Please use a typewriter to complete the application. Sign your name legibly.

It's recommend you make copies of all documents submitted in your application and maintain a personal file of correspondence with the State Police CHL administrator.

Fee payments should be attached to the respective application. Do not write a single check for multiple applications. Each application should be accompanied with one check payable to the Arkansas State Police written in the amount of $144.25. Do not send cash with your application.

Review the application before attending the safety training course. With the assistance of your safety, fill out the application while attending the required safety course. Make certain all fields of your application are completely filled-out. Do not leave any question unanswered.

Make certain that forms requiring a notary are properly sealed. Omissions of required information or supporting signatures will result in a delay in acquiring your license.

Personal Background

Applicants with past police records that are not supported with a disposition (acquittal, conviction, or nolle prosequi) will be expected to provide written documentation from the arresting agency of the final disposition involving those cases. Notification of background checks that fail to produce a disposition will be made directly through correspondence from the Arkansas State Police to the applicant. The application will be placed in an administrative holding file until the matter is resolved.

Charges against an applicant other than felonies can impact your application. Any "act of violence" within the past five (5) years (from conviction date) is cause for denial of an application. Certain misdemeanor acts of violence that appear most often are: Carrying a Weapon; Battery; Assault; Resisting Arrest and Terroristic Threatening.

Also cause for denial of an CHL application is a conviction in the previous three (3) years relating to violation of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act.

A conviction for any felony is cause for denial. A felony is any crime for which a person could be sentenced to prison for more than one (1) year. In most cases, the only recourse from this problem is to acquire a pardon, with specific restoration of firearms rights, from the Governor of the state in which the conviction took place. According to Arkansas Attorney General's Opinion #96-247, an "expungement" or "sealing" of a felony conviction does not remove conviction for purposes of obtaining a concealed handgun license.

To find a safety instructor in your area, use the interactive search where you may search by name, county or city.  The state does not regulate the fees charged by instructors for the concealed handgun safety courses. Fees are strictly an agreement between the applicant and the instructor.  If you would like to become a safety instructor, please fill out the Safety Instructor Application form below and send to Regulatory Services for consideration.

If you notice any errors in this list please advise us via e-mail. Also, if the instructor you are planning on using is not on this list, please check to see if the Instructor's Certificate was issued after the date listed above. Otherwise, do not contract with that person for your training.

Please use a typewriter to complete the application. Sign your name legibly. Include required documents outlined at the bottom of the renewal application.

It's recommend you make copies of all documents submitted in your application and maintain a personal file of correspondence with the State Police CHL administrator.

Fee payments should be attached to the respective application. Renewal applications received after October 1, 2007 require a $60 payment. Do not send cash with your application.