Texas LTC: is it still worth it, and where it is honoured
Texas has permitless carry, so why does anyone still pay for the License to Carry? Because the licence is not really about Texas. It is about the 33 other states that recognise it, the background check you skip at the gun counter, and the few places in Texas where only a licence gets you in.
Short answer: when you need an LTC and when you do not
You do not need an LTC to carry a handgun in Texas, openly or concealed, if you are 21 or over and can legally own a firearm. That has been the law since 2021.
You do want one if you drive out of state, buy guns often, go on a public college campus, are between 18 and 20, or want the fastest trip through the counter.
Permitless carry: what it does and does not cover
Permitless carry lets you carry a handgun on your person and in your vehicle. It does not shorten the list of banned places and it does not touch federal law.
What it does not do is travel. Cross into Colorado, Nevada or New Mexico and you are back to what that state says, and several of them recognise the Texas licence and nothing else. That is the case for the card.
Seven reasons to get the LTC anyway
- It travels. Thirty-three states recognise a Texas LTC outright. Five more let you carry with no licence at all.
- It skips the background check at the counter. A current LTC works as an alternative to the instant check at a Texas dealer. No delays, no waiting on a call centre.
- Public college campuses. Campus carry is concealed and licence-only. Without an LTC you cannot carry there at all.
- It covers 18 to 20 year olds. A federal court struck down the age limit and DPS now issues to applicants aged 18 and up.
- It answers the question for you. On a traffic stop it shows you already passed a state background check and a shooting test.
- Some employers and venues only accept licence holders. Those policies are written around the LTC and nothing else.
- It is cheap. $40 to the state. The first licence runs four years and every renewal runs five.
What it costs and how long it takes
The state fee is $40 for an original licence and $40 for a renewal. Active military, honourably discharged veterans, retired law enforcement and seniors get a discount.
On top of that you pay a private instructor for four to six hours of classroom training, a written test and a shooting qualification. The classroom part can be taken online, and the certificate stays good for two years.
Fingerprints go through IdentoGo. DPS has 60 days from a complete application to issue or deny, and most come back inside that window.
Timing note: DPS took its online licensing services offline from 13 to 29 September 2026 to move to a new platform, RSD Connect, which opens on 30 September 2026. If you tried to apply in that window and could not, that is why.
18 to 20 years old: where you stand
You can apply. DPS accepts LTC applications from 18, 19 and 20 year olds after a federal court in North Texas struck down the age restriction and the state chose not to appeal.
The licence does not change what you can buy. A dealer still cannot sell you a handgun until you are 21. You can buy a rifle or a shotgun at 18, and receive a handgun through a private sale between Texans at 18. Long guns and ammunition are in our catalogue; handguns are in the handgun section.
Be careful out of state. Colorado, Nevada, Nebraska and Wisconsin honour the Texas licence only for holders 21 and over.
Where an LTC does not help
These places are closed whether you hold a licence or not. The licence changes only a few rows.
| Place | With an LTC | Without a licence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-12 school buildings and grounds | No | No | A handgun may stay in your vehicle in the parking area. |
| Public college campus | Yes, concealed only | No | Licence-only. Some buildings are excluded. |
| Polling place on election day | No | No | Includes early voting sites. |
| Courtroom or court offices | No | No | Unless the court gives written permission. |
| Secured area of an airport | No | No | Past the checkpoint. Parking lot is fine unless posted. |
| Correctional facility | No | No | Includes county jails. |
| Bar posting the red 51% sign | No | No | This one is a felony, not a trespass ticket. |
| Racetrack | No | No | — |
| Amusement park | No | No | Only parks meeting the size test. |
| Open meeting of a government body | No | No | Notice has to be given. |
| Hospital or nursing home | Only if not posted | Only if not posted | Needs a 30.06 or 30.07 sign. |
| Place of worship | Yes unless posted | Yes unless posted | Churches must post to close the door. |
| Private business with a no-guns notice | No, if it is a 30.06 or 30.07 sign | No, a plain no-guns notice binds you | Leave when asked, either way. |
| Federal building or post office | No | No | Federal rule. |
| School sporting event | No | No | On or off campus. |
The two signs matter. A 30.06 sign bars concealed carry by licence holders and a 30.07 sign bars open carry. If you carry without a licence, a plain "no firearms" notice makes it trespass. Nobody gets a free pass from a sign.
Reciprocity: where a Texas LTC is honoured
Thirty-three states recognise the licence itself. Five more — Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota and Vermont — do not list Texas but let anyone who can legally own a gun carry without a licence, so you are covered there anyway. That is 38 states plus Texas.
| State | Honours a Texas LTC | Texas residents only? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Alaska | Yes | No | Permitless carry. 21+. |
| Arizona | Yes | No | Permitless carry. 21+ concealed. |
| Arkansas | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| California | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | Texas residents only. 21+. |
| Connecticut | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Delaware | Yes | No | Named on Delaware's list. |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | Resident licences only. Permitless carry too. |
| Georgia | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Hawaii | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Idaho | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Illinois | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Indiana | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Iowa | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Kansas | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Kentucky | Yes | No | Permitless carry. Honours from 18. |
| Louisiana | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Maine | No | — | Not listed. Permitless carry at 21. |
| Maryland | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Massachusetts | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | Resident licences only. |
| Minnesota | Yes | No | Added Texas in 2025. |
| Mississippi | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Missouri | Yes | No | Permitless carry. 19+, or 18 if military. |
| Montana | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Nebraska | Yes | No | Permitless carry. 21+. |
| Nevada | Yes | No | 21+. |
| New Hampshire | No | — | Not listed. Permitless carry. |
| New Jersey | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| New Mexico | Yes | No | 21+. |
| New York | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| North Carolina | Yes | No | Honours every state. |
| North Dakota | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Ohio | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Oklahoma | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Oregon | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | Resident licences only. 21+. |
| Rhode Island | No | — | No permits honoured. |
| South Carolina | No list | — | Permitless carry at 18. No licence needed. |
| South Dakota | No list | — | Reciprocity law repealed. Permitless carry. |
| Tennessee | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Texas | — | — | Home state. |
| Utah | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Vermont | No | — | No licences issued or honoured. Permitless carry. |
| Virginia | Yes | No | 21+. |
| Washington | No | — | Texas is not listed. |
| West Virginia | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
| Wisconsin | Yes | No | 21+. |
| Wyoming | Yes | No | Permitless carry. |
Two rules apply everywhere on that list. You follow the law of the state you are standing in. And reciprocity moves — check before a long drive, not after.
Buying a handgun at 18 versus 21
Federal law sets the counter. A dealer can sell you a rifle or a shotgun at 18 and a handgun at 21. No state licence moves that line. Between Texas residents a private handgun sale at 18 is lawful. Ordering online, the gun ships to a dealer near you and the age rule applies at pickup, not at checkout. The whole sequence is in buying a gun online in Dallas.
Carrying in your vehicle
You can carry a handgun in your own vehicle without a licence if you are 21 or over and can legally own it. It does not have to be concealed or locked away. Two things still catch people out: plain view used to be an offence and the habit of keeping it out of sight is worth keeping, and a school parking lot is not the school grounds — the gun stays in the vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
Is Texas a constitutional carry state?
Yes, in practice. Since 2021 most adults 21 and over can carry a handgun without a licence. The LTC still exists and still does things permitless carry cannot.
Does an LTC skip the background check when I buy?
Yes. A valid LTC issued within the last five years works as an alternative to the instant check at a Texas dealer. The dealer still fills out the paperwork; the federal check is the step you skip.
Can I carry in a bar?
Not in a business posting the red 51% sign. A restaurant that serves alcohol but earns most of its money from food is fine unless it posts. Do not drink while carrying.
Can I carry on a college campus?
On a public campus, yes, concealed, with a licence. Private universities set their own rules and most say no. Dorms and some buildings can be excluded.
Can I carry in the school pickup line?
The handgun stays in your vehicle. Do not carry it onto school property on foot.
Does my Texas LTC work in New Mexico?
Yes, for holders 21 and over. Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas recognise it too, so the usual road trips are covered.
What does the class cost?
The state fee is $40. Instructors set their own price for the course and range qualification, and that is separate.
Can a non-resident get one?
Yes, on the same terms. But several states honour a Texas licence only if the holder is a Texas resident, so a non-resident card travels less well.
Before you apply
Sort the handgun out first so you qualify with the gun you will actually carry. Our Dallas License to Carry page covers the local process and Dallas gun laws covers city rules. Everything ships to a licensed dealer near you, and checkout is secure.
Last updated: 24 September 2026.
General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.
