The pay gap between an unarmed guard post and a commissioned officer post is the single biggest reason Dallas security professionals look up Level 3. Here is what the course is, what it is not, and what Texas rule actually requires.
Level 3 Is the Armed Course
Texas Administrative Code §35.141(a)(2) requires the Level 3 training course for two groups: anyone seeking a security officer commission, which is what allows an officer to carry a firearm while working, and anyone serving as a personal protection officer. Level 2 is the baseline non-commissioned course; Level 3 is the step that makes armed work possible. Level 4 is a different course again, for personal protection work, and the two get mixed up constantly.
Who Is Allowed to Teach It
This is worth checking before you pay anyone. The Level 3 curriculum is prepared by and obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety, and it must be taught by a DPS-approved school through a DPS-approved instructor. Unlike Level 2, where a licensed company can designate someone internally to deliver the training, there is no in-house shortcut for Level 3. A certificate from an unapproved source is a wasted weekend.
Online First, Range Second
- Part 1 — online. ETXSTA runs this portion 100% online. It is the classroom material: the law an armed officer operates under, use of force, the responsibilities that come with a commission, and the DPS-issued content itself.
- Part 2 — in person. Defensive tactics, firearms handling, and a firearms proficiency exam. None of that can be done through a screen, so it is scheduled separately and is not covered by the online course price.
The Proficiency Exam, and the Shotgun Option
The firearms proficiency exam is very close to the License to Carry range test in structure. The meaningful difference for commissioned officers is that the rules also lay out a shotgun course of fire, so students have the option to qualify with a shotgun. If your employer’s post orders contemplate a shotgun, that option matters; if not, the handgun qualification is the one you need.
The Passing Score Is 75%
Under §35.144(c), school examinations for Level 3 and Level 4 carry a minimum passing grade of 75%. That is higher than the 70% threshold people remember from the License to Carry written test, and the two get confused often enough that it is worth saying twice.
What You Walk Away With
Completing the course earns your certificate of completion (PSP 30). The commission itself comes from DPS, and §35.81(a) requires the application to include copies of both the Level 2 and the Level 3 certificates of completion along with the rest of the required items. Hold on to both.
Why Dallas Officers Train With ETXSTA
ETXSTA is a DPS-approved school, and the online Part 1 means a Dallas student is not losing shifts to classroom seat time. Work through the material around your schedule, then come schedule the hands-on portion.
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