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HR 218 LEOSA

LEOSA HR 218

On July 22, 2004, President George W. Bush signed into legislation a federal law which exempts law enforcement officers from state laws prohibiting carrying concealed firearms. On October 12, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Law Enforcement Safety Improvement Act improving the ability of retired officers to comply with the documents required when carrying a firearm under this law and making other modifications to existing law.

Though DPSST does not set the standards for HR218 qualifications, the following information is provided as a best practice for firearms qualifications.  


HR 218, also known as the Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act (LEOSA) (18 USC §926C​), is a federal law that creates a pathway for qualified law enforcement officers and qualified retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm across state lines. HR 218 was signed into law in 2004 and has been amended twice since then.

HR 218 applies when a qualified officer meets the criteria established by the federal law and is carrying the firearm in accordance with any concealed carry laws of the state or jurisdiction where the individual is traveling or residing. Each officer is responsible for researching and adhering to the applicable laws of the state or jurisdiction.

Qualified retired law enforcement officers are required to have a photographic identification issued by the agency from which the individual separated from service as a law enforcement officer that identifies the person as having been employed as a police officer or law enforcement officer, and having honorably retired from service. Qualified retired law enforcement officers must also complete firearms qualifications annually. The State of Oregon does not have an established standard for firearms qualification nor does it certify firearms instructors; therefore, the qualification can be satisfied through the former employer, any law enforcement agency in Oregon, or through alternative resources that follow standards set by any law enforcement agency in Oregon. ​

​DPSST does provide some best practices for firearms qualifications​ and a sample qualification card detailed below.​

DPSST currently utilizes the Handgun Qualification course (HQ) to evaluate firearms qualifications for basic students and generally recommends it use as a best practice for HR 218 firearms qualification re​qu​i​rements.  The following documents are provided to assist in qualifying retired officers to meet t​he requirements of HR 218 detailed in ​​18 USC §926C.​​​​

​Additionally, for consistency, public safety agencies may want to use the same qualification for their retirees as their current officers. Some accommodations may be required if the agency has physical elements they no longer deem necessary to test for a retired officer; for example removing stages that require, running, kneeling etc. 

The qualification should still have a standard for measuring success, whether that is based on time, accuracy or both. It should also test safe gun handling skills.
If the agency does not have a qualification the basic police academy handgun qualification may be used. It is held to a time and an accuracy standard and requires safe gun handling to be completed throughout. ​​

​This HR 218 Qualification card​ is provide​d​ as a sam​ple for use by law enforcement agencies to comply with the requirements of HR218 detailed in ​​​​18 USC §926C.  ​​​The card prints in a 3x5 format and can be modified in any way to meet the needs of the qualifying entity.​​​​​​​​