How To Get Your License To Carry- Texas
Eligibility:
First, you must be at least 21 years of age, unless active duty military, and of course you would have to meet Federal qualifications to buy a handgun.
Some of the factors that could make you ineligible would be a felony conviction, certain misdemeanor convictions, or have a restraining order against you.
If you have any pending criminal charges against you, those too, could make you ineligible.
Lastly, for obvious reasons…..
If you have a chemical, or alcohol dependency, or have a certain type psychological diagnoses those may also make you ineligible.
With that out of the way let’s talk about the process of actually getting your License To Carry.
Classroom:
First you have to take a License to carry course, whether its through us, or someone else, they have to be a Texas Qualified LTC Instructor.
The course consists of two parts, you have the classroom portion which runs about 4–6 hours which covers four different modules;
Laws That Relate To Carrying a Handgun
Laws That Relate To The Use of Force And The Use Of Deadly force
Non-Violent Dispute Resolution
Safe Handgun Storage
Once the instructor is done teaching the 4 modules, you will have to take a test which is 25 questions, and you must have a score of 70% or higher to pass.
Range Portion:
Once you’ve successfully passed the classroom portion there is a proficiency demonstration.
The demonstration has to be done with a .22 caliber handgun or higher.
There are three different stages in the demonstration.
At the first stage you will fire 20 rounds at a B27 target from a distance of three yards.
The second stage is at 7 yards where you will also fire 20 rounds from.
The last stage of the demonstration will be at a distance of 15 yards where you will fire 10 rounds.
There are a possible 250 points, and you will need a minimum of 175 points to pass.
Paperwork:
Once you’ve passed the course, the instructor will give you a signed certificate of training called an LTC-100.
Upload the signed and completed certificate to RSD at: www.dps.texas.gov
Once your certificate is uploaded you will fill out the application which runs about 40.00 assuming you don’t qualify for any discounts.
Once your application is complete they will send you an email with a link to schedule an appointment to get your fingerprints taken.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve had your fingerprints taken in the past, these prints have to be done specifically for this, those will run you about $10.00 dollars.
Issuing:
After that you’re done on your end.
You can check the status of your application every few days, or a few times a day.
How long does the issuance of the license take…
DPS does makes every effort to issue the license within 60 days of receiving the completed packet.
As of lately I’ve had students get their license in the mail within about 6 weeks.
FAQ’s:
Does a DUI disqualify you from the ability to obtain an LTC?
In short, it usually wont disqualify you indefinitely, but you will have to wait 5 years.
Can you use Texas’CHL or Concealed Handgun License for open carry?
Yes, you can use your valid CHL, you don’t have to re-take the course.
Can you use your LTC as a form of identification?
Absolutely! Yes you can, generally the Texas Business and Commerce code requires that most businesses accept a License to Carry as a valid form of identification, however vehicle rentals still require a Driver’s License.
Can Non-US Citizens obtain a License To Carry?