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CCP Express

Welcome to the online version of CSA’s flagship course: CCP Express! This course was specifically designed to meet the training requirements imposed by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1366 for eligibility to apply for Tennessee’s Concealed Handgun Carry Permit. The course has eight lessons covering the gun safety rules, handgun uses and gear selection, handgun parts and operation, storage and transport, marksmanship, cleaning and maintenance, and an overview of Tennessee Carry Laws. Once you’ve finished the course, we’ll generate a completion certificate that you can use to show proof of training when you apply for your concealed handgun carry permit.

More Course Info

Below you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions about this course. If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please feel free to contact us.

We’re the first to admit that you’ve got lots of choices for online training. However, we’ve worked hard to make our course stand out. First and foremost, we always prioritize safety. That’s our very first lesson, and we practice what we preach. You’ll see us model safe gun-handling throughout all the demonstration videos.

Our lead instructors have over 60 years of combined experience. And yet, we’re all relatively young compared to the firearm trainer stereotype, so we bring fresh perspectives to the table. Check out our countless five-star reviews on Facebook and Google to see how past students have thought about our teaching styles.

Since most people who take this class plan to get their carry permit, the course content is tailored for the context of personal defense (as opposed to hunting, sport shooting, etc.). Concealed carry is very different from other firearms applications, and we take care to point out those nuances. Beyond the state’s minimum required reference to handgun-related statutes, we also cover the legal implications of defensive force, including deadly force.

We’ve done our best to enhance the user experience and make the course as interactive as possible despite the online format. We use lots of different media and teaching aids (images, video, audio, hyperlinks, PowerPoint slides, highlighting, mnemonics, etc.). We incorporate interactive review exercises to make sure we keep your attention. Our course structure and teaching strategies are founded on today’s best practices in adult learning.

Our instructional videos feature Citizens Safety Academy’s own trainers – the same people who teach the in-person classes. The instructor cadre includes a former police detective and federal security contractor (who loves house music), a lawyer and college educator (who drinks way too much coffee), and the chief safety officer of a local firing range (who is also a musician and a history buff).

Perhaps more importantly, we’re local Tennesseans, we’re a small business, and our staff is just as diverse as the vast array of people who come to train with us. We speak to you honestly, pleasantly, and respectfully, just as we would if you were sitting in our classroom. Rather than just reading text from a script, we speak freely and from the heart. You’ll get to know us in these videos, and we hope you’ll find us to be not only knowledgeable about the subject matter but also approachable and trustworthy.

If we haven’t convinced you yet, the video below offers 20 quick reasons why CSA is your best choice for online permit training.

Tennessee law specifies exactly what topics must be covered in any online training course for Concealed Handgun Carry Permit applicants. The Department of Safety informally calls this list the “Basic Eight,” and we cover each of these topics in CCP Express:

  1. Basic Firearms Safety Rules
  2. Basic Handgun Features (Nomenclature)
  3. Basic Handgun Uses and Techniques
  4. Basic Handgun Knowledge and Skills for Safe Handling
  5. Basic Safe Storage of Firearm and Ammunition
  6. Basic Safe Transportation and Safe Storage Methods in Vehicles
  7. Basic Safe Handgun Cleaning Instruction
  8. Basic Current Tennessee Law on Carrying Handguns (including general instruction on the legal implications of deadly force)

In addition to the “Basic Eight,” state law requires online Concealed Carry training courses to be at least 90 minutes long (this course typically takes from two to three hours to complete).

Our online version of CCP Express was designed to accommodate as many types of different devices, operating systems, and browsers as possible. However, there are several things you can do to improve your course experience and minimize technical difficulties.

  • You’ll need a reliable internet connection. Slow internet speeds can make the pages take longer to load.
  • The course is mobile friendly, but we think it’s easiest to take the course on a laptop or desktop.
  • There are lots of videos. Consider using headphones to be sure you can hear the audio well.
  • The course works in all modern browsers, but it works best in Chrome.
  • If you experience technical difficulties at any point in the course, feel free to email us or call 615-801-8007. We will respond ASAP.

Yes, the law requires this course to include an assessment at the end. It’s very short, but it covers important material. So, we require a score of 100% on the quiz. Don’t worry. We include quick summaries and reviews of the material after every lesson. And when it’s time for the final quiz, you will be able to take it as many times as you want before your course access expires. The quiz attempts are not timed, so you can work at a comfortable pace and review your notes as necessary during the quiz. As long as you’re paying attention throughout the course, you shouldn’t have a problem with the quiz. But of course, if you do have any trouble, please feel free to contact us at any time, and we’ll be happy to help.

We have another course posted here on this site called the Basic Safety Primer. It’s a very short course, it’s free, and it include a five-question quiz that is very similar to the final quiz in CCP Express. That could be one way to give yourself a sneak peek at what to expect in this course.

If you complete the course in one sitting, it usually takes between two and three hours, depending on your pacing. You’ll have to watch each video in full. The fewer distractions you have, the more quickly you’ll be able to progress through the lessons.

Absolutely! As long as you have your login credentials, you can logout and log back in as often as you see fit and pick back up wherever you left off. However, please keep in mind that you’ll only have access to the course for one week after registration, so please do not delay. After those seven days, you’ll lose access to the course. If that happens and you would like to still finish the course, please contact us.

Yes, CCP Express is approved by the Tennessee Department of Safety. Be wary of online courses that advertise firearms training but have not been vetted. Your training will not be accepted unless it came from a pre-approved course. The Department of Safety has assigned us a unique approval number, and that number will be automatically printed on your course completion certificate.

We’ve got two more courses posted on this website: the Basic Safety Primer and TN Permits Explained. Both of those courses are free and open to the public. You can take either one of those courses to get a glimpse of how our online training is structured and presented. The Basic Safety Primer also includes a five-question quiz that is very similar to the final quiz you’ll take at the end of CCP Express.

Once you’ve successfully completed the course, we will generate a completion certificate in PDF format that you can immediately download, save, and print. The certificate shows your name (exactly as you enter it when you register), the name of the course (CCP Express), the school (Citizens Safety Academy), the topics covered, the date of completion, and our unique course approval number issued by the State of Tennessee. This certificate will serve as proof of training for your Concealed Handgun Carry Permit application. Then you’ll take your ID, proof of training, course certificate to the driver’s license station to apply in person (see our FAQ on the full CCP application process for details).

No, it does not. CCP Express is an online class designed for people seeking to apply for a Concealed Carry Permit, not an Enhanced Carry Permit. For more information on the difference between those two kinds of permits, please see our main website or the TN Department of Safety website. If you’re interested in taking the in-person training for an Enhanced Carry Permit, we offer that too! Please see our inperson training website for more information. We’d love to have you!

No. CCP Express is an online class designed for people seeking to apply for a Concealed Carry Permit only, not an Enhanced Carry Permit. One of the benefits of the Enhanced Carry permit is the lifetime permit option. There is no lifetime permit option for the Concealed Carry permit. That is one of the tradeoffs for the convenience of being able to take a short online class instead of the full 8-hour in-person training course required for the Enhanced Carry Permit.

For more information on the difference between the Concealed Carry Permit and the Enhanced Carry Permit, please see our main website or the TN Department of Safety website. If you would rather train for the Enhanced Carry permit instead of the Concealed Carry Permit, we offer that too! Please see our in-person training website for next steps. We’d love to have you join us.

  • Complete an online permit application (alternatively, you can fill out the paper application in person when you arrive at the driver’s license station)
  • Take a state-approved training course (CCP Express satisfies that requirement)
  • Print the course completion certificate
  • Print and fill out the State’s Proof of Training form (it asks for our course number; you’ll find that number on your completion certificate once you finish CCP Express)
  • Take your photo ID, course completion certificate, and proof of training form to any full-service driver’s license station in Tennessee
  • Pay the application fee and have your photo taken at the driver license station
  • The driver license station agent will give you instructions on how and where to be fingerprinted
  • Follow those instructions to have your fingerprints taken
  • Wait for the application to be processed (you can check your application status online)
  • Wait for your permit to arrive in the mail (if approved)

For more information on the complete application process, please visit the Department of Safety’s Handgun Carry Permits website.

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