Do You Need a Permit to Own a Gun in Texas?

You do not need a permit to own a gun in Texas. Adults who are legally eligible can buy and keep rifles, shotguns, and handguns without a license, registration, or notice to any government agency. Since 2021, most Texans 21 and older can also carry a handgun in public without a permit. The catches sit elsewhere: federal and state law still decide who may possess a firearm at all, where you can take one, and how you can carry it in a vehicle.

Owning a Gun at Home

No permit, registration, or license is needed to possess a firearm in your home, on your own land, or at any other property you own or control. Texas keeps no firearm registry and does not require you to report a purchase to any agency.¹ The rule is the same for handguns, rifles, and shotguns. If you are legally allowed to possess a firearm under state and federal law, you can keep it on your premises without further paperwork.

Carrying a Handgun in Your Vehicle

You can carry a handgun in a vehicle you own or control without any license, but the rules depend on whether the gun is visible. If you are 21 or older, a handgun in plain view inside your vehicle must sit in a holster.² A handgun stored out of sight, such as in a glove box or console, does not need to be holstered. The same rules apply to watercraft you own or control.

If you are between 18 and 20 and do not hold a License to Carry, a handgun in your vehicle must not be in plain view.³ Breaking the vehicle-carry rules is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail.

Carrying a Handgun in Public Without a Permit

The Firearm Carry Act of 2021 (House Bill 1927) made Texas a permitless carry state. If you are at least 21 and not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm, you can carry a handgun openly or concealed in most public places without applying for a license.⁴ Whenever the handgun is visible, it must be in a holster.

Permitless carry does not reach anyone under 21. After a 2022 federal court ruling struck down the state’s age restriction as unconstitutional, the Texas Department of Public Safety began issuing Licenses to Carry to applicants as young as 18. An 18-, 19-, or 20-year-old with an LTC can legally carry in public but cannot rely on the permitless-carry law.

Carrying a handgun in public when you do not meet the permitless-carry requirements is generally a Class A misdemeanor, with up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $4,000.³ Penalties jump sharply for people barred from possessing firearms at all. Carrying a handgun while prohibited as a convicted felon is a second-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of five years. Carrying while subject to a protective order or a family-violence misdemeanor conviction is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to ten years.

Who Cannot Legally Possess a Firearm

Both Texas and federal law disqualify certain people from owning or possessing any firearm. The most common disqualifiers are felony convictions, certain domestic-violence offenses, and active protective orders.

Felony Convictions

Under Texas Penal Code 46.04, a person convicted of a felony cannot possess a firearm anywhere during the first five years after release from confinement or community supervision, whichever ends later. After that five-year period, state law allows possession only at the premises where the person lives.⁵ Violating this restriction is a third-degree felony.

Federal law is stricter. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(g), a person convicted of any crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment is permanently barred from possessing a firearm, with no home exception and no five-year clock.⁶ Because federal law overrides any state allowance, a Texas felon who keeps a gun at home after five years can still face federal prosecution. This is the most misunderstood area of Texas gun law, and the consequences are severe.

Domestic Violence and Protective Orders

A person convicted of a Class A misdemeanor assault involving a family or household member cannot possess a firearm for five years after release from confinement or community supervision.⁵ A person subject to an active protective order cannot possess a firearm for the duration of the order. Violating either restriction is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas law, but carrying a handgun in public while under either prohibition is elevated to a third-degree felony.³

Other Disqualifiers

Federal law also bars firearm possession by anyone who is a fugitive from justice, an unlawful user of a controlled substance, adjudicated as mentally defective, an illegal alien, dishonorably discharged from the military, or subject to certain restraining orders. Texas adds its own layer: you cannot lawfully possess a firearm if you are currently charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or a felony.

Where You Still Cannot Take a Gun

Permitless carry does not open every door. State law makes it a crime to bring a firearm into certain locations, and violating most of these restrictions is a third-degree felony whether or not you hold an LTC.⁷ Off-limits locations include:

K-12 campuses, school-sponsored events, and school buses
Polling places on Election Day or during early voting
Government courtrooms and offices used by a court
Bars that earn 51 percent or more of their revenue from on-premises alcohol sales (look for the red “51%” sign)
High school, college, and professional sporting events
Jails, prisons, and civil commitment facilities
Hospitals and nursing homes, unless the administration gives written authorization
Amusement parks
Racetracks
Airport secured areas
Open meetings of a governmental body where notice of the firearm prohibition was properly posted
Within 1,000 feet of a designated execution site on the day a death sentence is carried out

A third-degree felony conviction can mean two to ten years in prison. Having an LTC is not a defense.

Private Property Signs

Private businesses and property owners can ban firearms using signs required by Texas Penal Code Sections 30.05, 30.06, and 30.07.⁸ A 30.05 sign prohibits anyone without an LTC from entering with a firearm. A 30.06 sign prohibits LTC holders from carrying concealed. A 30.07 sign prohibits LTC holders from openly carrying.

Ignoring a properly posted 30.05 sign is normally a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum $200 fine for a first offense, rising to a Class A misdemeanor if you receive personal notice to leave and refuse. Ignoring a 30.06 or 30.07 sign is a Class A misdemeanor.

Private Sales Between Individuals

Texas allows private individuals to sell or give firearms to other private individuals without going through a licensed dealer. No background check is required, and neither state nor federal law requires the seller to keep a record of the transaction.¹

That freedom has limits. You cannot sell or transfer a firearm to someone you know or have reason to believe is prohibited from possessing one.⁹ You cannot sell to anyone under 18, and federal law prohibits private sales across state lines. If you want a background check for peace of mind, any licensed dealer can facilitate the sale for a fee, though dealers are not required to offer the service.

When a License to Carry Still Helps

Permitless carry covers most everyday situations for people 21 and older, so the optional License to Carry can seem redundant. It still delivers practical advantages:

A Texas LTC is recognized by dozens of other states through reciprocal or unilateral agreements. Without one, your right to carry ends at the Texas border.¹⁰
Only LTC holders can carry a concealed handgun on the grounds of Texas public universities.¹¹
A valid LTC serves as an alternate permit under federal law, letting you skip the NICS background check when buying from a licensed dealer.¹²
Adults aged 18 to 20 can carry legally only with an LTC.
Holding an LTC provides a defense to prosecution if the only posted notice is a 30.05 sign, which targets unlicensed carriers.

How the License Works

The LTC is issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety. You must be a Texas resident for at least six months, have no disqualifying criminal history, not be currently charged with a Class A or Class B misdemeanor or a felony, and not have been convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor in the past five years.

Before applying, you complete a state-approved handgun proficiency course taught by a certified instructor. The classroom portion runs four to six hours and covers use-of-force law, handgun safety, non-violent conflict resolution, and safe storage.¹³ You then pass a written exam and a live-fire proficiency demonstration at a range. The application goes through the DPS online portal with your training certificate and a five-year history of addresses and employment.¹⁴ The standard application fee is $40, and honorably discharged veterans pay $25.¹⁵ DPS aims to process complete applications within 60 days.¹⁶

Safe Storage Around Children

Owning without a permit does not mean owning without responsibility. Texas Penal Code 46.13 creates criminal liability if a child under 17 gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm and you were criminally negligent in how you stored it. A firearm counts as readily dischargeable if it is loaded, even with no round in the chamber. Leaving a loaded gun where you know or should know a child could reach it is a Class C misdemeanor. If the child fires the weapon and someone is killed or seriously injured, the charge rises to a Class A misdemeanor. The statute does not mandate specific storage equipment, but using a locking container or trigger lock eliminates liability under this section.

1
Texas State Law Library. How Can I Sell My Gun to Another Person?
2
Texas State Law Library. Can I Carry a Gun in My Car?
3
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 46.02 – Unlawful Carrying Weapons
4
Capitol of Texas. HB 1927 – Engrossed Version – Bill Text
5
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.04 – Unlawful Possession of Firearm
6
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
7
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.03 – Places Weapons Prohibited
8
Texas State Law Library. Businesses and Private Property
9
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 46.06 – Unlawful Transfer of Certain Weapons
10
Department of Public Safety. State Reciprocity Information
11
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code Section 46.035 – Unlawful Carrying of Handgun by License Holder
12
Department of Public Safety. DPS Launches Initiative for Federal Firearms Licensees to Verify Validity of LTC Permits
13
Department of Public Safety. Training Requirements FAQ
14
Department of Public Safety. Licensing and Registration
15
Department of Public Safety. LTC Fee Schedule
16
Department of Public Safety. Application FAQs