Texas License to Carry Instructor Resouces
May 2024 Update: The Texas Department of Public Safety has released the new LTC-104 training certificate for the License to Carry class. Refer to the “DPS Forms” section below for more details.
Whether you have been teaching the License to Carry class for years or are a new instructor, this page provides LTC resources and valuable information to help instructors.
Please contact us with any questions:
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Disclaimer:
All of the materials shared here is a combination of information available straight from DPS as well as information learned over the years from teaching LTC classes. None of this is legal advice and information provided does not supersede anything from DPS Regulatory Services Division.
If there is information missing that you believe would be beneficial to add to this page, please let me know. This was created to help LTC instructors and in turn, help students.
Teaching the LTC Class
This section provides details about the in-person license to carry class (which is very similar to the online class requirements), including material to cover, test info, class checklists and more. Select the dropdowns below for further information.
LTC Class requirements can be found in Texas Government Code 411.188.
Minimum Classroom Time: 4 hours
Maximum Classroom Time: 6 hours
- The class must be taught inside the state of Texas. No traveling out of state.
- Guest instructors (non-LTC instructors) may not teach the class.
- Recorded presentations are not allowed. The instructor must present the material in person.
- All required topics must be covered.
- Student handouts are not required but are recommended
DPS RSD provides a details LTC course outline for all LTC instructors. Click HERE to download it. The password can be found on the back of your LTC instructor certificate from DPS.
Once the classroom portion is completed, the proficiency demonstration is next. Please go to the proficiency demonstration section below for details.
Standard accepted teaching methods are allowed for the presentation of the LTC class.
- Power point presentations are not required but highly recommended.
The LTC PowerPoint created and sold by The Texas Handgun Association is a great resource for being able to use a PowerPoint without needing to create it yourself.
Using the LTC course outline provided by DPS is the best way to create your own presentation and ensure you are covering all of the required material.
Modules to teach and time required:
- Module 1 ‐ Laws that relate to weapons and to the use of deadly force
- 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours long
- Module 2 ‐ Handgun use and safety
- 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes long
- Module 3 – Non‐violent dispute resolution
- 45 minutes to 1 hour long
- Module 4 ‐ Proper storage practices for handguns
- 45 minutes to 1 hour long
The test that comes at the end of the presentation is a 25 question multiple choice and true/false test. The test has been created by Texas DPS and instructors are not to change the questions.
Please make sure to have enough test copies available for all the students in your class. As students complete the test and hand it in, start grading it immediately. Bring an answer key with you to quickly reference the correct test answers. Mark answers that the student got wrong so they can review later and then simply mark the test as pass or fail.
- The test must be administered by an LTC instructor.
- Can only be taken by students after all of the classroom instruction has been presented/completed.
- Cannot be taken as a group. Must be done individually.
- No time requirement.
- Testing time cannot be included as part of the classroom presentation time.
- Test questions and answers cannot be provided to students, but reviews can be done after modules and before the test.
- After tests are scored, students should be able to review questions they missed with instructors.
- Students cannot take the test home and should be maintained by the instructor.
- Tests can be given orally to students who may have difficulty completing it in a written format.
Actual test scores are not maintained or recorded with Texas DPS. An instructor that issues an LTC-100 or LTC-101 is certifying that the student has passed the test.
Students are allowed 3 total attempts to pass the test. A review of material is encouraged between test attempts. If the student fails the test 3 times, the classroom portion must be marked as “fail” on the LTC-8. See the “DPS Forms” section below for further submission details.
The below outline is an example of a schedule setup by an LTC instructor for the day of their LTC class. Feel free to use it and modify it to fit your class. Breaks can be moved around as needed. DPS does not allow break time to be included within the required 4 hour class time.
Classroom
8:45 AM – Check-in and student arrival – sign liability waivers
9:00 AM – Begin presentation of Module 1
10:45 AM – 15 min break
11:00 AM – Module 2 presentation
12:15 PM – Lunch. Fill out LTC-100’s during lunch and take pictures for your record.
12:45 PM – Module 3 presentation
1:30 PM – 15 min break
1:45 PM – Module 4 presentation
2:30 PM – Exam/test
2:45 PM – Exam review and overview of proficiency demonstration (shooting qualification)
3:00 PM – Range safety brief and head to range
Range
3:15 PM – Complete shooting qualification
3:30 PM – Pass out signed LTC-100 certificates to all passing students before they leave.
There are certain items, including paperwork and equipment, that you will need to remember to bring and complete on the day of your LTC class. Based on our experience teaching the in-person and online LTC classes, we have created two checklists that you may find helpful.
For PDF fillable version of these checklists, please email us.
The following supplies are either required or recommended for conducting a License to Carry class. Links for where to purchase these items are also included:
- B27 targets – depending on how you are mounting these targets, you can either get cardboard B27’s or paper B27 targets. Just know which you need before heading to the range.
- Disposable Foam Ear Plugs – You will have students that forget hearing protection. Having extra foam earplugs like the ones in the link below are worth having.
- Red Training Pistol – A training pistol is an extremely useful to for the classroom. It is the safest way to demonstrate handgun use without using a real gun.
- Dummy Rounds – Demonstrate safe loading, unloading and malfunction clearing.
- Sight Alignment Training Aid – Having a visual aid for pistol sight alignment is extremely helpful for inexperienced shooters. The visual aid linked below from trainingsights.com is a great tool to have.
For every LTC class that is done, you will need to complete one LTC-8 form and an LTC-104 for every passing student. The LTC-8 is the only form that you will submit to Texas DPS RSD as an instructor. It is required to be completed and submitted within 5 days after the LTC class is done.
Students are required to submit their own LTC-104 to DPS. Instructors are not to submit the LTC-104 on behalf of the student.
- LTC-8 Download
- Once a class you teach is completed, fill out this form with each students information. Check the pass/fail box for each student.
- If your student completed the online LTC class and you completed the proficiency demonstration with them only, leave the “Classroom” check boxes blank.
- LTC-104 Download
- This is the certificate each student must receive at the successful completion of an in person LTC class.
- Each part of the form can be completed by a different LTC instructor.
- For students that only completed the range instruction and proficiency demonstration, leave the classroom portion blank.
- These are students that may have completed the online LTC class, but do not have an LTC-101 / LTC-104 with them to show it.
- The Range Instruction and Proficiency Demonstration can be completed separately from the classroom training and done on its own LTC-104.
- Texas DPS allows students upload 2 separate certificates. One for the classroom training and one for the range portion.
- Instructors must retain a copy for 6 years
Once you fill out the LTC-104 for the student, a copy needs to be made. Texas DPS requires instructors to retain a copy for 6 years. Digital copies are acceptable, and the student will retain the original. The easiest way to make a copy is to use a document scanner app on your smartphone or tablet. This makes the process quick and easy, especially when you may be a at a range/classroom without a scanner or copier machine.
License to Carry FAQ / Q&A - For Instructors
The LTC-104, LTC-100, and LTC-101 are all valid for 2 years from the earliest date printed on the form.
Student must complete their LTC application and submit the form to DPS before the 2 years is up.
Not at all! Texas issues non-resident LTC’s. However, any in-person LTC training is required to be completed inside of Texas. You cannot travel out of state to conduct LTC classes.
Once someone has completed the online course and has their LTC-104 or LTC-101 certificate, a proficiency demonstration needs to be completed. This can be done with any LTC instructor. This is the shooting portion to get your LTC.
Please see the proficiency demonstration section below for details on what to do.
Please go to this page for detailed instructions. Feel free to share this link with students as well.
3 attempts are allowed by DPS to complete the test. If the student fails all 3 attempts, it must be reported to DPS by selecting the “fail’ option on the LTC-8 form.
According to DPS, LTC holders have 1 year after the expiration date to renew the license without having to retake the class. If the LTC is more than one year expired, the class has to be taken again and a new LTC application submitted.
Whether the student completed thein person LTC class or online LTC class, the proficiency demonstration is the next step in the students training.
Please refer to the Proficiency Demonstration section below for more details.
Please see the Proficiency Demonstration section below for details.
This is going to depend on a few things. DPS does allow retakes, however it will be up to you, the LTC instructor, to determine if one is allowed or not.
If the handgun was handled safely, a retake may be allowed. If the reason for failing was due to safety violations, you can require the student take a safety course before being able to shoot the qualification again.
It depends on a few things. Active duty military and veterans, as well as other professions, may be exempt from the proficiency demonstration (shooting qualification). Please check the tool HERE.
These students that qualify for the exemption would only need the classroom portion of the LTC class to be completed.
The below items are just some examples of things to never say or tell students. They are incorrect/wrong statements and will also create liability for you. Also, remember that LTC instructors are not supposed to provide legal advice to students. We are not lawyers.
And yes, I have heard instructors state most of these statements below:
- “Always shoot to kill”
- “Dead people can’t talk”
- “If you take my LTC class and end up shooting someone, I will refund your class cost”
- “Appendix carry is dangerous and should never be used”
- “Serpa holsters are safe”
- “Just shoot a warning shot”
Online Class
Contrary to what many instructors believe, the online LTC class and online training in general, help firearm instructors and are positive for the industry as a whole. Quality online courses compliment in person training, bringing more students to instructors and increasing student knowledge.
A big misconception is that online firearms classes reduce the quality of training that students receive and takes away from in-person courses for local instructors.
Simply put, this is not the case and could not be farther from the truth.
With over 200 firearm instructor partnerships and 56,000+ students completing our online classes, we have received lots of feedback from students and instructors. We have found that, with quality online training, the online classes are a win-win-win for the students, instructors and online course provider. By providing online courses along with in-person classes, instructors receive more class sign-ups and ultimately have more students coming to them.
Online classes are not intended to replace and will never be able to replace in-person classes. Instead, the online classes compliment in-person classes. Many students are too timid to sign up for an in-person class or do not feel like they have enough experience (when in fact, none may be needed). But by taking an online class first, that student will then have more confidence to continue training with an in-person class.
I have never met a firearm instructor that got into the business of teaching for the money. Most instructors are passionate about what they do and want to genuinely help students further their skills.
Regardless of why you may have started instructing, everyone has bills to pay. If you can increase your revenue stream without compromising the quality of training you offer or creating more work for yourself, wouldn’t you want to take that opportunity?
This is where quality professional online firearm classes come in, such as the classes we offer through OnlineTexasLTC.com. When you provide our classes to your students, not only does your student receive quality instruction to help them, but you receive passive income from the sale of every class.
Our classes are designed to help students understand firearm safety and cover classroom discussion topics, allowing you to focus more on developing and furthering the student’s skills on the range.
Whether online or in-person, the quality of training a student receives is only as good as what the instructor is able to provide. At OnlineTexasLTC.com, we are passionate about training and allowing students to receive high quality training through our platform. Our instructors also recognize and fully agree with the fact that online training will never replace in-person classes.
Both of the firearm instructors that we use, Eric and Joel, either are current or prior firearm instructors for a large municipal police department in Texas. With real world experience and professional development as an instructor, students will always receive quality training in an environment that sets realistic expectations for what online classes are capable of providing.
Not at all. Online classes will ultimately bring more students into your in-person classes.
With 200+ instructor partnerships and 56,000+ students, I can confidently say that online classes will not take away from in-person classes.
At OnlineTexasLTC.com, we currently have the following online firearms classes available:
- Online Texas License to Carry Class: this is the approved online LTC class for the state of Texas. It is by far our most popular class and has helped us grow the platform we have today.
- Online LTC Refresher Class: this class was designed for people that already have their LTC/CHL and want to update themselves on new laws and regulations regarding the LTC.
- Permitless Carry Online Class: designed for individuals that do not want to get their LTC, but want to make sure they are being responsible by following the laws and regulations surrounding Texas permitless carry.
- Basic Gun Safety 101 Online: as a practical gun safety class, this 40 minute course covers safe handling, loading, unloading, safe storage and more for multiple firearm types. This class is free for everyone.
Classes coming soon:
- Concealed Carry Fundamentals: designed students that want to concealed carry but don’t know where to start. This course helps with holster, pistol and ammo selection, carry methods, basics of how to draw from concealment and more.
- Handgun Fundamentals: this will show the student proper grip, stance, sight alignment, safety and more.
- Rifle Fundaments: proper grip, stance, sight alignment, safety and more for popular rifle platforms.
Yes. The instructor, Joel Kuchenski, is an LTC Instructor and approved online course provider with Texas DPS RSD. Certificates can be provided upon request.
The online class has the same time requirements as the in-person LTC class. The class is mandated by Texas DPS to be a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 6 hours. The OnlineTexasLTC.com class is about 4.5 hours long. You do not have to take the entire 4.5 hour class in one sitting.
The class can be taken on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. It can be started and stopped as many times as needed. 6 months is provided to complete the class.
Yes. Students do not have to be in Texas to take the Online LTC class. According to Texas DPS, the online class can be taken from absolutely anywhere. The proficiency demonstration (shooting portion), just has to be completed in Texas.
DPS Forms
Weather it is your 1st time or 100th time teaching the License to Carry class, it can be very rewarding and fun to take your students through this journey.
As of May 2024, Texas DPS is still accepting the LTC-100 and LTC-101 certificates of training while the LTC-104 is being introduced. At this time, there is no specific date in place for when the old forms will no longer be accepted.
For every LTC class that is done or proficiency demonstration for online students, you will need to complete one LTC-8 form. The LTC-8 is the only form that you will submit to Texas DPS RSD as an instructor. It is required to be completed and submitted within 5 days after the completion date.
- LTC-8 Download
- Fill out this form with each students information. Check the pass/fail box for each student.
- If your student completed the online LTC class and you completed the proficiency demonstration with them only, leave the “Classroom” check boxes blank.
- LTC-100 Download
- This is the certificate each student must receive at the successful completion of an in person LTC class.
- Each part of the form can be completed by a different LTC instructor.
- For students that only completed the range instruction and proficiency demonstration, leave the classroom portion blank.
- These are students that may have completed the online LTC class, but do not have an LTC-101 with them.
- Instructors must retain a copy for 6 years
Once you fill out the LTC-100 for the student, a copy needs to be made. TX DPS requires instructors to retain a copy for 6 years. Digital copies of the LTC-100 are acceptable, and the student can retain the original.
The easiest way to make a copy is to use a document scanner app on your smartphone or tablet in order to take a picture of the paper. This makes the process quick and easy, especially when you may be a at a range/classroom when a scanner or copier machine is not available or convenient. Simply take a picture of the certificate, save it in on your phone or computer, and give the original to the student.
LTC-101 certificates are only issued to students who have successfully completed the online LTC class. You will never need a blank LTC-101 unless you are an approved online course provider.
If a student wants to complete the proficiency demonstration only and does not have an LTC-101 certificate, you will use an LTC-100 certificate. As the LTC instructor, you will complete and sign off on the “Range Instruction” and “Proficiency Demonstration” portions of the LTC-100. Leave the “Classroom Training” section at the top blank.
LTC-104 certificate of completion was introduced in May of 2024. It replaces both the LTC-100 and the LTC-101.
Regardless of whether the License to Carry classroom training was completed in-person or online, the LTC-104 is what will be used. The form is extremely similar to the previous certificates, with the primary change being a new checkbox that will indicate whether the classroom training was completed in-person or online with an OCP (online course provider).
The form still contains 3 primary sections that need to be completed before being submitted:
- Classroom Training
- Range Instruction
- Proficiency Demonstration
Once these sections are filled out by an LTC instructor and the bottom is signed by the student, it can be submitted by the student to Texas DPS.
Proficiency Demonstration
After the classroom portion of the LTC training is completed (regardless if the student completed it online or in-person), every student will need to complete the following 2 parts to finish their LTC training:
- Range Instruction
- Proficiency Demonstration
Range Instruction
- Texas DPS requires the student to go through 1-2 hours of “Range Instruction”. Because there are no specifics on what this exactly needs to be, there is a lot of flexibility for instructors.
- Can be completed in the classroom or on the range.
- Cannot include the shooting qualification itself.
- Range safety, briefing and covering student questions for the LTC can be included in the required time.
- Unless the student needs more time, most instructors keep this at 1 hour long only.
Proficiency Demonstration
- This is the actual shooting qualification for the LTC.
- Students are not required to use a handgun they personally own.
- 22lr pistols can be used for the qualification.
- Each student will need 50 rounds of ammunition for the course of fire.
- You will need B27 targets for each student.
- Exact qualification scores are not recorded for each student. DPS only needs a “pass” or “fail” status.
- Students must not only be able to pass the qualification, but be able to safely and effectively operate a handgun.
- This includes safe loading, unloading and manipulating the safety features of the gun.
- Range safety officers may assist the LTC instructor with keeping the range safe.
- Range safety is the responsibility of the LTC instructor.
The range instruction and proficiency demonstration must be completed by an LTC instructor, including the course of fire for the qualification. Once completed, the LTC instructor will sign off on these sections of the LTC certificate (LTC-104).
Below is the course of fire for the qualification. Please remember to be patient with student and be sure they understand each string of fire. Many students will not be familiar with range commands and will have a difficult time hearing, especially if there is surrounding gunfire.
Stage 1: Twenty shots (20) will be fired from 3 yards – fired in 3 sages.
1. Five (5) shots fired in a “One Shot Exercise” 2 seconds allowed for each shot.
2. Ten shots (10) fired in a “Two Shot Exercise” 3 seconds allowed for each two shot sequence.
3. Five (5) shots fired in 10 seconds
Stage 2: Twenty shots (20) will be fired from 7 yards – fired in 5 stages.
1. Five (5) shots will be fired in 10 seconds
2. Two (2) shots will be fired in 4 seconds
3. Three (3) shots will be fired in 6 seconds
4. Five (5) shots fired in a “One Shot Exercise” 3 seconds allowed for each shot.
5. Five (5) shots fired in 15 seconds.
Stage 3: Ten shots (10) fired from 15 yards – fired in 3 stages.
1. Two (2) shots fired in 6 seconds.
2. Three (3) shots fired in 9 seconds.
3. Five (5) shots fired in 15 seconds.
Students must score a minimum of 175 out of 250 possible points to pass the qualification.
Scoring:
- 8 ring all the way to the X: 5 points.
- Shown with blue in the photo.
- Inside the 7 ring: 4 points.
- Shown with red in the photo.
- Outside the 7 ring, but still in the green of the silhouette: 3 points.
- Outside the silhouette (and target): 0 points.
——>
With a sharpie or marker, put a small line through each bullet hole in the target as you add up the shots. Add all holes in the 8 ring and in, then multiply by 5. Add all the holes in the 7 ring, then multiply by 4. Add all the holes in the body and outside the 7 ring, then multiply by 3. Add your 3 numbers together to get the final score.
As long as the final score is 175 or more, the student passed.
For the most detailed information, please refer to the DPS Forms section above.
As the LTC instructor, you will need to fill out and sign both the “Range Instruction” and “Proficiency Demonstration” portions of the LTC-104, LTC-100 or LTC-101.
Instructor Renewal
Instructors are required to renew their LTC Instructor License every 2 years. To submit a renewal with DPS, please use the below link and sign in as a returning user.
https://txapps.texas.gov/txapp/txdps/ltc/
Please make sure to refer to the LTC instructor renewal email sent by DPS for instructions. Information specified in the email is sometimes different than what the renewal letter in the mail states.
If you have other certifications through the LTC program, such as School Safety Instructor or On-Duty First Responder Instructor, those should auto renew with your LTC instructor renewal.
Take the Texas License to Carry, also referred to as the concealed handgun license or concealed carry permit, wherever and whenever you want and at your own pace! No more sitting in crowded classrooms with people you don’t know.
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