AG Opinion – Does a firearms instructor need to be certified by Virginia in order to qualify for a concealed handgun permit?
The conclusion in the matter is no. To obtain a concealed handgun permit in Virginia, one must demonstrate competence with a handgun. One way to demonstrate this is to receive instruction from a state certified instructor. “State certified” means that firearm instruction can be given by any instructor certified by any of the 50 States. The instructor does not need to be certified by Virginia. For full details, please read the opinion.