NRA Instructor Courses

~ Share your love of the shooting sports ~

As an Instructor, you can experience the personal satisfaction of teaching others the basics -- the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will lead to a lifetime of safe, enjoyable and successful involvement in firearm and shooting activities. Instructors provide an invaluable service in their communities by training hundreds of thousands of individuals annually. As firearm and shooting activities expand, and more Americans choose to exercise their right to carry a firearm, so too grows the need for these courses (and the Instructors to teach them).

BACKGROUND:

Since 1871, a major objective of the National Rifle Association (NRA) has been to provide Education & Training in the safe and proper use of firearms.

Today, that objective is being fulfilled through the NRA  Instructor Training Program. There are currently 10 different instructor courses currently offered by our NRA Certified Training Counselor at SafetyCerts.

They are:

• NRA Certified Home Firearms Safety Instructor (HFSI)
• NRA Certified Pistol Instructor (PI)
• NRA Certified Rifle Instructor (RI)
• NRA Certified Shotgun Instructor (SGI)
• NRA Certified Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor (PPITHI)
• NRA Certified Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor (PPOTHI)
• NRA Certified Muzzleloading Rifle Instructor (MRI)
• NRA Certified Muzzleloading Pistol Instructor (MPI)
• NRA Certified Range Safety Officer (RSO) - (Not an Instructor Course)
• NRA Certified Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO)
• Refuse To Be A Victim Seminars (RTBV) - (Not an Instructor Course)
• Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor Development Workshop (RTBV-IDW)

Class sizes are limited

FULFILLMENT:

As an NRA Certified Instructor, you can experience the personal satisfaction of teaching others the basics -- the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will lead to a lifetime of safe, enjoyable and successful involvement in firearm and shooting activities.

The NRA is looking for new instructor candidates who enjoy working with people, want to share their firearm knowledge and skills with others, and are willing to make a commitment to teach NRA training courses in their communities.

INSTRUCTOR RATINGS:

The categories of instructor ratings for each discipline available are:

• NRA Certified Instructor: 21 years of age or older
• NRA Assistant Instructor: 18 years of age or older (Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, and Muzzleloading only)
• NRA Apprentice Instructor: 13-17 years of age  (Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun only)

QUALIFICATIONS:

To qualify as an NRA Certified Instructor, you must:

• Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT) Course prior to beginning any NRA Instructor Course. (Part 1)
• Satisfactorily complete an NRA Instructor Training Course for the area of specialization you wish to teach (e.g., NRA Basic Rifle Course), and receive the endorsement of the NRA Training Counselor. (Part 2)
• Successfully complete the appropriate NRA Certified Instructor examination. Certified -- 90% or higher, Assistant -- 85% or higher, and Apprentice -- 85% or higher;
• Possess and demonstrate a solid background in firearm safety and shooting skills acquired through previous firearm training (such as completion of an NRA Basic Firearm Training Course) and/or previous shooting experience; and,
• Submit your application with appropriate certification fee. Membership in the National Rifle Association is strongly recommended, but not required. You can join here for $25 that includes a $10 discount. Join NRA
• NRA instructor certification is not available to any individual who has been convicted of a crime of violence, or who is prohibited by federal, state or local law from possessing firearms.

Certified Ratings are available to individuals who wish to be fully qualified to conduct basic courses (21 years of age or older).

Assistant Ratings are available to individuals who wish to assist certified instructors in order to gain the knowledge and experience needed to become a certified instructor.

Apprentice Ratings are available to young people who wish to understudy a certified instructor in preparation for more advanced ratings. The apprentice instructor will be chosen by an NRA Certified Instructor from select individuals. These individuals must be of the emotional maturity necessary to handle such a position. In addition, they must have attended and successfully completed an NRA Basic Firearm Training Course in their chosen area of specialization (13 - 17 years of age).

NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conducting NRA Basic Courses in accordance with policies and procedures outlined by NRA;
• Upholding the quality and integrity of national firearm safety and training standards established by NRA;
• Promoting firearm safety and the shooting sports;
• Reporting training data to NRA.
• Knowing how to shoot is an important requirement for NRA Certified Instructors, but you will also need to know how to teach others to shoot.
• NRA Instructors & Training Counselors courses help you develop the additional knowledge, skills and techniques needed to organize and teach courses in the NRA Basic Firearm Training Program.

Instructor training courses are conducted by our NRA Training Counselor. Training Counselors are active and experienced instructors who have been appointed by NRA to train other (new) instructors.

NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR BENEFITS:

Once you receive your certificate (suitable for framing) from NRA, you will receive your identification card. You will also receive a free subscription of the NRA Shooting Education Update, a newsletter published periodically for all NRA Trainers. Program information, training schedules, book reviews, material updates and more are provided. Additionally, the Update provides an open forum for the exchange of information and ideas on firearm safety and marksmanship education.

You become an even more valuable resource for your community. NRA Certified Instructors are leaders who provide a very important service. Because of your dedication to the shooting sports, you are providing a chance for others to enjoy the same benefits of firearm ownership that you have enjoyed in the past.

If you have an interest in teaching firearm safety and shooting skills to others, join America's firearm training team! Become an NRA Certified Instructor!

Basic Instructor Training (BIT)
Part 1

This course teaches you the policies and procedures for becoming an NRA instructor as well as effective teaching methods for training students. Basic Instructor is a pre-requisite for all instructor level courses.

All courses include all the required NRA documentation, instructor guides, student packets, instruction and follow up support. You will receive everything needed to first take and then teach each course. Note: There will be processing fees payable to the NRA due upon the completion of class. Fee's are determined by how many and which courses you attend.

This course is a minimum of 6 hours and covers the following topics:

• How to introduce a speaker
• The instructor and the NRA Basic Firearm Training Program
• Using a training team
• Training materials and training aids
• Organizing your course
• Preparing to teach

This course is the mandatory pre-requisite for all subsequent NRA Certified Instructor training

To be certified as an NRA Instructor, students must complete this 6-hour course that teaches material common to all NRA courses. This course does not certify the instructor candidate to teach any NRA courses. Additional discipline-specific instructor training (part 2) is required to certify instructor candidates to teach specific courses.

The first day of most NRA instructor training courses consists of this 6 hour Basic Instructor Training (BIT).

Special Note for Current Instructor adding a rating:
Instructors adding instructor ratings in other disciplines by successfully completing the associated instructor courses conducted by an NRA training counselor and submitting an Instructor Application and appropriate fee. When adding ratings, instructors may not be required to attend another Basic Instructor Training (BIT) Course if they have completed that course within the previous year and can demonstrate that they possess an NRA Trainer’s Guide with a 2008 or later issue date. However, Training Counselors conducting the course may use their discretion and require the candidate to obtain a passing score on the Trainer’s Examination or attend the course in its entirety. It is solely up to the Training Counselor conduction the course.

Basic Instructor Training (BIT) Courses Dates:
(6 Hours) $50 - Included with most Basic Level Courses

Instructor Specialty Training
Part 2  (5-16 Hours)

NON-SHOOTING INSTRUCTOR COURSE

NRA Home Firearms Safety Instructor (HFSI) Training Courses Dates:
(5 Hours) $235

BASIC LEVEL INSTRUCTOR COURSES

NRA Rifle Instructor (RI) Training Courses Dates:
(14 Hours) $235

NRA Shotgun Instructor (SGI) Training Courses Dates:
(11 Hours) $235

NRA Pistol Instructor (PI) Training Courses Dates:
(10 Hours) $235

PERSONAL PROTECTION INSTRUCTOR COURSES

NRA Personal Protection in The Home Instructor (PPITHI) Training Courses Dates:
(9 Hours) $235

    ***Pre-Requisite: You must hold a Current NRA Pistol Instructor Rating - NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

NRA Personal Protection Outside The Home  Instructor (PPOTHI) Training Course - $200
(16 Hours) $235

• Pre-Requisites:  NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

  • You must hold a Current NRA Personal Protection in the Home Instructor (PPITHI) Rating, and
  • You must have completed the NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Student Course below to take the PPOTH Instructor Course

NRA PPOTH Student Training Courses Dates with PPOTH Basic & Advanced Course $200:
(14 Hours) $235

• Pre-Requisites:  NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

  • You must hold a Current NRA PPITH Instructor Rating or PPITH Course Completion Certificate

MUZZLELOADING INSTRUCTOR COURSES

NRA Rifle Muzzleloading Instructor (MRI) Training Courses Dates:
(12 Hours) $235

NRA Pistol Muzzleloading Instructor (MPI) Training Courses Dates:
(12 Hours) $235

RANGE SAFETY OFFICER COURSES

NRA Range Safety Officer (RSO) Courses Dates:
(9 Hours) $100

NRA Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO) Courses Dates:
(10 Hours) $150

Pre-Requisite:

• You must hold a Current NRA Range Safety Officer Rating - NO EXCEPTIONS!!!

• Complete the NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT) Course prior to beginning any NRA Instructor Course.

REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM COURSES

NRA Refuse To Be a Victim (RTBV) Seminar
(2-4 Hours) $30

NRA Refuse To Be a Victim - Instructor Developement Workshop (RTBV-IDW)
(10 Hours) $150

Register for an NRA Instructor Course

Private Classes can be arrange for 4 or more Candidates.
Course will be in the Redding Area. 6 Candidates or more required to travel outside the Redding Area.

Download Self-Study Exam