GENERAL INFORMATION FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about LTC. If you have any questions or concerned not addressed, please email us.
CLICK HERE for Texas Constitutional Carry Guide Information
A person is eligible for a license to carry a concealed handgun if the person:
- is a legal resident of this state for the six-month period preceding the date of application under this subchapter or is otherwise eligible for a license under Section 411 .I 73(a);
- is at least 18 years of age;
- has not been convicted of a felony;
- is not charged with the commission of a ,Class A or Class B misdemeanor or an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or of a felony under an information or indictment;
- is not a fugitive from justice for a felony or a Class A or Class B misdemeanor;
- is not a chemically dependent person;
- is not incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to the proper use and storage of a handgun;
- has not, in the five years preceding the date of application, been convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code;
- is fully qualified under applicable federal and state law to purchase a handgun;
- has not been finally determined to be delinquent in making a child support payment administered or collected by the attorney general;
- has not been finally determined to be delinquent in the payment of a tax or other money collected by the comptroller, the tax collector of a political subdivision of the state, or any agency or subdivision of the state;
- has not been finally determined to be in default on a loan made under Chapter 57, Education Code;
- is not currently restricted under a court protective order or subject to a restraining order affecting the spousal relationship, other than a restraining order solely affecting properly interests;
- has not, in the 10 years preceding the date of application, been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct violating a penal law of the grade of felony; and
- has not made any material misrepresentation, or failed to disclose any material fact, in an application submitted pursuant to Section 411 .I74 or in a request for application submitted pursuant to Section 411.175.
- You will know the laws regarding use of force and deadly force
- Fast Lane for Firearm Purchases (Avoid Background Check Delay)
Generally, every person who purchases a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer (“FFL”), is subject to a background check through the National Instant Criminal Check System (“NICS”). This can lead to delays and erroneous denials due to mistaken identity. However, no NICS background check may be required if the transferee is legally exempt for reasons such as possessing a state-issued firearms license like a Texas LTC. See 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(3).
- Carrying a Handgun With an LTC When Under the Age of 21
An individual must be 18 years of age or older in order to take advantage of the right to carry a handgun under the Firearm Carry Act of 2021. However, members of the military (or those honorably discharged) remain eligible to obtain an LTC if they are between the ages of 18 and 20. This means that a 19-year-old member of the U.S. military may obtain the right to lawfully carry a handgun in public once they acquire an LTC. See Tex. Gov. Code Sec. 411.172(g).
- School District Employees Who Have an LTC Are Protected
If you are an employee of a school district and have been issued a Texas LTC, Texas law protects your right to keep a firearm and ammunition concealed in your locked motor vehicle while it is parked in a school parking lot. In fact, Texas law prevents the school district from imposing any duties, restrictions, or reporting requirements on where or how your firearms and ammunition are stored. However, these protections are not given to employees who do not possess a valid handgun license. See Tex. Edu. Code Sec. 37.0815.
- Private Property Owners May Not Allow Constitutional Carry
There may be private property owners who have grown comfortable with license holders carrying openly or concealed in their places of business but are uneasy with the thought of unlicensed individuals exercising their right to carry on their property. The unlicensed people can be prevented with effective notice under the general criminal trespass statute, Tex. Penal Code Sec. 30.05. However, this section does not apply to license holders. In the event a property owner wants to prevent license holders from carrying, they are still required to provide effective criminal trespass notices under Tex. Penal Code Secs. 30.06 (for concealed carry) and 30.07 (for open carry).
- LTC Holders Are Entitled to More Notice at Some Prohibited Locations
Hospitals, nursing facilities, and amusement parks continue to be statutorily prohibited places for a person carrying a handgun under the authority of Texas Constitutional Carry. However, to enforce this prohibition against license holders, effective Tex. Penal Code Secs. 30.06 and/or 30.07 notice
- is required. See Tex. Penal Code Sec. 46.15(p) effective September 1st, 2021. Also, open meetings of governmental entities are no longer prohibited to license holders carrying a handgun under the authority of their LTC. See Tex. Penal Code Sec. 46.15(b)(6) effective September 1st, 2021.
- The statutory prohibition against carrying a handgun into a bar does not apply to a license holder unless the bar has posted its 51% sign in accordance with the law.See Tex. Penal Code Sec.46.15(p) effective September 1st, 2021.
- The campus of an institution of higher learning also holds some benefits for the holder of a Texas LTC.An unlicensed, constitutional carrier will now be allowed to walk the parking lots, parking garages, streets, sidewalks, and walkways of a college campus, as well as grounds where a school sponsored activity is NOT taking place. However, once that individual reaches the threshold of a building or sporting event of that college or university, they cannot carry. Alternatively, a person who holds a Texas LTC will be able to conceal his or her handgun and walk into that building or sporting activity as long as there is not a 30.06 sign. See Tex. Penal Code Secs. 46.03(a-2), (a-3), and (a-4) effective September 1st, 2021.
- LTC Holders Are Allowed “Oopsies” at Airports
When traveling by air, a license holder retains their ability to avoid arrest in the event they inadvertently leave their handgun in their carry-on baggage, as long as they promptly depart the secured area when notified they are in possession of a handgun. The unlicensed individual who leaves a handgun in their carry-on bag is given no such courtesies and may find themselves charged with a felony. See Tex. Penal Code Secs. 46.03(e-1) and (e-2) effective September 1st, 2021.
- Register online with DPS .
View application requirements and necessary documentation - Register on-line to have your fingerprints taken. Note: you can have your passport photos taken at IndentoGO if you request it when you register online.
- Obtain any documents requested by DPS.
- Complete both the range and class portion of the LTC course.
- Save LTC-100 you receive in class and any documents received from DPS.
- Upload or mail required materials to DPS.
Attention Out Of State Applicants
Please be aware that all handgun license courses must be taught in Texas.
The class is divided into two sections. A classroom section and a range proficiency section.
Classroom Portion:
The classroom portion is 4 to 6 hours long and ends with a short 25 question test. Information covered includes:
- Legal aspects of concealed carry in Texas
- Non-violent dispute resolution
- Use of Force and Deadly Force
- Proper Firearms Handling and Storage.
Please bring a pen or pencil with you to class. There is a soft drink machine, but if you want coffee, you will need to bring your own.
DO NOT BRING YOUR FIREARM or AMMUNITION into the CLASSROOM. LEAVE IT IN YOUR VEHICLE
Range Portion:
Each student will fire a total of 50 rounds at a silhouette target. A score of 175 out of 250 possible points (70 percentile) is required to pass. The shooting will be done from 3 yards (20 rounds), 7 yards (20 rounds) and 15 yards (10 rounds)
Twenty rounds -three yards
- Five rounds, -“One Shot Exercise” 2 seconds
- Ten rounds will be fired, “Two Shot Exercise” 3 seconds
- Five rounds will be fired, 10 seconds
Twenty rounds – seven yards
- The first five shots will be fired in 10 seconds.
- The next five shots will be fired in 2 stages.
- Two shots will be fired in 4 seconds
- Three shots will be fired in 6 seconds
- Five shots – “One Shot Exercise” 3 seconds
- The last five shots fired in 15 seconds
Ten rounds – fifteen yards
- The first five shots will be fired in two stages.
- Two shots fired in six seconds
- Three shots fired in nine seconds
- The last five shots will be fired in fifteen seconds.
Range Equipment:
- Semi-automatic handgun or a revolver (unloaded) of at least .22 caliber – A handgun or revolver can be rented, if requested in advance.
- Baseball Cap
- Safety Glasses – Can be provided if you do not have any. Prescription glasses are OK.
- Covered Ear Protection – Can be provided
- Footwear that covers both entire feet
- One box of 50 round ammunition
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NO RELOADED HANDLOADED or SURPLUS AMMUNITION ALLOWED. Use commercial ammunition only.
License to Carry Class FAQ
Anyone can take the class, but eligibility requirements must be met to be able to get a Texas License to Carry from the state. If you can legally own a handgun and are 21 years of age, you may be able to get your LTC. Check here for eligibility requirements. The LTC class can be taken as early as age 19 . The certificate received is good for 2 years.
Not at all! Texas issues non resident LTC’s as well. You just have to be in Texas for the class. Texas DPS does not allow the class to be given outside of the state. For this reason, if you see a company advertising an LTC outside of Texas, it will not be a Texas LTC. They are selling licenses for other states, that are also good in Texas. This is not nearly as beneficial as having an actual Texas LTC though.
If an in person class was completed, an LTC-100 certificate is issued. The LTC-101 is issued for the completion of an online LTC class.
Both certificates are good for 2 years. The LTC-101 is good for two years starting at the competition of the online course. The proficiency demonstration has to be completed within that two years as well in order to submit the certificate.
Please see this post by LTC Austin for detailed instructions.
The answer for this depends on whether you took an in person or online LTC class.
If you completed the online LTC class, the proficiency demonstration consists of 1-2 hours of “range instruction” and then the handgun proficiency (shooting). These requirements are set by DPS. The “range instruction” portion set by DPS is to ensure that the student understands the material presented in the online course and gives the student an opportunity to ask questions.
With an in person LTC class, the student just has to demonstrate handgun proficiency through the shooting qualification.
The qualification consist of a total of 50 rounds using a B27 target. 20 rounds shot at 3 yards, 20 at 7 yards and 10 at 15 yards. During this qualification, the student must also be able to demonstrate safe gun handling. Although the course of fire is very easy and should not deter anyone from taking the LTC class, the LTC course is not a class for learning how to shoot.
As long as the handgun was handled safely, retakes will be allowed. If the reason for failing was due to safety violations, you will need to meet separately with an instructor for training before being able to shoot the qualification again.
Calling it a written examination makes it sound much more difficult than it actually is. It only consist of 25 questions that are multiple choice and true/false type questions. That’s it! Most of the questions are common sense as well.
Retakes are allowed if needed.
For more information about the Texas LTC please go here as well.
According to DPS, LTC holders have 1 year after the expiration date to renew the license without having to retake the class. If the LTC is more than one year expired, the class has to be taken again and a new LTC application submitted.