Texas LTC for 18 Year Olds: Practical Carry Guide for Your First Year

Texas LTC for 18 Year Olds – Carry Smarter, Safer, and Within the Law

1. The Big Shift: From Cardholder to Competent Carrier

Securing your License to Carry at 18 was the easy part—especially after the 2022 FPC v. McCraw decision that forced Texas to honor young adults’ carry rights. firearmspolicy.orgtexastribune.org
Now the real work begins: building habits that keep you compliant, confident, and lawsuit-proof.

2. Secure Your Carry – Home Storage Basics

Even constitutional carry can’t shield you from the civil and criminal fallout of negligent storage. Texas Penal Code §46.13 makes it a crime if a child gains access to your unsecured firearm. The smartest fix is a fast-access bedside or closet safe—gun locked, ammo separate. (See image above for a compact electronic model.)

Pro tip: Record the serial number and snap photos. If the firearm is lost or stolen, police can enter it into NCIC immediately.

3. Concealment Etiquette: Blending Into Daily Life

Texas allows open carry only when the firearm is fully holstered; on college campuses you lose that option altogether—zero printing, zero flashing. sll.texas.gov

Quick checks before leaving home

• Do a full-length mirror turn—look for grip or mag base peeking.
• Choose belts rated at least 1.5″ wide, 14 oz. leather or reinforced nylon.
• Lean forward and reach upward; if the gun becomes visible, adjust or change wardrobe.

4. Travel Smart – Crossing County or State Lines

A glove box isn’t a gun case. For interstate trips:

1. Unloaded handgun into locked case (hard-shell or metal)—magazines out.
2. Ammo separate (federal safe-passage rule, 18 U.S.C. §926A).
3. Case in trunk or furthest rear compartment if it’s an SUV.
4. Paperwork: LTC card + driver license + car insurance in the same pouch.

Thirty-plus states honor a Texas LTC, but always confirm reciprocity before wheels roll. dps.texas.gov

5. Police Encounters: Words, Hands, Paper

• Hands: 10-and-2 on the wheel, interior lights on at night.
• Words: “Officer, I’m licensed to carry and currently armed. How would you like me to proceed?”
• Paper: Present LTC with your ID; under Texas Transportation Code §601, you’re not required to surrender the firearm unless asked.

Most officers appreciate the upfront notice; they’re trained for it.

6. Keep Training – The 90-Day Skill Loop

1. Dry-fire (weekly): 10 minutes, finger off trigger until sights settle.
2. Live-fire (monthly): 100-round “dot torture” or 50-round LTC qual to track drift.
3. Scenario class (quarterly): Force-on-paper or low-light clinic to stress-test judgment.

Yes, your LTC card cut NICS wait times, but competence isn’t a laminate. In Focus Training’s weekend Skill Builder blocks—all ages, LTC required—fill fast.

7. Rookie Pitfalls to Avoid

Campus carry slip-ups: Exposure = academic discipline + Class C ticket.

Mexican carry (no holster)—unsafe and a holster is legally presumed under §46.02.

Self-made mods without a gunsmith—malfunctions at exactly the wrong moment.

Brandishing on social: Texas Penal Code §42.01 (disorderly conduct) can land a Class B misdemeanor.

Ready to Level Up?

Sign up for our self-paced Texas Online LTC Course: https://infocus-training.com/texas-online-license-to-carry/

Prefer face-to-face coaching and a guided range day? Book an in-person class here: https://infocus-training.com/tx-license-to-carry-in-person/

Your LTC opened the door. How you carry determines whether you walk through it safely—and legally—every single day. Train with us, carry smarter, and own your responsibility.

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