The Illinois CCL Course is a 16-hour course (9am-5pm each day) that meets the Illinois State Police requirements for the Illinois Concealed Carry Permit. Upon completion of the course, students will receive a certificate which is required when applying for their Illinois Concealed Carry Permit.
Day 1: (Approximately 8 hours) Learn the basic knowledge and skills of proper, safe gun handling and demonstrate while shooting, storing, cleaning and transporting a firearm, and have the proper attitude. Learn the fundamentals in marksmanship and ammunition identification. Get firearms and range familiarization.
Day 2: Range Qualification Shoot, What happens to your body during a self-defense shooting, Legal Use of Force, The Aftermath of a Self Defense Shooting, Gear and Gadgets, Illinois State CCL Laws (Approximately 8 hours)
Who Can Attend?
- All US Citizens legally allowed to carry a firearm.
- Students must also be at least 21 years old (unless accompanied by a guardian), and due to the Department of State ITAR regulations, tactical training is only available to US Citizens/Legal Residents.
- You do not need to have a FOID card to take the class.
What Do You Need?
- A quality semi-automatic pistol or revolver
- At least 50 rounds of ammunition
- Eye and ear protection (electronic hearing protection is recommended)
- Pen and paper
- A good attitude
An Important Note:
Qualification is on the morning of the 2nd day. You do not need to bring a firearm, holster, ammunition, range bag, etc… on the first day. No live firearms or ammunition is allowed in the classroom.
Attention Active Duty, Reserve, Veterans, and Prior Service:
If you are active duty, reserve, a veteran, or prior service member of any branch of the US military, you qualify for a 50% discount. Yes, you only have to come to the 2nd day, but it is highly recommended that you come to both days, especially if you weren’t pistol qualified when you were in, or if you haven’t shot a pistol in a while. Send an email using the Contact form to get your coupon code. You must bring a copy of your DD-214 to qualify for this.
What is your cancellation policy?
- All sales are final, no refunds or returns. No exceptions.
Erin V. (verified owner) –
Ladies, if you’re looking for a welcoming space to learn about firearms, this is the place. Nothing but respect from the instructor, and a ton of useful info. As a novice female, I didn’t feel a second of doubt being in the class. You will learn a lot.
Frank N –
Great class. Great instructor. Information learned was extremely relevant and important.
Brett S –
Great class. Highly informative. Joe is an excellent instructor who cares about his vocation, his students and is notably comfortable in his own skin, which makes the attendee comfortable and eager to learn all the various aspects and responsibilities of having a CCL. Awesome!!!
Martin A –
The course was very informative and the instructor was very knowledgeable on all topics.
Stephen V (verified owner) –
Joe Cosentino conducted a very informative concealed carry class. His class contained more information than I had expected. Everything was very well organized. He answered all questions and provided a very comfortable classroom setting. He provided time for discussions, as well as very informative videos. I would highly recommend Joe Cosentino’s training classes to anyone who wants fire arms training.
Melissa S (verified owner) –
Such a great class! Very informative, things we should all know. Joe is a great teacher & makes everyone feel comfortable… I will most certainly be taking more classes here & have already recommended to a few others. And for any ladies out there, I really do recommend taking this class!
Kevin M –
I recently took Joe’s CCW class and was impressed by his knowledge and willingness to teach. I knew I made the right decision based upon the company name, “We the People Firearms Training”, my experience was excellent and I highly recommend!!!
Julio Rodriguez (verified owner) –
Excellent course. Joe did a fantastic job of engaging everyone in the class. There were varying levels of firearms experience in my class and he was able to connect with all of them. I would highly recommend Joe for all your firearms instructional needs. I’m looking forward to the next class that I will be taking with Joe.
Jacqueline S. (verified owner) –
The CCW class is full of information and practical skills. Joe did a fantastic job of conveying this information, answering questions and then instructing us with the practical application part of it. There were varying levels of skill in our class, and Joe definitely made everyone feel comfortable. Joe really is an expert in his field and a great instructor.
Daniel Y. (verified owner) –
Joe’s class was great, I highly recommend We The People. Joe’s personality makes this class fun and interesting. I will be taking more of his classes.
Judson M. (verified owner) –
Joe was great. I will be training with him again.
Jennifer O. (verified owner) –
Amazing class with an amazing teacher! Learned so much!
Steven W. (verified owner) –
Kept it informative, interesting, and moving along. Didn’t feel like 16 hours and I walked away with everything I needed.
Andra D (verified owner) –
My husband and I took the CCL course this past weekend with Joe and had a great experience. Joe is knowledgeable, engaging and totally exceeded our expectations. We learned a ton and are looking forward to taking more classes with him. Couldn’t recommend him more!
Lilly (verified owner) –
I highly recommend taking Joe’s CCL class. It was very informative and Joe was very professional and knowledgeable about all things firearms. I throughly enjoyed taking his class and although it seems like a long weekend, Joe made it go by very quickly and smoothly. I will definitely be coming back for the advanced concealed carry classes!!!
Renia W (verified owner) –
So grateful I came across We The People for my CCL class. So much great information, real life examples and so much to consider. Not boring at all and I felt comfortable when I needed to qualify on the second day. I definitely recommend and will look to take additional classes in the future.
Gayle M (verified owner) –
Joe was a fantastic and very knowledgeable instructor. Very personable and funny which I appreciate especially during long class times. I learned so much in the CCL class and it gives me confidence and a good mindset moving forward. I hope to take more classes with him in the future.
Nicco F (verified owner) –
I recently took a concealed carry class with Joe, and I have to say, it was an outstanding experience. From the start, Joe was professional, approachable, and highly knowledgeable. The course material was presented in a clear and concise manner, and the Joe made sure to explain the legal aspects of concealed carry, safety protocols, and proper gun handling in detail.
What stood out most was Joe’s ability to break down complex information into manageable chunks, making it easy to understand for both beginners and those with prior firearm experience. The practical exercises were well-organized, and I felt confident in handling my firearm after the live drills. Throughout the course, Joe maintained a calm, patient demeanor, providing one-on-one guidance as needed without rushing anyone.
One of the best aspects was the focus on real-world scenarios and self-defense situations, which gave me a better understanding of when to draw and how to stay safe in a tense environment. The instructor also emphasized situational awareness, which I hadn’t fully considered before.
Overall, I highly recommend Joe for anyone looking to get their concealed carry permit. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced shooter, Joe’s class will give you the tools, knowledge, and confidence to carry responsibly. He will help you on and off the clock if you have questions or need help with anything you don’t fully understand.
Ian M –
Joe was a great teacher he kept the classes very engaging and fun but still full of information. You get to learn a lot of great information you might not get with other teachers because of his background with other classes he is able to teach.