Texas law makes some places always off-limits to firearms (both handguns and long guns). The law was amended in 2021 to remove the requirement to have a license to carry in order to carry a handgun. The amendment also consolidated the list of places where firearms are prohibited.
As of 2021, Texas law no longer requires people to have a license to carry (LTC) in order to carry a handgun in most public places.
As a Texan: Yes, Texas does allow for the Constitutional Right to legally carry a loaded RIFLE in your vehicle, unless you are otherwise prohibited from possession of said rifle. We also allow Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Protects Against Illegal Search And Seizure, and the Right to a Fair Trial.
Texas Gun Laws “Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.”
§ 922(g)(1), which prohibits the possession of a firearm by a person convicted of “a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year,” violates the Second Amendment (at least as applied to certain nonviolent offenders).
Texas Gun Laws “Every citizen shall have the right to keep and bear arms in the lawful defense of himself or the State; but the Legislature shall have power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms, with a view to prevent crime.”
2021 Unlicensed Carry Law As of 2021, Texas law no longer requires people to have a license to carry (LTC) in order to carry a handgun in most public places. See our Carry of Firearms page for more info on this new law.
A full restoration of rights, however, can only be achieved by submitting an application to the Clemency Section of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Without being granted a pardon, a felon's right to possess a firearm is limited to the place where they are living.
Section 46.04 of the Texas Penal Code makes it illegal for someone convicted of a felony to possess a firearm. If more than 5 years have passed since completing their prison sentence (including parole or probation), the law allows possessing a firearm at home. Federal law does not contain that exception.