Texas-Book-Gun Law Armed And Educated - Flipbook - Page 258
III. THE LTC APPLICATION AND PROCESS
A. The LTC application
A Texas LTC application packet containing all required information
is necessary to obtain a license. The packet must be completed and
submitted to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The packet
can be downloaded and printed out or completed electronically at
the Texas DPS website. Either method of submission is acceptable
as applicants can begin the application process online, or they can
print the application forms and mail them back to the DPS. The
application requires personal identifying information including a
valid driver’s license or identification card; current demographic,
address, and contact information; residential and employment
information for the last five years; a valid email address; as well as
personal background information, including information regarding
any psychiatric, drug, alcohol, or criminal history from the applicant
as described in Section 411.174 of the Texas Government Code.
Back in 2017, the Texas Legislature added an incentive for Texans
to get their Texas LTC by lowering the application fee from $140
to the true cost of processing the application, $40. This is one of
the lowest fees for a handgun license in the United States. See Tex.
Gov’t Code § 411.174(6).
The process of completing the application requires a person to
answer every question on the application—whether completed
online or by hand. In addition, after the application has been
submitted electronically, or DPS is in receipt of a paper application,
applicants are required to submit fingerprints to DPS as part of a
background check. LTC applicants must submit fingerprints
electronically, unless the applicant resides in a county having
a population of less than 46,000 and the applicant does not
reside within a 25-mile radius of a facility with the capability to
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