Storm Tight LLC Albuquerque, New Mexico   Integrity first ... everything else comes next.

Frequently Asked Questions
New Mexico Concealed Handgun License  (CHL) Instruction
(All responses are subject to revision as laws, regulations, administrative code, and judicial precedence change.)

• Are there requirements that I must meet to be eligible to apply for a New Mexico Concealed Handgun License?

Yes.  The New Mexico statutes list ten (10) specific areas that each applicant must meet in order to apply for the CHL.  The applicant must:

1. be a citizen of the United States;

2. be a resident of New Mexico or is a member of the armed forces whose permanent duty station is located in New Mexico or is a dependent of such a member;

3. be twenty-one years of age or older;

4. not be a fugitive from justice;

5. not have been convicted of a felony in New Mexico or any other state or pursuant to the laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction;

6. not currently be under indictment for a felony criminal offense in New Mexico or any other state or pursuant to the laws of the United States or any other jurisdiction;

7. not otherwise be prohibited by federal law or the law of any other jurisdiction from purchasing or possessing a firearm;

8. not have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or committed to a mental institution;

9. not be addicted to alcohol or controlled substances; and

10. have satisfactorily completed a firearms training course approved by the department for the category and largest caliber of handgun that the applicant wants to be licensed to carry as a concealed handgun. (This last requirement is achieved by successfully completing our CHL training course.)

• I have already read through the New Mexico Concealed Handgun License statute and have a number of questions.  Will I have an opportunity to ask them during your class sessions?

Yes.  That is a primary focus of the course ... to ensure that the student has the opportunity ask questions.  Our classes are very open to questions and answers.  We operate under the premise that there is no question that is too "elementary", "foolish", or "unimportant" to ask, especially when the handling and use of a handgun is involved.

• What tests will I need to take to successfully complete and demonstrate competence in your CHL class?

Valid question!  The New Mexico statutes, and related administrative code, address the following requirements to demonstrate competency:

• An applicant or licensee shall demonstrate competency in the safe use of each category and highest caliber of handgun for which he or she seeks certification by firing the handgun with live ammunition at a target no larger than 12 inches wide and 18 inches high.

• An applicant or licensee shall fire 15 rounds from three yards and 10 rounds from seven yards.

• An applicant or licensee shall score 4 points for each shot that hits within the scoring line and zero points for each shot that hits outside the scoring line.

• An applicant must obtain a score of 72% to pass the competency demonstration.  (If your good at math, you will translate that into the fact that the applicant needs to have at least 18 of the 25 rounds hit within the scoring line.)

• Where are the classes held?

Classroom sessions are held in Northeast Albuquerque, and firing range activities take place at the City of Albuquerque Shooting Range Park, unless otherwise noted on the listing of scheduled classes.

• Do I need to submit a deposit to guaranty my registration?

No.  You can make payment for the instruction and firing range fees when you come to the class.

• Other than your instruction/certification and firing range fees, are there other costs that I will incur to obtain my New Mexico Concealed Handgun License?

Yes.  There are some documents that you will need to submit with your application for a concealed handgun license to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS).  You may incur an expense in obtaining some of these documents, depending on your specific situation.  For example, here is a list of required documents where a cost may be involved:

1. A $100.00 application fee, payable to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, is required with the CHL application for a new license.

2. A certified copy of your birth certificate.  If you do not already have a certified copy, you will need to order one from the county in which you were born.  There may be an expense in obtaining a certified copy.

3. One of the release of information forms that you sign will need to be notarized.  Your notary public may have a fee for that service.

4. If you do not currently hold a New Mexico Drivers License, you will need to obtain two (2) colored photographs of yourself (passport size).  You may incur a fee for obtaining those photographs. 

5. Two (2) sets of fingerprint cards must be submitted with your application to DPS for a concealed handgun license.  The fingerprint service will likely charge a fee.  Our finger printing service, which comes to our class session to provide the service, charges $15.00 per fingerprint card, for a total of $30.00 for two (2) cards.

• Do I need to own a handgun to attend your CHL class?

No.  You can use a handgun that a friend or family member may loan you.  However, you should be familiar with the firearm, including, but not limited to its' safety features, loading and unloading, and safe gun handling practices.  We do not recommend that you purchase a handgun just to attend our CHL class.  Part of our class instruction includes a review of the different categories, functions, calibers, and features of handguns for concealed carry and/or home protection.  Many students, even those with moderate to advanced handgun experience, find the information provided during our classes helpful in making decisions on the best type of handgun for their specific needs.  

• What do I need to do before the first class session?

You will not need to bring anything to the first class session, unless you would like to pick up a package of the CHL regulations and application forms from DPS to review ahead of time.  However, there is no need to complete any of the forms until after the class sessions, as we go over the regulations and all the forms in detail during class to ensure students understand how they should be completed.  If you choose to obtain the regulations and forms in advance, many DPS facilities throughout the state of New Mexico will have copies available for distribution at no cost to you.  If your local DPS facility does not have a supply, you should be able to obtain the regulations and forms from:

 

NM Department of Public Safety
SID/Concealed Carry Unit
6301 Indian School Rd. NE Suite 310
Albuquerque, NM 87110

 

Additionally, you can download from the Internet the regulations and forms (except for the fingerprint cards) from the State of New Mexico, DPS web site at

 

http://www.dps.nm.org/lawEnforcement/ccw/index.php

 

Otherwise, we will have the regulations, forms and fingerprint cards available for you in class.

• What is the success rate for students that have completed your CHL course?

Good question!  Every student (i.e., 100%) that has completed all four (4) Segments of our course has successfully qualified for a certificate needed to apply for the New Mexico Concealed Handgun License.  Our instruction focuses on individual attention relative to apparent experience and needs.  That is why we keep our classes small.  We take it personally as to the quality and productivity of our instruction!

• Do you also offer instruction and certifications to obtain a Utah, Arizona or Florida concealed carry permit?

No.  We are New Mexico - based firearm instructors and have chosen to not offer out-of-state license instruction.

• Who has attended your classes?

Valid question ... but one that we need to be sensitive in responding to.  Confidentiality is practiced/enforced, as well as complied with, under New Mexico statutes (New Mexico Concealed Handgun Act of 2003, with rules and regulations amended in 2005,  Chapter 20, "Law Enforcement", Article 19, "Concealed Handgun Carry, paragraph 6.B)

We do not disclose personal information.  Let's put it this way ... our class participants and/or family and friends have included the following, as well as many others that we may have, unintentionally, or for confidentiality, omitted:

• City/County/State/Federal law enforcement agency personnel (i.e., personnel that are not certified law enforcement officers)

• Pueblo officers and staff

• Medical and dental doctors, nurses & related specialty personnel

• Other health-care professionals

• Emergency evacuation personnel

• Commercial pilots and crew members

• Public and private school teachers and administrators

• Home-makers

• Senior citizens

• US military personnel

• Financial institution personnel

• Federal agency employees

• Fire Department employees, including para-medics, and other emergency service personnel

• Police Department Chaplains

• County District Attorney's Office lawyers and other personnel

• City/County/State Probation Officers

• Presbyterian Health Care personnel

• Lovelace professional care personnel

• University of New Mexico Emergency Services Unit personnel

• Private protection services

• Corporate officers and employees of both Fortune 500 and "mom & pop" businesses

• Religious/denominational leaders, pastors, rabbis, priests, elders, teachers, and ushers

• The physically challenged

• Gender specific

• Those that have encountered violent confrontations

• Former anti-gun advocates that have experienced "first-hand" the trauma of an unwarranted and/or unnecessary violent confrontation upon themselves or others

• Why don't I see you at the local Albuquerque gun shows?

Participating in gun shows would probably double, triple, or more our participants registrations.  We are a Life-Member of the New Mexico Gun Collectors Association that presents four or more gun shows each year, many of which we participated in as a vendor.  We have also participated in numerous Silver Spur gun shows over the years.  Nevertheless, our focus on remaining truly conservative in our marketing strategy includes not targeting potential participants for our classes at gun shows.  To-date, we have more than a "cup full" of class participants, and we give thanks to our Lord for His provisions.  We choose not to add to what He provides!

• Do you offer classes that allow me to apply for a concealed handgun license in another state, such as Utah or Florida?

We decided from the beginning of our authorized DPS approval (several years ago) to focus solely on New Mexico Concealed Handgun License instruction.  Therefore, we are neither qualified to, nor desirous of, offering concealed handgun license instruction for the purpose of obtaining a non-New Mexico concealed handgun license.

We will be posting additional FAQs, so check back often.