Texas Gun Laws
Gun Laws Overview
RIFLES & SHOTGUNS | HANDGUNS | |
---|---|---|
Permit to Purchase | No | No |
Registration of Firearms | No | No |
Licensing of Owners | No | No |
Permit to Carry | No | No |
The list and map below are included as a tool to assist you in validating your information. We have made every effort to report the information correctly, however reciprocity and recognition agreements are subject to frequent change. The information is not intended as legal advice or a restatement of law and does not include: restrictions that may be placed on non-resident permits, individuals under the age of 21, qualifying permit classes, and/or any other factor which may limit reciprocity and/or recognition. For any particular situation, a licensed local attorney must be consulted for an accurate interpretation. YOU MUST ABIDE WITH ALL LAWS: STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL. Texas only honors licenses or permits of individuals who are 21 years of age or over. |
STATE STATUS | |
---|---|
Castle Doctrine | Enacted |
No-Net Loss | No Legislation |
Right to Carry Confidentiality | Provisions Enacted |
Right to Carry in Restaurants | Partial Ban |
Right To Carry Laws | No Permit Required |
Right To Carry Reciprocity and Recognition | Conditional Recognition |
Right to Keep & Bear Arms State Constitutional Provisions | With Provisions |
Laws on Purchase, Possession and Carrying of Firearms
Antiques and Replicas
Antique or curio guns manufactured before 1899 and replicas thereof which do not use rim fire or center fire ammunition are not included in the definition of “firearm” as it is used in Texas Penal Code Title 10, Chapter 46, which governs weapons. |
Carry
A person commits an offense of unlawfully carrying a weapon if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries a handgun on or about his or her person unless the person is on one's own premise or premises under the person's control or inside of or directly en route to a motor vehicle that is owned by the person or under the person's control. MORE |
Machine Guns
It is unlawful to possess, manufacture, transport, repair or sell a machine gun, explosive weapon, short-barreled firearm, or silencer. Federal registration of such an item under the National Firearms Act is a defense to this prohibition. |
Miscellaneous
A violation of the state’s firearms laws that occurs within 300 feet of a school or on premises where a school function is taking place shall result in an increased punishment. MORE |
Purchase
A Texas resident, if not otherwise precluded by law, may purchase rifles and shotguns, ammunition, reloading components, or firearms accessories in contiguous states. MORE |
Possession
No state license is required to possess a rifle, shotgun or handgun. There are restrictions on possession by a person: convicted of a felony or a Class A misdemeanor involving the person’s family or household; or subject to certain orders issued under the Family Code or Code of Criminal Procedure. |
Preemption
Tex. Local Gov't Code § 229.001 (2002) |
Monday, November 1, 2004
When Tuan Minh Coa Tran was leaving the Houston, Tex., convenience store where he worked, he found himself ...
Monday, November 1, 2004
When two assailants invaded his Conroe, Tex., home and threatened his wife with a knife, the homeowner quickly ...
Monday, November 1, 2004
After seeing a man leave the Dallas, Tex., Internet cafe they were about to open, two employees contacted ...
Monday, November 1, 2004
Seeing an armed man enter the Dallas, Tex., gas station that had been the scene of prior robberies, ...
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Tom DeLay is a marked man. If there were ever any doubt, last week settled it. There were ...
Friday, October 1, 2004
When a Bowie County, Tex., homeowner pulled into the driveway of his home, he caught four burglars red-handed. ...
Wednesday, September 1, 2004
When a man fleeing from police forced his way into a Tyler, Tex., home, the homeowner retrieved his ...
Friday, August 27, 2004
On August 30, the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) and NRA will be presenting a Hunter/Gun Owner Seminar ...
Friday, August 13, 2004
This week, Governor Rick Perry (R) signed a Concealed Handgun License reciprocal agreement with the State of Idaho, ...
Monday, August 9, 2004
Chicken Little arrives every four years in a feather-ruffled flurry squawking about some kind of impending doom. This ...