Frequently Asked Questions

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General Questions

Oregon Law DOES NOT prohibit someone from wearing a mask while lawfully carrying a concealed weapon.
Yes, this course was created by the 36 county sheriffs in Oregon and is accepted as a form of safety handgun training that is needed to apply for a CHL.
Yes, this course was created by the 36 county sheriffs in Oregon and is accepted as a form of safety handgun training that is needed to apply for a CHL and/or Permit to Purchase (PTP).
Am I guaranteed to be issued a CHL upon completion of this course?
When a firearm is not in plain view of an officer without a search. Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not concealed.
Oregon law pertaining to transporting a handgun in a vehicle can be found online at https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/166.250.
To obtain an Oregon Concealed Handgun License you must be a resident of Oregon or reside in a bordering state (Washington, Idaho, Nevada or California).
Yes, including concealed handgun license holders. It is recommended that the property owner clearly indicate the prohibition with signage.
No, but carrying concealed only applies to the owner. It does not apply to managers or other employees. They would need a CHL to carry concealed within the business. The business owner’s weapon may not be accessible to any other person in the business.
No, but it is recommended that if you are stopped by the police that you keep your hands where they can see them, indicate that you are carrying concealed and tell them you have your CHL. Then follow the directions of the police.
Maybe. If your DD214 specifically states the words pistol, sidearm or handgun training, it would satisfy the requirement. Words such as “small arms” or “marksmanship” alone will not fulfill the statutory requirement.

Yes. There are several locations listed in ORS 166.370 which prohibits carry a firearm in a public building or facility, even with a concealed handgun license, including:

Public Schools - The governing board of a public university, the Oregon Health and Science University Board of Directors, the governing board of a community college or a district school board may adopt a policy prohibiting carrying of a concealed weapon (even with a valid CHL) on the grounds of the schools. There must be a clearly visible sign at all points of entry indicating that concealed weapons are prohibited and there must be a notice on the board's website identifying all school grounds subject to the prohibition (ORS 166.377)

Yes. There are several locations in which you cannot carry a firearm, even with a concealed handgun license, including:
  • Any federal facility — federal courthouses, social security offices, secured areas of airports, airplanes.
  • Posted private property where the owner prohibits firearms possession, and others.
  • Many private businesses have conditions regarding the possession of firearms on their premises. If you violate these conditions you could, under certain circumstances, be subject to arrest under Oregon trespass laws, in which case, if convicted, your concealed handgun license would be seized and/or revoked.
  • National parks in areas that are marked/posted with signs prohibiting all firearms. This will no be all national parks, but some have specific rules for visitors to abide by. In those areas (whether buildings or outdoors), it will be prohibited since it is marked accordingly. For example, this might be on a bus, shuttle, boat, or ferry. Again, this will be dependent upon the specific park. Due to confusion on this topic, please refer to NPS.gov for more information.
  • Indian reservations or property — you may not carry a firearm concealed without the written permission of the tribal judge; this may also apply to certain casinos on tribal lands.
  • Courts — in a courtroom, jury room, judge’s chambers, or adjacent areas that the presiding judge determines should be free of firearms to ensure the safety of litigants, court personnel, witnesses, and others.

PLEASE NOTE: If you plan to carry your handgun, it is important to research the requirements at these locations before you go. Please see the Oregon Revised Statutes for any updated State of Oregon restrictions. If in doubt, contact the facility you plan to visit directly to obtain their policy.

CHL Questions

Oregon concealed handgun licenses are valid for four years unless otherwise revoked or denied. If you are transferring your license from another county the expiration date will remain the same as your current license.
It depends where you are traveling. It is your responsibility to contact and verify any other jurisdiction’s recognition of an Oregon concealed handgun license.
You must apply for a concealed handgun license in the county in which you reside. Be a U.S. citizen or a legal alien who can document continuous residency in the United States for at least six months and who has declared, in writing, to the INS the intent to acquire citizenship (Form N300). Be at least 21 years of age. Have no legal condition that would prohibit you from possessing a firearm under either Oregon or Federal law.
  1. Have no outstanding warrants for your arrest.
  2. Not have been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Services.
  3. Not be an unlawful user of, or addicted to, a controlled substance.
  4. Not be on any form of pre-trial release.
  5. Not be required to register as a sex offender in any state.
  6. Not have been convicted of a misdemeanor, or found guilty of a misdemeanor within four years prior to application, except under ORS 151.295.
  7. Not be subject to a citation issued under ORS 163.735 or an order issued under ORS 30.866, 107.700 to 107.723 or 163.738 (e.g. Stalking or Restraining Orders).
  8. Demonstrate competence with a handgun by any one of the following means:
    1. Completion of any hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife or a similar agency of another state if handgun safety was a component of the course;
    2. Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course if handgun safety was a component of the course;
    3. Completion of any firearms safety or training course or class available to the general public offered by law enforcement, community college, or private or public institution or organization or firearms training school utilizing instructors certified by the National Rifle Association or a law enforcement agency if handgun safety was a component of the course;
    4. Completion of any law enforcement firearms safety or training course or class offered for security guards, investigators, reserve law enforcement officers or any other law enforcement officers if handgun safety was a component of the course;
    5. Present evidence of equivalent experience with a handgun through participation in an organized shooting competition or military service;
    6. Is licensed or has been licensed to carry a firearm in this state, unless the license has been revoked; or
    7. Completion of any firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a firearms instructor certified by a law enforcement agency or the National Rifle Association if handgun safety was a component of the course.
A concealed handgun license allows you to carry a loaded or unloaded handgun concealed upon your person or concealed within your control in a car or other means of transportation.
No. This is a concealed handgun license only. See ORS 166.210(5) for the definition of a handgun.
Oregon concealed handgun laws can be found online at https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/chapter/166.

 

Other references to the ORS listed on this page can be found at https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/pages/ors.aspx.

If my concealed handgun license application is denied or my concealed handgun license is revoked, can I appeal?
No.
Contact the sheriff’s office that issued you the card and report it lost.
Contact the sheriff’s office that issued your CHL to update your address.
Contact the sheriff’s office in the county that currently reside in to transfer your CHL.

Online Course Questions

Check your spam folder. If you still haven’t received an email, please go to the “Contact & Support” tab and to request a temporary password.
A certificate obtained by completing this course does not guarantee you an Oregon CHL. See “What are the requirements for obtaining a concealed handgun license in the State of Oregon” below. If you feel that you may not qualify for a CHL, please contact a county sheriff’s office to ensure they will accept your application BEFORE spending money on this, or any other, CHL course.
Am I guaranteed to be issued a CHL upon completion of this course?

Once you have completed the course, you will be directed to purchase your certificate or you can select the “certificate” tab on the homepage. Click “Add to Cart” and follow the prompts. Upon successful completion, your certificate will be processed and presented as a downloadable pdf on the order complete page and emailed to the provided email address..  You will then need to make an appointment with your local county sheriff’s office.

Click on the county to find out more information about their CHL application process:

A certificate obtained by completing this course does not guarantee you an Oregon CHL. Please contact a county sheriff’s office to ensure they will accept your application BEFORE spending money on this, or any other, CHL course.
By visiting the Certificate Page.
You will want to put “OSSA Online Course” or “OSSA”.
Our certificate does not have an expiration date; however, you may want to check with the Sheriff’s Office in which you plan to apply to make sure they don’t have a specific requirement on how recently the course must be completed.

If you completed your CHL course between 12/05/2022 and 10/12/2023, please login here with your account information to download your certificate.

PERMIT TO PURCHASE QUESTIONS

Check your spam folder. If you still haven’t received an email, please go to the “Contact & Support” tab and to request a temporary password.

The entire process is not in effect due to litigation. Visit https://www.oregon.gov/osp/programs/cjis/pages/permit-to-purchase-program.aspx for updates

A certificate obtained by completing this course does not guarantee you an Oregon CHL. See “What are the requirements for obtaining a concealed handgun license in the State of Oregon” below. If you feel that you may not qualify for a CHL, please contact a county sheriff’s office to ensure they will accept your application BEFORE spending money on this, or any other, CHL course.

There are a number of requirements to get a purchase permit. You must:

 

  • Not be prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm;
  • Pass a criminal background check;
  • Not be subject to an Extreme Risk Protection Order;
  • Provide proof of completion of online or classroom training in three specific areas –
    1. Review of federal and state laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to ownership, purchase, transfer, use and transportation of firearms;
    2. Review of federal and state safe storage laws in place at the time of the class and other safe practices related to safe storage, including reporting lost and stolen guns;
    3. Prevention of abuse or misuse of firearms, including the impact of homicide and suicide on families, communities and the country as a whole.

Provide proof of completion of an in-person demonstration of the applicant’s ability to lock, load, unload, fire and store a firearm before an instructor certified by a law enforcement agency.

Pay a $65 fee and submit an application for a permit, along with presenting government-issued ID for the permit agent to determine your identity.

Allow the permit agent to photograph and fingerprint you.

The permit agent must also find that you do not present reasonable grounds to conclude that you have been or are reasonably likely to be a danger to self or others, or to the community at large, as a result of your mental or psychological state or as demonstrated by your past pattern of behavior involving unlawful violence or threats of unlawful violence;

No, this course covers the online / classroom training described above, but to obtain a purchase permit you will also have to get a certificate proving that you have done an in-person demonstration of your ability to lock, load, unload, fire and store a firearm in front of an instructor certified by law enforcement.

OSSA has created this training program as quickly as possible to ensure that people have access to a training course in order to get a purchase permit. The fastest and easiest way to do that was to modify our existing CHL course to include M 114 requirements. At this time, we do not have a separate M 114 training.

PAYMENT QUESTIONS

Just send us an email to [email protected] with a short explanation of the circumstances. We will investigate and refund any overpayment that was made.
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