Out in the Panhandle, distances are long and neighbors are far apart — good reasons plenty of Amarillo residents want a Texas License to Carry (LTC) even though the state no longer requires one. ETXSTA makes getting licensed painless with an online course you can complete from the ranch, the office, or anywhere in between, followed by a quick shooting test near Amarillo.
Step One: Meet the Requirements
Before you sign up, confirm you meet the state’s eligibility standards. A Texas LTC applicant must:
- Be 18 or older
- Have no felony conviction
- Have no Class A or B misdemeanor conviction in the past five years
- Not be under a protective or restraining order
- Have no active or pending criminal charges
- Not be a chemically dependent person
- Qualify under state and federal law to possess a handgun
- Be of sound mind
- Not be finally determined delinquent on child support obligations
Step Two: Finish the Online Coursework
ETXSTA’s self-paced online classroom walks through the material Texas DPS requires — firearm laws, use of force and self-defense, safe handling and storage, resolving conflict without violence, and how to interact with law enforcement while carrying. Once you finish, download your LTC-104 Certificate of Training right away. It’s the official proof-of-training document DPS needs for your application, and it’s good for two years — just make sure it’s still valid the day you actually apply.
Step Three: Pass the Shooting Proficiency Test
Book your live-fire session with a certified instructor in Amarillo or a nearby location. The required course of fire totals 50 rounds:
- 3 yards – 20 rounds
- 7 yards – 20 rounds
- 15 yards – 10 rounds
You need 70% accuracy to pass, and Texas gives applicants up to three attempts at the written exam and the range test within a 12-month period, so there’s room to try again if needed.
Some applicants skip this step entirely. If you’re active-duty military or a veteran with a range score or firearms familiarization training from the past 10 years, a Texas state correctional officer, or a county jailer who completed firearms training on the job, you’re exempt from the shooting test and only need the online classroom course.
The LTC Still Pulls Its Weight
Constitutional carry lets Texans go without a license, but the LTC brings extra value that permitless carry doesn’t cover:
- Reciprocity in 37 other states
- Certain legal protections and advantages
- The ability to carry in places where permitless carry isn’t allowed
- No NICS background check when buying from a licensed dealer
Get Licensed with ETXSTA
Our online course is state-approved and built to be finished on your own schedule, with a straightforward path to your proficiency test near Amarillo.