Allen is a family town, and a lot of family-minded people decide that responsible gun ownership starts with proper training — not just what the law technically requires. If a Texas License to Carry has been on your list, ETXSTA lets you handle the classroom portion online, at home, on your own time.
Do You Qualify?
Before enrolling, check yourself against the state’s eligibility standards. To qualify for a Texas LTC, you must:
- Be 18 years old or older
- Have no felony conviction
- Have no Class A or B misdemeanor conviction in the past five years
- Not be subject to a protective or restraining order
- Have no active or pending criminal charges
- Not be a chemically dependent person
- Meet state and federal qualifications to legally possess a handgun
- Be of sound mind
- Not be finally determined delinquent on child support
The ETXSTA Course, Step by Step
Online Instruction
Log in from your laptop, tablet, or phone and move through the required material at your own pace: Texas firearm law, use-of-force and self-defense rules, safe handgun handling and storage, resolving conflict without violence, and how to properly interact with law enforcement while carrying. Finish it up and your LTC-104 Certificate of Training — Texas DPS’s official proof-of-training document — is available for instant download.
Range Qualification
From there, you’ll schedule your shooting proficiency test with an ETXSTA-certified instructor in Allen or a nearby location. The required course of fire is 50 rounds total:
- 3 yards – 20 rounds
- 7 yards – 20 rounds
- 15 yards – 10 rounds
You’ll need to hit 70% or better to pass. If you come up short the first time, Texas allows up to three attempts to pass the written and range exams within a 12-month period. Just keep in mind that training and proficiency certificates are only valid for two years, and must still be current when you submit your LTC application to DPS.
A few groups can skip the range portion entirely: active-duty military members and veterans with a qualifying range score or firearms familiarization training within the last 10 years, state correctional officers, and county jailers who received firearms training on the job.
Reasons Allen Residents Still Get Licensed
With permitless carry in effect statewide, it’s fair to ask why an LTC matters. A few reasons: reciprocity in 37 other states, no NICS background check needed when purchasing a firearm from a dealer, certain added legal protections, and the ability to carry in places where permitless carry doesn’t apply.
ETXSTA is glad to support Allen families and individuals through a convenient online course backed by hands-on instruction close to home.