FAQ's

A: The department will make every effort to issue your license within 60 days or inform you that you did not meet the eligibility criteria. Once your application is complete, processing may take up to 180 days if your background check reveals potentially disqualifying events or information.

A: An initial LTC expires on the license holder’s first birthday following the four-year anniversary of the issuance of the license. In other words, an initial license is valid for four (4) years, and in many cases, for some additional months. All renewed licenses are valid for five (5) years.

A: It depends. A resident alien who has been admitted to the U.S. under an immigrant visa category will generally be eligible for the License to Carry a Handgun. However, under federal law, an alien who has been admitted to the U.S. under a non-immigrant visa usually is not qualified to purchase a handgun and thus is not eligible for a license. If you legally reside in Texas and were not admitted to the U.S. under a non-immigrant visa, you may be eligible.

A: Information about persons who are licensed to carry a handgun is confidential and may not be disclosed to an individual. However, upon proper request by a criminal justice agency, DPS must disclose to the agency whether or not a named individual is licensed to carry a handgun. Disclosed information includes the license holder’s name, date of birth, gender, and zip code. DPS must notify the license holder about the request and provide him/her the name of the agency making the request.

A: You must contact the DPS Concealed Handgun Section to receive a change of address form, or you may send a letter including your full name, LTC number, old address and new address (or status) and a cashier’s check or money order for $25. You may call 1-800-224-5744, write Texas Dept. of Public Safety Concealed Handgun Licensing Bureau, P.O. Box 4087, Austin, Texas, 78773 or online at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/chlsindex.htm.

A: The license to carry handgun law sets out the eligibility criteria that must be met. Your application packet will list them in detail. For example, you must be qualified to purchase a handgun under the state and federal laws. A number of factors may make you ineligible to obtain a license, such as: felony convictions and most misdemeanor convictions that are less than five years old, (including charges that resulted in probation or deferred adjudication), pending criminal charges, chemical or alcohol dependency, certain psychiatric diagnoses, protective or restraining orders, or defaults on taxes, governmental fees, student loans or child support. See Texas Gov’t. Code § 411.172. The application packet also will include information about materials you need to return with your application packet. These include two recent color passport photos, two sets of fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency employee or a private entity designated by a law enforcement agency as an entity qualified to take fingerprints of an applicant for a license, a copy of your Texas driver license or identification card, and a notification of completion form (TR 100) from a DPS- authorized training course. After receiving completed application packets, DPS will conduct background checks of juvenile records for the previous 10 years, and of all adult records.

A: No. Let’s take DWI as an example. DWI (first offense) is a Class B misdemeanor, and a person is not eligible for a license for five years after a conviction for a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or for the offense of disorderly conduct. A “conviction” includes cases that were dismissed after you completed probation or deferred adjudication. If you have been convicted of two or more alcohol or drug- related offenses within the last 10 years, you may not be eligible.

A: Yes. If you have a payment plan with a government agency for back taxes or child support and the agency sends DPS a clearance letter, you may apply. Include a copy of the agreement and letter with your application materials. The License to Carry handgun law was designed to encourage those who made no effort whatsoever to pay what they owe.

A: Click the link to view the Texas License to Carry A Handgun Laws

Texas License to Carry a Handgun Laws»

*Information taken from Texas Department of Public Safety Website

Cancellation Policy 

• For full refund, registrants must cancel at least 96 hours before the course.
• Cancellations received within 72 hours of the course date will not receive a cash refund. Instead, a one-time class rescheduling can be made. A rescheduled course must occur within 9 months from original course date. All course fees are forfeited by the registrant if a replacement course has not been attended within the 9-month period.
• Rescheduled courses are not eligible for a refund.
• Failure to attend the course, or cancellations less than 48 hours in advance, will result in no refund, credit of the course fee, or rescheduling.
•  To reschedule your course, please contact us at 832.567.3142.