix and East Valley area. I teach you the law the way I teach it in the book, with plain language and practical examples. You will understand eligibility, prohibited possession, restricted locations, and how to protect yourself legally and physically.

If you want to carry responsibly in Arizona, reserve a mobile CCW class on my website and I will guide you through every requirement with clarity and care.