Becoming a License to Carry Instructor

As of 2013 you must be certified as an instructor through an accredited process before becoming a Texas License to Carry (LTC) instructor.

To become a Qualified Texas LTC Instructor, you must take and pass the Texas Department of Public Safety training course and successfully complete a background check. To qualify for the DPS class, you must document firearm instructor certification through the National Rifle Association, Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), Security Officer training, or the military. Below is information on the NRA route:

  • Go to http://www.nrainstructors.org/search.aspx

  • Select “NRA Instructor Pistol Shooting Course” Note: Basics of Pistol Shooting (Instructor Led Training) is a prerequisite.

  • Select to search by zipcode or state. On the results list you can click at the top to sort by city or date.

  • Select a class

  • Insure it includes the Basic Instructor Training (BIT) and offers the Basics of Pistol Shooting (Instructor Led Training) either prior to or in conjunction with the Pistol Instructor Course.

New LTC Instructor training classes are typically held at a Department of Public Safety training facility near Austin. Instructor renewal classes, when required, are generally scheduled for August through December of every odd numbered year.Scheduling them this way allows DPS to update all instructors soon after each session of the Texas Legislature.

New instructor classes are scheduled several times a year. These classes are limited to 100 students. Once you make application and it is approved, you will be assigned to the next available class. They often fill up well ahead of time.

The new instructor training course, which is generally 2 1/2 days, covers methods of instruction and the contents of the Texas Handgun License Training Course. It includes the shooting practical, which is administered in the same manner you would administer it to your students. There is one important difference. A student qualifying for a LTC may take the shooting practical with either a revolver or a semiautomatic, and receive a passing score of 70%. As an instructor candidate, you are required to take the practical with both a revolver and a semiautomatic, and pass each with a score of 90%.

You must also pass a multiple choice and true-false examination over the course material.

Applying for the Class

EITHER

Visit the “License to Carry a Handgun” site, https://txapps.texas.gov/txapp/txdps/ltc/ and complete the online process.

You will need:

  • Firearms Instructor Certification.

  • Your Social Security Number.

  • Your Texas Driver License or Texas Identification card.

  • A valid credit/debit card. (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express)

Note: You may also apply for a LTC at the same time.

OR

Print out and fill in the LTC-90, Instructor Certification Application. The form is available on the DPS Handgun Licensing Downloadable Forms page. Mail to Department of Public Safety:

Mail Including Payment:

Texas Department of Public Safety

PO Box 15888

Austin, TX 78761-5888

Mail Without Payment:

Texas Department of Public Safety

Handgun Licensing – MSC 0245

PO Box 4087

Austin, TX 78773-0001

Once you have completed the application process, Texas DPS will send you information about the training class for new instructors.

Please note: If you are from outside Texas, you may qualify to be an instructor. However, Texas law requires you to give the training course within Texas for it to be valid.

You may use your instructor rating as a substitute for the training required to obtain a Texas Handgun License, but you are not required to get a LTC to be an instructor.

For more information, visit DPS’s Frequently Asked Questions page.

Remember, you are eligible for membership in the Texas Handgun Association. We look forward to welcoming you.