Texas no gun signs come in four distinct types, and each one covers a different group of carriers. The Penal Code recognizes three trespass signs — 30.05 for unlicensed carriers, 30.06 for license holders carrying concealed, and 30.07 for license holders carrying openly — plus a separate 51% sign for businesses that make most of their income from on-premises alcohol sales. A property owner who wants to prohibit all lawful handgun carry needs to understand how these interact, because no single sign does the whole job.
What Each Sign Prohibits
The 30.07 Sign: Open Carry by License Holders
A 30.07 sign tells License to Carry (LTC) holders they cannot openly carry a handgun on the property. The statute requires the sign to reproduce specific statutory language word for word, identifying the offense as trespass by a license holder with an openly carried handgun.1State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Trespass by License Holder with an Openly Carried Handgun Paraphrasing or “substantially similar” language is not allowed for this sign.
An LTC holder who walks past a properly posted 30.07 sign commits a Class C misdemeanor, with a fine of up to $200. If the property owner then verbally tells the person to leave and they refuse, the charge becomes a Class A misdemeanor, carrying up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.2State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Class A Misdemeanor The sign does not reach concealed carry. An LTC holder whose handgun stays hidden is not violating a 30.07 notice.
The 30.06 Sign: Concealed Carry by License Holders
A 30.06 sign is the mirror image, targeting LTC holders who carry concealed. The language must again be identical to the text prescribed by statute, referencing Section 30.06 and warning that a licensed individual may not enter with a concealed handgun.3State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Trespass by License Holder with a Concealed Handgun The penalty structure matches 30.07: Class C misdemeanor on first notice, escalating to Class A if the carrier is told to leave and refuses. Section 30.06 does not apply on government-owned property unless the location is also listed as a prohibited place under Section 46.03.
The 30.05 Sign: Firearms Notice for Unlicensed Carriers
Section 30.05 is the state’s general criminal trespass statute, and it was amended in 2021 to let property owners post notice that firearms are prohibited.4State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Criminal Trespass This sign exists because permitless carry (adopted in September 2021) means many adults can lawfully carry a handgun without any license at all, and those carriers are not bound by 30.06 or 30.07 signs. The 30.05 language only needs to be “identical to or substantially similar to” the prescribed text, which gives property owners slightly more flexibility.
A violation starts as a Class C misdemeanor with a $200 maximum fine, escalating to Class A if the owner personally tells the person to leave and they refuse. One detail trips people up constantly: Section 30.05 includes a built-in defense for LTC holders carrying a handgun concealed or in a holster. A 30.05 sign alone does not effectively prohibit LTC handgun carry. It does, however, cover all firearms, so it restricts anyone from bringing a rifle or shotgun onto the property regardless of license status.
Which Combination a Property Owner Actually Needs
No single sign stops every form of lawful handgun carry. The combinations work like this:
- 30.06 and 30.07 only. Prohibits open and concealed handgun carry by LTC holders, but does nothing to stop unlicensed permitless carriers.
- 30.05 only. Reaches unlicensed carriers and covers long guns for everyone, but LTC holders carrying a concealed or holstered handgun have a statutory defense.
- All three (30.05, 30.06, and 30.07). The only combination that bars every form of lawful handgun carry on private property.
A business posting only the two older LTC signs and assuming it has full coverage is making an increasingly common mistake. The unlicensed carry population has grown substantially since 2021, and the 30.05 sign is the only tool that reaches that group.
The 51% Sign for Alcohol-Serving Businesses
Businesses that earn 51 percent or more of their income from selling alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption fall under a different regime. Texas Government Code Section 411.204 requires these establishments to post a sign at every entrance featuring the number “51” printed in solid red letters at least five inches tall, with accompanying text in English and Spanish warning that carrying a handgun on the premises is unlawful.5State of Texas. Texas Code Government – Notice Required on Certain Premises
Unlike the trespass signs, the 51% sign reflects a criminal prohibition that applies to everyone. Section 46.03 of the Penal Code makes it an offense for any person to possess a firearm on the premises of a qualifying alcohol business.6State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Places Weapons Prohibited Violating this law is a third-degree felony, punishable by two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.7State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Third Degree Felony Even if a qualifying business fails to post the sign, a carrier still faces felony liability. The 51% threshold is determined by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and the burden to know the status falls on the person carrying. Restaurants that serve alcohol but earn most of their income from food are not required to post this sign.
Formatting Rules That Make a Sign Valid
A sign with the right words but the wrong appearance can be legally unenforceable. The 30.05, 30.06, and 30.07 statutes set nearly identical formatting standards:
- Block letters at least one inch tall.
- Contrasting colors between the text and the background.
- Full message in both English and Spanish.
- Displayed conspicuously and clearly visible to the public at each entrance.
These requirements come directly from the text of each statute.1State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Trespass by License Holder with an Openly Carried Handgun4State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Criminal Trespass The 51% sign adds the five-inch solid-red “51” requirement on top of the English and Spanish text.
The “each entrance” rule catches businesses off guard more than you would expect. A side door, loading entrance, or patio gate that the public can access needs a sign too. Missing even one entrance can create a viable defense for someone charged with trespass for carrying past the unsigned door.
For 30.06 and 30.07 signs, the exact wording requirement is especially unforgiving. Paraphrasing the statutory text, shortening it, or replacing it with a generic “no guns” symbol does not satisfy the statute. A crossed-out pistol icon on its own has not given effective notice to LTC holders. The 30.05 sign is slightly more forgiving because the statute allows “substantially similar” language, but the formatting and bilingual rules still apply in full. Professionally manufactured Texas-compliant signs typically run under $20 each, which is a small cost compared to the exposure created by an invalid notice.
Oral Notice Works Too
Posting a sign is not the only way to restrict firearms. All three trespass statutes allow property owners to give effective notice through direct oral or written communication.3State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Trespass by License Holder with a Concealed Handgun If a business owner sees someone carrying and tells them directly that firearms are not allowed, that verbal notice counts even without a sign. Oral notice is also how the penalty escalates: a sign-based violation starts as a Class C misdemeanor, but once the owner personally tells the carrier to leave and the carrier refuses, the offense becomes a Class A misdemeanor under all three statutes.
Relying on oral notice alone is impractical for most businesses. A sign works around the clock, reaches every person who approaches the door, and creates a record that notice was given. Verbal confrontations with armed individuals carry obvious risks that a posted sign avoids.
Places Where Firearms Are Barred Without Any Sign
Some Texas locations are off-limits for firearms by operation of law whether or not a sign is posted. Section 46.03 lists these places, and violations are generally third-degree felonies.6State of Texas. Texas Code Penal – Places Weapons Prohibited The categories most likely to affect everyday carriers include K-12 schools and school buses, polling places during elections, courthouses and court offices, secured areas of airports past the TSA checkpoint, licensed racetracks, high school, college and professional sporting events, and the 51% alcohol businesses discussed above. LTC holders may carry concealed on the grounds of colleges and universities, but not at K-12 schools. A property that falls into any of these categories does not depend on signage to make carry unlawful; the carrier is responsible for knowing the location is restricted.