Turning 18 in Texas means you’re legally old enough to apply for a License to Carry (LTC) — there’s no separate, higher age bar for civilians, despite what some outdated guides claim. If you’re a Denton resident weighing whether it’s worth the effort, East Texas Security Training Academy (ETXSTA) walks you through exactly what’s required and how its online course gets you there.
Full List of Eligibility Requirements
Beyond the age requirement, Texas law lays out a full checklist for LTC applicants. You must:
- Be 18 or older
- Have no felony conviction
- Have no Class A or Class B misdemeanor conviction in the past five years
- Not be restricted by a protective or restraining order
- Have no active or pending criminal charges
- Not be a chemically dependent person
- Be of sound mind
- Qualify under state and federal law to possess a handgun
- Not be finally determined delinquent on child support obligations
The ETXSTA Course, Broken Down
Once you know you qualify, the course itself splits into two parts. The classroom portion is entirely online and self-paced, covering Texas firearm law, the legal use of force and self-defense, safe handgun handling and storage, non-violent ways to resolve conflict, and how to properly interact with law enforcement while carrying.
When you’re done, download your LTC-104 Certificate of Training instantly — that’s the Texas DPS’s official proof-of-training document, and it’s what you’ll submit with your LTC application. It’s good for two years, so keep that clock in mind before you apply.
Then comes the shooting proficiency test in person with an ETXSTA-certified instructor in Denton or a nearby location. The course of fire is 20 rounds at 3 yards, 20 rounds at 7 yards, and 10 rounds at 15 yards — 50 rounds total, with a required passing score of 70%. You get up to three attempts to pass the written and range exams within a 12-month period, so there’s room to try again if your first run doesn’t go as planned.
Exemptions From the Range Test
Active-duty military members and veterans who can show a qualifying range score or documented firearms familiarization training from within the last 10 years don’t need to complete the shooting test, and neither do state correctional officers or county jailers who received firearms training as part of their employment. All of them still complete the online classroom course.
Constitutional Carry vs. an LTC
Texas doesn’t require a permit to carry, so why go through this at all? Because an LTC still delivers benefits permitless carry doesn’t: reciprocity in 37 other states, access to places that constitutional carry doesn’t cover, certain legal protections, and the ability to skip the NICS background check when buying a firearm from a dealer. Denton residents who plan to travel, or who just want the extra layer of documentation, tend to find it worthwhile.