Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. Does this legislation provide any status or legal authority as a law enforcement officer?

A. NO! Retired officers certified to carry a concealed weapon through legislation have no authority as a police officer. They remain private citizens without law enforcement authority and are bound to legal standards of a citizen with regard to use of force.

Q. The department I retired from will not issue a photo identification card and will not certify me as having met the requirements. Can I get the required certification and Id card somewhere else?

A. No. Before you can be certified through a course of fire you must have a photo identification card issued by your department indicating you are eligible.

Q. What is the fee for me to attempt the certification shoot?

A. The application and certification fee is $75 for one weapon (semi automatic or revolver) or $100 for two weapons.

Q. Once I am pre-approved, what is the next step to become certified?

A. Once the application has been pre-approved, you will receive notification and at that time be allowed to enroll in the certification shoot at one of the statewide range sites.

Q. What is the course of fire?

A. You will shoot a total of 30 rounds for each opportunity: 12 rounds from the five yard line; 12 rounds from the seven yard line; and 6 rounds from the fifteen yard line. In order to qualify, you must place 21 hits out of 30 rounds within the 8 ½ x 14 target area - 70% proficiency.

Q. How many times may I attempt the course of fire?

A. Two attempts per scheduled date.

Q. Can I become certified with more than one weapon?

A. Yes. You may become certified with two weapons (revolver and/or semi-automatic) however, you will still only have two attempts regardless of the number of weapons you bring.

Q. What if I fail to be certified on both attempts?

A. Contact the Illinois Retired Officer Concealed Carry (IROCC) office for information on the reapplication process.

Q. Once I am certified do I ever need to be re-certified?

A. Yes. You must re-certify annually.