Subscribe to Our Newsletter

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.
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
Update: These forms now contain fields you can fill in on-screen by first downloading and saving the form to your computer.
For additional information regarding the FSC program, please review the following or send an email to boffscprogram@doj.ca.gov:
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:
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 |