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Texas hasn’t required a license to carry a handgun since September 2021 — so why do hundreds of thousands of Texans still get their LTC every year? Because the license does real legal work that permitless carry can’t. Here’s the complete, practical comparison.
Constitutional carry made the license optional for carrying inside Texas. It did not replicate the LTC’s other functions: interstate reciprocity, faster firearm purchases, the federal school-zone exemption, and clearer legal footing. If you ever leave the state, buy guns, or drive past a school — which is to say, if you live a normal life — the LTC still earns its keep.
| Situation | Permitless carry | With a Texas LTC |
|---|---|---|
| Carrying inside Texas (21+, eligible) | Legal | Legal |
| Carrying in other states | Only where their law allows — often illegal | Recognized by 35+ states |
| Buying from a licensed dealer | Full NICS check every purchase, delays possible | LTC substitutes for the check — walk out faster |
| Within 1,000 ft of a school (federal law) | Federal offense — no exemption | Exempt as a licensee |
| Ages 18–20 | Not covered by permitless carry | Eligible for LTC (2022 court ruling) |
| Police interaction while carrying | No state-issued proof of eligibility | License documents your background check & training |
The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act bans carrying a handgun within 1,000 feet of any K–12 school. In a Texas city, those zones overlap enormous areas — you cross them constantly without noticing. State permitless carry cannot exempt you from federal law; a state-issued license can, and does. This alone is why many attorneys recommend the LTC to every regular carrier.
The classroom portion is a 4–6 hour online course you can finish in an evening ($49), followed by a one-time shooting proficiency demonstration, a 30-minute online application, and fingerprinting. Most people are licensed within 3–8 weeks, at a total cost of roughly $150–$200. The complete process is broken down step-by-step in our Texas LTC guide.
Start the Online LTC Course →Disclosure: we may earn a commission if you register through this link, at no additional cost to you. It’s how we keep guides like this free.No. It made the license optional for in-state carry only. Reciprocity, purchase speed, the federal school-zone exemption, and 18–20-year-old eligibility all still require the license.
Usually yes — the school-zone exemption and faster gun purchases apply entirely inside Texas, and the license provides documented proof of eligibility in any police interaction.
The written course is passable by any prepared adult (70% threshold, retakes allowed), and the shooting portion is a basic safe-handling demonstration, not a marksmanship test.
Reviewed by Ike Hajinazarian, certified firearms instructor and founder of Liberty for All Training Co., featured on the Sunday front page of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Inclusive, judgment-free firearm instruction in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
DISCLAIMER: Liberty for All Training Co. ("L4A") is a certified firearm safety instruction company serving the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area. We provide in-person safety education and skills training only. We do not retail or broker the sale of firearms, ammunition, or weapons. Ammunition consumed during instruction is included as part of lesson pricing and is not sold separately.