Constitutional (Permitless) Carry
As of Sep 1, 2021, there is no requirement in Texas to get a license to buy, own, or carry a handgun. You do have to be legally
eligible to buy a handgun under Federal law, but otherwise, you can carry a handgun (and in most cases, a long gun) in public,
either openly or concealed. There are certain places defined in law where you are not allowed to carry, like schools and court
rooms, but it is now your responsibility to learn what those are. If you make a mistake, you will be arrested. Although there
is no requirement to get a license, many people still do, as there are several benefits to doing so:
- You get 4 hours of training on Texas handgun law, which helps you stay out of trouble.
- You have more State rights than someone who does not have the license.
- You have to demonstrate minimal proficiency with a firearm. The required skill level is quite low.
- You are allowed to carry in 37 other states, based on your Texas license. That is a benefit if you travel.
- You are not subject to the Federal Gun-Free School Zone Act (while in Texas).
- You can usually buy firearms without a background check.
- School district employees with an LTC have their rights protected.
- Police are typically biased toward those with a license, and often give us a warning instead of a ticket.
Download this guide to Constitutional Carry.
If you decide to take advantage of this right, there are two things I would highly recommend:
- Understand the law. I have a document I have prepared that highlights, in plain English, the salient points of law
you should understand. I provide this to my students, for free.
- Improve your shooting skills. In a crisis, due to the adrenalin dump, the human body goes through several changes in
physiology that dramatically diminish your skills with a handgun. To offset that, you need to have skills almost to the
level of police training. The skill level of the LTC is not enough.
