East Texas Security Training Academy (ETXSTA) got its start right here in East Texas, and Longview is home turf. That local knowledge shapes how we built our online License to Carry (LTC) course: a curriculum that meets Texas Department of Public Safety standards, delivered in a format that respects your time.
Step One: Confirm You Qualify
Before you register, check yourself against the state’s eligibility rules. To hold a Texas LTC, an applicant must:
- Be 18 or older
- Have never been convicted of a felony
- Have no Class A or Class B misdemeanor conviction in the last five years
- Not be under a protective or restraining order
- Have no active or pending criminal charges
- Not be chemically dependent
- Be of sound mind
- Meet state and federal requirements to legally possess a handgun
- Not be finally determined delinquent on child support
Step Two: Complete the Course
The LTC course has two halves. The classroom half is entirely online and self-paced — work through it in one sitting or spread it across a week, whatever suits you. Topics include Texas firearm laws, the legal standards around use of force and self-defense, safe handgun handling and storage, resolving conflict without violence, and how to properly interact with law enforcement while armed.
As soon as you complete it, download your LTC-104 Certificate of Training instantly — that’s the official DPS document proving you finished the required instruction, and it’s required for your license application. It stays valid for two years, and it needs to still be current when you submit your LTC paperwork.
The second half is a shooting proficiency test conducted in person with a certified instructor in Longview or a nearby location. You’ll shoot 20 rounds at 3 yards, 20 rounds at 7 yards, and 10 rounds at 15 yards — 50 rounds altogether — and need a score of at least 70% to pass. You aren’t locked to a single attempt either: you have up to three tries at both the written and range exams inside a 12-month period.
Exempt From the Range Test?
Some applicants only need to complete the online portion. That group includes active-duty military members and veterans who can document a qualifying range score or firearms familiarization training within the past decade, plus state correctional officers and county jailers who received firearms training through their job.
Why Bother With an LTC If Texas Already Allows Permitless Carry?
It’s a fair question. Constitutional carry covers a lot of everyday situations, but the license still has real value: reciprocity with 37 other states when you travel, access to certain locations that permitless carry doesn’t cover, added legal protections in some circumstances, and the ability to skip the NICS background check when purchasing a firearm from a dealer. For many Longview residents, that combination makes the LTC well worth the effort.