LicenseTo Carry A Handgun In Texas

Does your LTC expire soon?  You can renew your license no more than 6 months before your license expires.  DPS will send you a renewal notice approximately 3 months before your LTC expires.  You can complete the renewal process on-line by going to the DPS website (see below). If your license expires for more than one year, you will have to take the basic course again.  See the DPS Handgun Licensing page below for up-to-date information about renewals.

Information Regarding LTC:

 For more LTC information see the "Frequently Asked Questions" section below.

From Chapter 46 of the Texas Penal Code (and other sources)
 
With one exception, effective 1 January 2016, if you have an LTC you may now carry openly whereever you could previously carry concealed.
The exception is that while you may carry concealed on the campus of a College or University, you may not carry openly at those locations.

Be on the watch for the following two signs

• 30.06 Sign Condcealed Carry Prohibited

  "PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.06, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN), A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE ( HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A CONCEALED HANDGUN." "CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.06 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR PORTANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO OCULTAS) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB-CAPITULO H, CAPITULO 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORTAR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO OCULTADA."

  
                                                                                                                   

  30.07 Sign Open Carry Prohibited

  "PURSUANT TO SECTION 30.07, PENAL CODE (TRESPASS BY LICENSE HOLDER WITH AN OPENLY CARRIED HANDGUN), A PERSON LICENSED UNDER SUBCHAPTER H, CHAPTER 411, GOVERNMENT CODE ( HANDGUN LICENSING LAW), MAY NOT ENTER THIS PROPERTY WITH A HANDGUN THAT IS CARRIED OPENLY." "CONFORME A LA SECCIÓN 30.07 DEL CÔDIGO PENAL (TRASPASAR PORTANDO ARMAS DE FUEGO AL AIRE LIBRE CON LICENCIA ) PERSONAS CON LICENCIA BAJO DEL SUB- CAPITULO H, CAPITULO 411, CODIGO DE GOBIERNO (LEY DE PORTAR ARMAS), NO DEBEN ENTRAR A ESTA PROPIEDAD PORTANDO UN ARMA DE FUEGO AL AIRE LIBRE."

  
  

                                                                                   

  • These signs must also:
    • Appear in Spanish
    • Be printed in contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch in height
    • Be displayed in a conspicuous manner clearly visible to the public.
  • A sign following these requirements will be about 2 feet square.
  • * Notification may also be verbal or by other written means.  See Section 30.06/30.07 of the Penal Code for complete information.

• Businesses posting a sign IAW 30.06 or 30.07, do not have to warn you before calling police if they spot or suspect you are "carrying".  This is a Class A misdemeanor if you don't leave when the police ask you to leave.

• Texas LTC is good in many states. See Reciprocal State Agreements below.

• If it is more than 60 days since you submitted your LTC application, you can get the status the of your application by calling (800) 224-5744 and asking for the concealed handgun unit.

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