Texas Concealed Carry Laws: Who Can Carry, Where, and LTC Rules

Texas concealed carry laws let most adults carry a handgun in public without any state-issued permit, a change that took effect in September 2021. The same freedom applies to open carry, as long as a visible handgun stays in a holster. But permitless carry is not unrestricted carry: a long list of people cannot legally possess a firearm at all, several locations are off limits to everyone, and private property owners can bar firearms using specific posted signs. The License to Carry (LTC) also still exists and offers real advantages for people who buy guns often or travel out of state.

Who Can Carry Without a License

Under Texas Penal Code Section 46.02, a person commits an offense by carrying a handgun if they are younger than 21.¹ A 2022 federal court ruling found that age restriction unconstitutional as applied to 18-to-20-year-olds, and Texas chose not to appeal. In practice, adults 18 and older who are not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm may carry a handgun in Texas without a license.²

One rule catches people off guard. If your handgun is even partially visible, it must be in a holster.¹ That applies whether you carry openly or concealed. Displaying a handgun in public outside of a holster can result in a disorderly conduct charge.

Carrying while under 18 is a Class C misdemeanor. For adults between 18 and 20 who do not fall under the court ruling’s protection — because they are prohibited for another reason, say — unlawful carry is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail.¹

Who Cannot Legally Carry At All

Permitless carry only applies to people who are legally allowed to possess a firearm in the first place. Both Texas and federal law list categories of prohibited persons, and the federal list applies on top of the state’s.

Texas Prohibitions

Anyone convicted of a felony cannot possess a firearm until five years after completing their entire sentence, including any parole or probation. Even then, possession is limited to the person’s own home. A person convicted of a Class A misdemeanor involving domestic violence faces the same five-year waiting period after release from confinement or community supervision.¹

Carrying while subject to an active protective order is also illegal. Carrying while intoxicated is a separate offense that applies to everyone, licensed or not.

The penalties are steep. A person barred from firearm possession due to a felony conviction who carries a handgun commits a second-degree felony, with a minimum of five years in prison. Prohibited persons in other categories face a third-degree felony.¹

Federal Prohibitions

Under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g), you cannot possess any firearm or ammunition if you fall into any of these categories:³

Felony conviction, meaning any crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment, regardless of actual sentence served
Fugitive from justice with an outstanding warrant for a felony or equivalent offense
Current unlawful user of or person addicted to a controlled substance
Anyone involuntarily committed to a mental institution or adjudicated as mentally defective
Anyone discharged from the military under dishonorable conditions
Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence
Anyone subject to a court order restraining them from harassing or threatening an intimate partner or their child

Anyone under indictment for a crime punishable by more than a year is also barred from shipping, transporting, or receiving firearms, even before conviction.³ These federal prohibitions override Texas law and apply everywhere in the state.

Places Where Carry Is Always Illegal

Texas Penal Code Section 46.03 lists locations where carrying a firearm is illegal regardless of whether you hold an LTC. Most violations are third-degree felonies unless a different penalty is specified.⁴

Schools

Firearms are prohibited on the grounds of any public or private school, on property controlled by a school where a school-sponsored activity is happening, and on school buses.⁴ One narrow exception: LTC holders may carry a concealed handgun on the premises of a public or private university or college, but only if the institution has not opted out. K-12 schools are completely off limits.

Courts and Polling Places

Courthouses and offices used by the court are prohibited zones unless the court has issued written authorization. Polling places are off limits on any day an election or early voting is in progress.⁴

51% Alcohol Establishments

Any business that derives 51 percent or more of its income from on-premises alcohol sales is a prohibited zone. These establishments are required to post a red “51%” sign. Carrying in a 51% establishment is a third-degree felony, one of the stiffest penalties in the entire firearms code.⁴ Restaurants that serve alcohol but make most of their money from food are not 51% establishments, and you can carry there.

Other Off-Limits Locations

Racetracks licensed for pari-mutuel wagering
Secured airport areas past the TSA screening checkpoint
Premises where a high school, collegiate, or professional sporting event is taking place, unless you are a participant and the weapon is used in the event
Within 1,000 feet of a designated execution site on the day an execution is scheduled, if notice was provided

Federal Buildings and National Parks

Carrying a firearm into any building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees work is a federal offense under 18 U.S.C. Section 930. That covers post offices, VA clinics, Social Security offices, federal courthouses, and similar buildings. A first offense carries up to one year in prison; carrying with intent to commit a crime raises the maximum to five years.⁵ The prohibition applies to everyone, including LTC holders.

In national parks within Texas, you may possess a firearm if you are legally allowed to carry under Texas law, which means permitless carry applies in places like Big Bend. Firearms remain prohibited inside any federal building within the park, such as visitor centers and ranger stations. Discharging a firearm in a national park is also prohibited unless specifically authorized for hunting.⁶

How Private Property Signs Change the Rules

Texas uses a sign system that lets property owners control who may carry on their premises. Three different statutes create three different notices, each targeting a different group of carriers. The signs look similar but do very different legal work.

Section 30.05: Permitless Carriers

A property owner can prohibit anyone carrying without a license by posting a sign under Texas Penal Code Section 30.05. The sign must include language substantially similar to “Pursuant to Section 30.05, Penal Code (criminal trespass), a person may not enter this property with a firearm.” It must appear in both English and Spanish, use contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch high, and be clearly visible to the public.⁷

Entering with a firearm in violation of a properly posted 30.05 sign is a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum fine of $200. The charge escalates to a Class A misdemeanor if you personally receive notice from the owner or someone acting on their behalf and then refuse to leave.⁷

Section 30.06: Concealed Carry by LTC Holders

A Section 30.06 sign specifically prohibits LTC holders from carrying concealed on the premises. The sign must include prescribed statutory language, appear in both English and Spanish, use contrasting colors with block letters at least one inch high, and be displayed conspicuously.⁸ Verbal notice from the property owner carries the same legal weight.

Section 30.07: Open Carry by LTC Holders

Section 30.07 works the same way as 30.06 but targets open carry by LTC holders. The sign format requirements are identical.⁹

How these signs interact matters. If a business posts a 30.06 sign but not a 30.07 sign, an LTC holder may carry openly but not concealed. If the business posts a 30.05 sign but not a 30.06 or 30.07, LTC holders can carry freely but permitless carriers cannot enter armed. To ban all firearms, a property owner typically posts all three signs.

Vehicles and Places of Worship

You may carry a handgun in your vehicle without a license as long as you are legally allowed to possess a firearm. The same holster rule applies: if the handgun is partially or wholly visible, it must be in a holster.¹ A handgun stored in the glove compartment, center console, or a door pocket is considered concealed and does not need a holster.

Churches and other places of worship are treated like other private property. Following a 2019 legislative change, LTC holders may carry in a place of worship unless the organization provides effective oral or written notice prohibiting it. A church can use a 30.06 or 30.07 sign, or simply announce the prohibition verbally.

Why the LTC Still Matters

Permitless carry made the License to Carry optional, but it did not make it pointless. Several practical advantages come up more often than people expect.

Skipping the Background Check at Purchase

Every time you buy a firearm from a licensed dealer without an LTC, the dealer must run a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check. Texas’s LTC qualifies as an alternative to this check under the Brady Act, meaning dealers can process your purchase without the NICS call.¹⁰ Dealers are not required to accept the LTC in place of a NICS check, but most do. The LTC must be less than five years old and issued in the state where the purchase occurs.

Carrying Near Schools Without Breaking Federal Law

The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act makes it a crime to possess a firearm within 1,000 feet of any elementary or secondary school. One specific exception is for individuals who hold a license issued by the state where the school zone is located, provided the state verified the person’s qualifications before issuing the license.¹¹ Texas’s LTC meets that standard. Without a license, you could technically violate federal law by driving past a school with a handgun, even though Texas law allows your carry.

Reciprocity With Other States

Texas has reciprocity agreements with dozens of states, letting an LTC holder carry legally while traveling. The Texas Department of Public Safety maintains a current list of states that recognize the Texas LTC.¹² Permitless carry in Texas does nothing for you in states that require a permit.

Who Qualifies for an LTC

The eligibility bar for an LTC is higher than the baseline for permitless carry. Texas Government Code Section 411.172 lists the full requirements. To qualify, you must:¹³

Be a legal Texas resident for the six months before applying
Be at least 21, or at least 18 if you are active military or an honorably discharged veteran
Have no felony conviction and no Class A or Class B misdemeanor conviction in the past five years
Not currently be charged with a felony or Class A or Class B misdemeanor
Not be a fugitive from justice
Not be chemically dependent
Not have been found incapable of exercising sound judgment regarding firearms
Be fully qualified under federal law to purchase a handgun
Not be in default on child support or state tax payments
Not be subject to a protective order affecting a spousal relationship

The child support and state tax provisions trip up applicants who do not expect them. Resolve any outstanding obligations to the state before applying, or DPS will deny the application. Applicants also complete a DPS-certified handgun proficiency course covering firearms law, use of deadly force, handgun safety, and nonviolent dispute resolution, with a range session to demonstrate shooting proficiency. The standard application fee is $40, with a $25 rate for honorably discharged veterans and no fee for active-duty military.¹⁴ A Texas LTC is valid for five years.

1
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.02 – Unlawful Carrying Weapons
2
Handgunlaw.us. Texas Concealed Carry Laws
3
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
4
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.03 – Places Weapons Prohibited
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities
6
National Park Service. Firearms in National Parks
7
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 30.05 – Criminal Trespass
8
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 30.06 – Trespass by License Holder With a Concealed Handgun
9
State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 30.07 – Trespass by License Holder With an Openly Carried Handgun
10
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Brady Permit Chart
11
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
12
Texas Department of Public Safety. State Reciprocity Information
13
State of Texas. Texas Government Code 411.172 – Eligibility
14
Texas Department of Public Safety. License to Carry a Handgun Fee Schedule