Between work, family, and everything else going on in Garland, finding time to sit through a full-day, in-person permit class isn’t realistic for most people. That’s the problem East Texas Security Training Academy (ETXSTA) set out to solve: an online License to Carry course you can work through in pieces, whenever you actually have a few minutes free.
How the Course Is Structured
Texas law breaks LTC training into two required pieces, and ETXSTA delivers both:
- Online classroom instruction covering Texas firearm law, use-of-force and self-defense rules, safe handling and storage, non-violent dispute resolution, and how to interact with law enforcement while carrying — all self-paced.
- An in-person shooting proficiency test with a certified instructor near you.
When you finish the online portion, your LTC-104 Certificate of Training is available for instant download — that’s the exact document Texas DPS wants attached to your application.
What Happens at the Range
Schedule your shooting test with an ETXSTA-certified instructor in Garland or a nearby location. You’ll fire 50 rounds across three distances:
- 3 yards – 20 rounds
- 7 yards – 20 rounds
- 15 yards – 10 rounds
A 70% score is a pass. And if you’re nervous about the range portion, know this: the state allows up to three attempts at both the written exam and the shooting test within any 12-month period, so one off day won’t derail your application. Just remember your training certificates expire after two years and need to still be valid when you file with DPS.
Eligibility Checklist
Texas requires that every LTC applicant:
- Is 18 or older
- Has never been convicted of a felony
- Has no Class A or B misdemeanor conviction in the past five years
- Is not under a protective or restraining order
- Has no pending criminal charges
- Is not chemically dependent
- Qualifies under state and federal law to possess a handgun
- Is of sound mind
- Is not finally determined delinquent on child support
A few groups skip the shooting test entirely and only need the online course: active-duty military and veterans who can show a qualifying range score or firearms familiarization training within the last 10 years, state correctional officers, and county jailers who completed firearms training on the job.
Why Bother with an LTC When Carry Is Already Legal?
Constitutional carry covers a lot, but not everything. An LTC still adds real value: reciprocity in 37 other states, extra legal protections, access to certain places permitless carry doesn’t reach, and a skip past the NICS background check when you buy from a dealer. ETXSTA built this course to make claiming those benefits as painless as possible for Garland residents.