State profile · TX
Texas Concealed Carry Reciprocity: Where Your Permit Works
A Texas resident permit (Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)) is honored in 36 of the other 50 US jurisdictions, and 2 more allow permitless carry even though they do not recognize the permit itself. In the other direction, Texas recognizes permits from 43 states on its official list. Texas allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
Where a Texas permit is honored
Click any destination for the full rules — duty to inform, magazine limits, off-limits places, and official sources.
* a load-bearing fact could not be fully verified — confirm with the official source before carrying.
Whose permits Texas honors
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Texas recognizes any valid handgun license from the listed states via agreement or unilateral proclamation, with no holder-residency condition stated. NOT recognized (per DPS chart): District of Columbia, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Wisconsin and the territories — MN and WI recognize Texas unilaterally, but Texas does not honor their licenses. Permitless carry (21+) covers most unlicensed visitors regardless.
Texas at a glance
- Permit
- Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)
- Issued by
- Texas Department of Public Safety (Handgun Licensing Program)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Resident minimum age
- 18
- Non-resident permits
- Issued
- Permitless carry
- Yes (21+)
- Duty to inform
- No
- Magazine limit
- None
Non-resident licenses available — Tex. Gov't Code 411.173(a) requires DPS to establish a procedure for legal residents of other states who meet all other eligibility requirements to obtain an LTC.
Vehicle carry
A handgun may be carried in one's own (or consented) vehicle without a license; if in plain view it must be holstered and the carrier 21+ or an LTC holder (Penal Code 46.02(a-1) as amended by HB 1927).
Off-limits places in Texas
- Schools, school activities and school transportation (Penal Code 46.03(a)(1))
- Polling places on election day or during early voting
- Government courts and court offices
- Secured areas of airports
- Businesses deriving 51%+ of income from on-premises alcohol sales
- Correctional and civil-commitment facilities
Frequently asked questions
- Which states honor a Texas carry permit?
- Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. The table on this page links to the detailed rules for each destination.
- Does Texas recognize out-of-state carry permits?
- Texas recognizes any valid handgun license from the listed states via agreement or unilateral proclamation, with no holder-residency condition stated. NOT recognized (per DPS chart): District of Columbia, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Vermont, Wisconsin and the territories — MN and WI recognize Texas unilaterally, but Texas does not honor their licenses. Permitless carry (21+) covers most unlicensed visitors regardless.
- Can I carry in Texas without a permit?
- Texas allows permitless concealed carry from age 21 for people who may legally possess a handgun, including eligible visitors.
- Do I have to tell police in Texas that I am carrying?
- No proactive duty — Gov't Code 411.205 requires a license holder carrying a handgun to display the LTC together with ID only when a magistrate or peace officer demands identification.
Official sources
- Texas DPS — State Reciprocity Information (full recognition chart) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — Firearm Carry Act of 2021 (HB 1927 permitless carry) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — LTC Eligibility FAQs (18-20-year-old applicants after FPC v. McCraw) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — Laws that Relate to Carrying FAQs (vehicle carry, 46.03 places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas Legislature — HB 1927 enrolled text (Penal Code 46.02, 46.03) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas Gov't Code ch. 411 (411.172 eligibility, 411.173 nonresident, 411.205 display) — accessed 2026-08-08