Texas gun laws 2026: what pistol and rifle buyers need to know

Texas is one of the simplest states in the country to buy a firearm in, and one of the most misunderstood when it comes to where you may carry it. This guide covers what a buyer needs to know in 2026: the purchase process, ages, carry with and without a license, the signs that bar carry, vehicles, magazines and the handful of things Texas restricts. It is general information as of September 2026, drawn from the Texas Penal Code, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife; it is not legal advice, and laws change, so check the official sources linked from our city pages. We are an independent online store, not affiliated with CZ-USA, and every firearm ships to your Texas FFL dealer.

Buying from a dealer

Texas has no permit to purchase, no registration and no state waiting period. At a licensed dealer you show government photo ID with your Texas address, complete ATF Form 4473 and pass the federal NICS check, which the dealer runs directly with the FBI. Federal age rules apply at a dealer: 21 for handguns, 18 for rifles and shotguns. A Texas License to Carry holder may present the LTC in place of the NICS check, because the LTC is an ATF-recognized alternative permit. When you buy online from us, the firearm ships to the Texas dealer you name and the process happens at pickup.

Private sales

Texas does not require a background check for private sales between residents, though it is illegal to sell to someone you know or should know is prohibited, and handgun sales to anyone under 18 without parental consent are barred. Many private sellers meet at a dealer and pay for a transfer anyway.

Carry without a license

Since September 1, 2021, Texans 21 and older who may lawfully possess a handgun may carry it openly in a holster or concealed without a license, under Penal Code chapter 46 as amended by House Bill 1927. The rule applies to residents and non-residents alike. It does not apply to anyone with a felony conviction, certain recent misdemeanors, a family-violence conviction or a protective order, or who is otherwise a prohibited person. A handgun carried openly must be in a holster.

The License to Carry

The Texas LTC, issued by the Department of Public Safety, is optional but still valuable. It is honored by more than 35 other states, it lets you skip the NICS check at a dealer, it permits carry in a few places that permitless carriers cannot enter, and it offers a defense to some carry offenses. Applicants must be 21 (18 for active military and some veterans), complete a 4- to 6-hour class with a shooting qualification, submit fingerprints and pay a fee that DPS reduced to $40 for most applicants. The LTC guide covers it in full.

Where you may not carry

Whether or not you have a license, handguns are barred from schools and school buses, polling places, courts and court offices, racetracks, secured airport areas, and places where high school, college or professional sporting events are held, among others listed in Penal Code 46.03. Bars that earn more than 51 percent of revenue from alcohol post a red 51% sign and are off limits. Hospitals, nursing homes, amusement parks and government meetings can bar carry with proper notice. Private businesses can bar carry with the signs described next.

30.05, 30.06 and 30.07 signs

A business that wants to exclude handguns posts specific notices: a 30.06 sign bars concealed carry by license holders, a 30.07 sign bars open carry by license holders, and, since 2021, a 30.05 sign bars permitless carriers. The signs must use the statutory wording in contrasting one-inch letters, in English and Spanish, to be enforceable against license holders. Carrying past a valid sign is a trespass offense, usually a Class C misdemeanor. Read the door before you walk in.

Vehicles

Texas has long allowed a handgun in a vehicle you own or control without a license, and the 2021 law extends that. The handgun may not be in plain view unless it is in a holster and the carrier is 21 and lawful. Long guns may be carried in a vehicle without restriction beyond the general carry rules. Employers generally cannot bar employees from keeping a firearm locked in a personal vehicle in the parking lot.

Long guns

Texas places no license requirement on rifles and shotguns and allows open carry of long guns in most public places, though displaying one in a manner calculated to alarm is disorderly conduct. Cities may not regulate this further; state law preempts local firearm ordinances.

Magazines and features

Texas has no magazine capacity limit and no assault-weapon law. Standard 17- to 19-round CZ P-10 and 75 magazines, Scorpion 30-round magazines and threaded barrels ship to Texas without restriction.

NFA items

Suppressors, short-barreled rifles and shotguns and other NFA items are legal in Texas with federal approval. We do not sell NFA items. A pistol-caliber Scorpion pistol with a brace or stock is subject to federal NFA rules regardless of Texas law; the CZ pistol guide and our product pages note where that applies.

Ammunition and storage

Ammunition ships to your door in Texas with no permit. Texas has a child-access prevention law: it is an offense to leave a readily dischargeable firearm where a child under 17 is likely to gain access, unless it is secured or the child's access is supervised. A safe or lock is the sensible answer in any household.

Hunting

Texas Parks and Wildlife sets seasons. For 2026-27 the general white-tailed deer season opens statewide on November 7, 2026, running to January 3, 2027 in the North Zone and January 17, 2027 in the South Zone, with archery in October and special late seasons in many counties. Any centerfire rifle or handgun is legal for deer; rimfire is not. Feral hogs have no season and no limit on private land. Hunting licenses are required and are sold online and at dealers. The CZ rifle guide covers rifles for Texas deer and varmints.

Non-residents and new Texans

A new resident may buy a handgun as soon as they have Texas identification with a Texas address. Non-residents may carry under the permitless rule if 21 and lawful, and may buy long guns from a Texas dealer if the sale is legal in their home state. Out-of-state permits are honored for carry under reciprocity agreements maintained by DPS.

Every one of our 22 Texas city pages lists the local pickup details and the nearest public ranges. For the pistols themselves, start with CZ 75 vs P-10 or the Shadow 2 guide, or browse all CZ.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.