Yes, you can get a Texas LTC at 18. The Department of Public Safety has been accepting License to Carry applications from anyone 18 or older since a federal court ruled that limiting the license to people 21 and up violated the Second Amendment. The fees, training, and eligibility standards are the same ones that apply to older applicants, but an 18-to-20-year-old faces two practical wrinkles that don’t affect someone 21 or older: buying a handgun and carrying in other states.
How the Age Dropped From 21 to 18
Texas Government Code § 411.172(a)(2) still reads “at least 21 years of age.” The statute has not been formally amended. What changed is enforcement. After the federal court decision in Andrews v. McCraw found the age restriction unconstitutional, DPS stopped enforcing the 21-and-older rule and updated its policies to accept applications from anyone 18 or older who meets the other eligibility standards.1Texas State Law Library. License to Carry2State of Texas. Texas Government Code Title 4 – Eligibility
Why 18-to-20-Year-Olds Need the License
Texas allows adults to carry a handgun in public without any license under its permitless carry law, but that law sets its own age floor of 21. The only exception is active-duty military, who qualify at 18. If you are 18 to 20 and not in the military, the LTC is the only lawful way to carry a handgun in public in Texas.3Department of Public Safety. LTC Benefits
Eligibility Requirements Beyond Age
Every applicant must satisfy Texas Government Code § 411.172. You must be a legal Texas resident for at least six months before applying, or qualify under the provisions for out-of-state applicants (primarily active military stationed in Texas).
The statute disqualifies applicants who have:
- A felony conviction of any kind
- A pending felony charge, or a pending Class A or Class B misdemeanor charge
- A Class A or Class B misdemeanor conviction within the past five years
- Fugitive status for a felony or Class A/B misdemeanor
- A chemical dependency issue
- Delinquent taxes or child support owed to the state
- A condition that impairs sound judgment regarding handgun use and storage, including certain psychiatric hospitalizations
You also have to meet all federal firearms eligibility standards. Any federal bar on possession — such as a domestic-violence conviction or an active protective order — also disqualifies you under Texas law.2State of Texas. Texas Government Code Title 4 – Eligibility
Required Training
Every LTC applicant has to complete a state-approved handgun course. The classroom portion runs four to six hours and covers weapons laws and the use of deadly force, handgun use and safety (including restraint holsters and open-carry methods), non-violent dispute resolution, and proper storage practices aimed at preventing accidental injury to children.4Department of Public Safety. Training Requirements FAQ
You can take the classroom portion in person or through a certified online provider. After passing a written exam, you have to attend an in-person range session and pass a shooting proficiency demonstration. Your instructor will issue an LTC-100 form (for in-person classroom training) or an LTC-101 form (for online classroom training).5Texas Department of Public Safety. Instructions for LTC-100 Certificate of Training6Texas Department of Public Safety. Instructions for LTC-101 Certificate of Training
Prices vary by provider. Online classroom courses tend to run less than fully in-person courses, but the range session is in person for everyone. Before signing up, ask the instructor whether you need to bring your own handgun and ammunition or whether the course supplies them.7Texas.gov. Texas Handgun License
Application and Fees
Once you have your training certificate, the application is submitted through the DPS regulatory services portal. Before you start, have your Texas driver license or state ID, Social Security number, five years of residential addresses, five years of employment history, and any relevant psychiatric, drug, alcohol, or criminal history information ready. The portal will ask about all of it.
After you submit and pay, the system directs you to schedule a fingerprinting appointment with Identogo, the state’s authorized vendor. Fingerprinting carries its own separate fee paid at the appointment.8Department of Public Safety. Licensing and Registration9Texas Department of Public Safety. License to Carry a Handgun
The standard application fee is $40. Active-duty military and active Texas peace officers pay nothing; honorably discharged veterans and active or retired judges pay $25. All fees are non-refundable, even if the application is denied.10Department of Public Safety. LTC Fee Schedule
Timeline, Renewal, and Denials
DPS aims to issue the license within 60 days of receiving a complete application. If the agency needs more information, it has up to 180 additional days to finish reviewing. You can check status any time through the portal, and the physical card is mailed to the address on your application.11Department of Public Safety. Application FAQs
Your first LTC is valid for four years. Renewals are good for five years and can be done online; DPS reuses the fingerprints and photo on file unless they no longer meet quality standards.
If DPS denies your application, you have 30 calendar days from the date you receive the denial notice to request a hearing in a Justice of the Peace court in your county. Either side can appeal that court’s decision to the county court.12Department of Public Safety. License to Carry LTC Hearings
Buying a Handgun Under 21
Holding the license does not solve the purchase problem. Federal law prohibits any licensed firearms dealer from selling a handgun or handgun ammunition to anyone under 21.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 US Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
That restriction covers transactions through a federally licensed dealer. Under federal law, an unlicensed person — a private individual, not a gun store — may transfer a handgun to anyone 18 or older as long as both parties live in the same state and the recipient is not otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms.14Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minimum Age for Gun Sales and Transfers
So if you are 18 to 20 in Texas, you can legally receive a handgun through a private sale, a gift from a parent or another family member, or a similar private transfer. You cannot walk into a gun store and buy one until you turn 21.
Carrying in Other States at 18 to 20
A Texas LTC is recognized in many states through reciprocity agreements, but several honor it only for holders who are at least 21. Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wisconsin are among them. In those states, your Texas license will not be recognized until you turn 21, even though it is valid at home.15Department of Public Safety. State Reciprocity Information
Handgun laws vary significantly from state to state, and knowing the rules where you travel is on you. Before crossing a state line with a handgun, check that state’s current reciprocity terms, age requirements, and any location restrictions that differ from Texas.
Places You Still Cannot Carry
The license does not override Texas Penal Code § 46.03. Carrying in schools, polling places during voting, government courts and offices, the secured area of an airport, racetracks, and correctional or civil commitment facilities is generally a third-degree felony. Carrying at a sporting event, hospital, nursing facility, or amusement park is a Class A misdemeanor. Private property owners can also ban licensed carry by posting signs under Penal Code Sections 30.06 (concealed) or 30.07 (open) that meet the statute’s specific format requirements.16Department of Public Safety. Laws That Relate to Carrying a Handgun FAQs