DFW CHL (Concealed Handgun License) & LTC (License to Carry) FAQs

What is the difference between the Concealed Handgun License (CHL) and the License to Carry (LTC)?

As of January 1, 2016, Texas allows registered license holders to open carry in public. Because the law no longer required firearms to be concealed, Texas changed the licensing name from CHL (Concealed Handgun License) to LTC (License to Carry). Current CHL holders are now licensed to carry in the open in Texas.

I want to take a Texas LTC (License to Carry) class to learn to shoot better. Will that teach me to shoot?

LTC classes are not intended to train students how to shoot a handgun. Therefore, we provide the LTC Prep Course for those of you who have never touched a boom-stick before. The LTC Licensing Course teaches Texas law as it relates to concealed or open carry only. You need a basic knowledge of your handgun to qualify on the range, shooting center of mass a total of 50 rounds at a B27 target from 9 feet, 21 feet, and 45 feet.

You wouldn't go fly an airplane before you trained with flight instructor. So, please don't come to the LTC Licensing Course without first learning how to shoot safely and accurately.

Can I take the License to Carry class online or do I need to spend the day in a classroom?

Answer: As of 2018, the Texas Department of Public Safety has approved a couple of online LTC Classes. We will be offering this option in 2021. Note: not all program courses who claim they are approved by Texas are valid.

What are the steps required to obtain a Texas License to Carry Handgun (LTC)?

1. Learn to shoot a handgun. You must be safe and proficient BEFORE your class.
2. Apply online with the state of Texas (https://txapps.texas.gov/txapp/txdps/ltc/) and pay the $40 fee
3. Schedule your fingerprints at the end of the application process ($10)
4. Attend our Texas Approved LTC class (4 to 6 hours) and pass our Texas state mandated written and shooting tests
5. Upload your signed LTC form to the state of Texas (https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/contact/ltcatt.aspx)

  • a. Program: “Handgun Licensing”

  • b. Option: Submit Document(s) – Applicants Only (LTC-100, Supporting Documents)

  • c. Submitted your LTC Application: Yes

Pending your successful application and background check process, wait 4 to 6 weeks and your license to arrive via USPS

What type of class/training is required to obtain a Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)?

An applicant may either attend LTC classroom training and demonstrate handgun the proficiency (shooting) with a Texas Qualified LTC Instructor,

or,

An applicant may receive LTC online training (classroom only) through an Approved Online Course Provider. Then, after successfully passing the online classroom portion the applicant must meet with one of our Texas Qualified LTC Instructors to demonstrate and pass the handgun proficiency (shooting) piece of the state licensing requirement.

What are the eligibility requirements to obtain a Texas LTC?

Texas Code § 411.172(a) A person is eligible for a license to carry a handgun if the person:

• a legal resident of this state for the six-month period preceding the date of application,
• at least 21 years of age, (military 18 - 21 years old now eligible - 2005 Texas CHL law change),
• has not been convicted of a felony,
• not charged with the commission of a felony, Class A or Class B misdemeanor, or Disorderly Conduct,
• not a fugitive from justice for a felony, Class A or Class B misdemeanor,
• not a chemically dependent person,
• 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 Disorderly Conduct, Section 42.01, Penal Code,
• fully qualified under applicable federal and state law to purchase a handgun,
• has not been finally determined to be delinquent in the payment of a tax or other money collected by the comptroller,
• has not been finally determined to be delinquent in making a child support payment administered or collected by the attorney general,
• not currently restricted under a court protective order subject to a restraining order affecting a spousal relationship,
• has not, in the 10 years preceding the date of application, been adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct violating a penal law in the grade of felony
• has not made any material misrepresentation, or failed to disclose any material fact, in an application submitted pursuant to Section 411.174 or in a request for application submitted pursuant to Section 411.175.

Where can I find the Texas License to Carry a Handgun Statute and Selected Laws?

https://www.dps.texas.gov/InternetForms/Forms/LTC-16.pdf

What are the shooting requirements for a Texas LTC?

To qualify for a Texas License to Carry the following range qualifications must be met. A Total of 50 rounds will be fired over the course of the qualification test. A score of 70%, or 175 points of a possible 250, is required to pass. The test uses a B-27 which is a human-shaped silhouette target measuring 45 by 24 inches. All shooting is from the ready position, which means the gun is already in your hands and aimed. No holster shooting or shooting from concealed is required. Your handgun must be .22 caliber or larger.

Course of Fire:


3-yard line – 20 shots:
* 1 shot in 2 seconds, 5 times
* 2 shots in 3 seconds, 5 times
* 5 shots in 10 seconds, once

7-yard line – 20 shots:
* 5 shots in 10 seconds, once
* 1 shot in 3 seconds, 5 times
* 2 shots in 4 seconds, once
* 3 shots in 6 seconds, once
* 5 shots in 15 seconds, once

15-yard line – 10 shots:
* 2 shots in 6 seconds, once
* 3 shots in 9 seconds, once
* 5 shots in 15 seconds, once