What Are the Permits and Licenses Required for Gun Possession in Texas?

Texas is seen as a unique state for gun control laws, simply because it is viewed as having more lenient regulations on gun possession. This is no excuse for not knowing the laws as a Texas native who owns a gun; all state citizens should be aware of the necessary permits and licenses that are needed or not needed in order to legally carry a firearm.

What Permits and Licenses Do I Need to Own a Gun?

There are four general aspects of gun control that every state needs to follow in order to ensure that people are legally carrying their firearms in a safe manner. These aspects are: permit to purchase, registration of firearms, licensing of owners, and permit to carry. For the state of Texas, you do not need a permit to purchase, a firearms registration or a gun owning license for rifles, shotguns, or handguns. However, Texas gun owners do need a permit to carry handguns, but not rifles and shotguns. If a Texas police officer finds that you are carrying a handgun knowingly and/or recklessly, you could be immediately arrested and subject to heavy fines and jail time. It is also illegal to possess, manufacture, transport, repair or sell a machine gun, explosive firearm, shore-barreled weapon or silencer in Texas, under the National Firearms Act.

If you have been charged with carrying a handgun or using a deadly weapon in association with another crime, you will need to hire a skilled criminal defense lawyer to represent you in criminal court. Contact the Goolsby Law Firm today for a free initial discussion of your case.