Why Taking Your Texas LTC Course Online Is a Good Option
You’ve made the decision. You want to carry legally in Texas. Smart move. Now comes the question everyone asks next: How do I actually do this?
The answer used to involve carving out an entire Saturday, sitting in a folding chair under fluorescent lights for six hours, and hoping the instructor had better energy than a DMV clerk on a Monday morning. Those days are behind you. Texas law now allows you to complete the classroom portion of your License to Carry (LTC) course entirely online — and if you haven’t looked into what that actually means for your time and your training quality, you’re missing out.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Texas LTC online course option and why TexasCarryAcademy.com is where serious Texans are getting it done.
What Is the Texas License to Carry (LTC)?
The Texas License to Carry — formerly known as the Concealed Handgun License (CHL) — is the state-issued permit that authorizes eligible Texans to carry a handgun, either concealed or openly holstered. It’s issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and recognized by more than 36 other states through reciprocity agreements.
To obtain your LTC, Texas law requires you to complete an approved handgun course, pass a written exam, and demonstrate shooting proficiency with a certified instructor. The written and educational portion? That’s what you can now do entirely online — on your schedule, at your pace, without asking your boss for the day off.
Is the Texas Online LTC Course Legit?
This is the number one question, and it deserves a straight answer: Yes. Absolutely.
In 2016, Texas updated its LTC statutes to formally allow the classroom portion of the required training to be delivered via an online format. Only Texas DPS-approved online course providers can offer the educational content through an online platform. At Texas Carry Academy, the course meets every requirement set by Texas law and is taught by a DPS certified LTC instructor and approved online course provider — not some anonymous algorithm or outsourced content farm.
The online course covers all the same material as an in-person class: Texas laws on the use of force and deadly force, handgun safety, storage practices, non-violent dispute resolution, and more. When you finish, you receive your certificate of completion instantly, which you bring to your in-person range session to complete your shooting proficiency test.
No shortcuts. No loopholes. Fully legal, fully legitimate, fully effective.
5 Reasons the Texas LTC Online Course Beats a Traditional Classroom
1. You Learn on Your Schedule, Not Theirs
Traditional LTC classes are usually held on weekends, and they’re gone when they’re gone. Miss the signup window, and you’re waiting another month. Life doesn’t pause for that.
The online LTC course through Texas Carry Academy is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether you’re an early riser who does your best thinking at 5 a.m. or a night owl who hits their stride at 11 p.m., the course is there when you are. You can complete it in one sitting or break it into multiple sessions. The material waits for you.
2. You Actually Retain More Information
Sit in a classroom for six hours and see how much you remember by Monday. The research on adult learning is clear: people learn and retain information better when they control the pace, can review material they don’t understand, and aren’t competing with a room full of distractions.
Online learning lets you pause, rewind, and re-read. If you want to spend extra time understanding Texas’s castle doctrine versus the duty-to-retreat laws in other states, you can. If a section clicks immediately, you move on. Your training experience is built around you — not around the slowest person in the room.
3. It’s More Affordable
In-person LTC courses typically run anywhere from $75 to $150 or more, and that’s before you factor in gas, childcare, or a lost day of work. The online format eliminates the overhead that drives those costs up.
At Texas Carry Academy, you get professional-quality instruction using a video based course that meets every state requirement for only $49 — It is worth it. And it shouldn’t cost you a fortune to get started.
4. No Classroom Drama
You’ve been in enough group settings to know that one person always derails the agenda. The guy who wants to argue with the instructor about some edge-case scenario he saw on Facebook. The person who asks the instructor to repeat every third sentence. The phone that won’t stop buzzing.
Online learning eliminates all of that. It’s just you, the content, and a clean path to your certificate. Exactly as it should be.
What the Texas LTC Online Course Covers
The Texas Carry Academy online LTC course walks you through every topic required by the Texas Department of Public Safety, including:
Texas Laws on Carrying Handguns — where you can and cannot carry, the difference between licensed and unlicensed carry under HB 1927, locations that are off-limits, and how to handle law enforcement encounters while carrying.
Use of Force and Deadly Force in Texas — understanding Chapters 9 and 83 of the Texas Penal Code, self-defense law, defense of a third party, and the legal and moral weight of the decision to use deadly force.
Handgun Safety and Storage — safe handling practices, storage options to prevent access by children or unauthorized users, and responsible ownership habits that protect your household.
Non-Violent Dispute Resolution — because a firearm is a last resort, not a first response. This section reinforces the mindset every responsible carrier needs to develop.
Handgun Proficiency Information — preparation for the shooting proficiency test you’ll complete in person, so you understand what’s expected of you before you ever step onto the range.
What Happens After You Complete the Online Course?
Once you finish the online LTC course and pass the written exam, you’ll receive your certificate of completion. From there, the process is straightforward:
- Complete the in-person shooting proficiency test with a certified LTC instructor (Texas Carry Academy will connect you with range session options in your city.
- Submit your LTC application through the Texas DPS online portal at https://www.texas.gov/public-safety/texas-handgun-license/.
- Complete your fingerprinting through an approved IdentoGO location.
- Wait for DPS to process and mail your license, which typically takes 60 days or less.
That’s it. You did the hard part — the studying, the testing, the range work. DPS handles the rest.
Who Qualifies for a Texas LTC?
To be eligible for a Texas License to Carry, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
- Have no felony convictions
- Not be under a protective order or have a history of certain family violence offenses
- Not be chemically dependent or of unsound mind as determined by a court
- Meet all other eligibility requirements under Texas Government Code §411.172
Not sure if something in your history affects your eligibility? Texas Carry Academy walks you through eligibility basics in the course, and the DPS website provides the complete list of disqualifying factors.
Why Texas Carry Academy?
There’s no shortage of online LTC options out there. Here’s why Texas Carry Academy is different:
Real instructor. Real credentials. The course is developed and taught by a certified Texas DPS LTC instructor and DPS certified online LTC course provider.
No filler. No fluff. The course is 100% video based built to actually teach you something, not just check a box. You’ll leave knowing Texas carry law better than most people who’ve been carrying for years.
Texas roots. Texas Carry Academy was built for Texans, by a Texan. The instruction is practical, the examples are relevant, and the attitude toward self-defense is unapologetically Texan.
Get Started Today at TexasCarryAcademy.com
Your right to carry is worth protecting — and so is your family. The Texas License to Carry process starts with a single step, and that step has never been easier to take.
Visit TexasCarryAcademy.com to enroll in the Texas LTC online course today. Complete it on your schedule. Carry with confidence.
