Does TX honor my CC Permit

[zx10r07]

I am traveling to Texas for Vacation in a couple months and would like to carry with me if at all possible. I was just wondering if any TX LEO's could inform me if TX honored my Indiana carry permit. I did a quick google search and came up with some website that were outdated, so I thought I would ask here to get a better answer. Thanks in Advance, Mike

[Five-0]

I've been looking into this since your PM on SSU. Here is what I have found from the State of Texas Attorney General's website:

Texas Attorney General


Concealed Handgun License Recognition

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

My office frequently receives letters about the Texas concealed handgun license law. Many of these come from people who plan to travel in our state and want to know if the concealed carry permit issued by their home state will be valid here. As law enforcement officials, you may encounter visitors who hold out-of-state concealed handgun permits.


We also receive inquiries, many from law enforcement officers, about whether Texas permits are valid in other states. This question is more difficult to answer, as the laws of other states change on a regular basis. Some do not recognize permits from other states, and those that do often have detailed provisions about what kinds of permits are recognized and when and where concealed weapons may be carried.


I hope this column will assist you in determining which permits are valid and which are not. This information is current and accurate as of May 19, 2005, but remember that Texas statutes and the laws of other states are subject to change at any time. Please note that this column addresses only citizen-held permits. As a law enforcement officer, different laws may apply to you. For more information, contact the Enforcement Division of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, at (512) 936-7700.


New Process for Out-of-State License Recognition


In 2003, the Texas Legislature amended the concealed carry statute to say that the governor shall declare other states’ CHL permits valid in Texas if they meet certain legal and procedural requirements. The principal statutory requirement for recognition is that, as part of the concealed handgun licensing procedure, permit applicants in the other state must undergo a specific background check that looks at whether they are eligible to possess a firearm under federal law before they can get a permit.


When Texas and another state each declare the other’s permits to be valid, the Texas governor and an official from the other state sign a mutual recognition agreement. The governor issues a unilateral proclamation when Texas recognizes another state’s CHL permit but the other state does not recognize Texas permits. In revising the law, the legislature deleted a requirement that other states recognize Texas permits as a condition of their permits being valid here. If another state’s CHL permits meet the requirements set in Texas law, the governor is required to affirm that the permits are valid here, either by unilateral proclamation or through a mutual recognition agreement.


This law, Government Code Section 411.173, instructs the Attorney General to determine whether permits issued by other states qualify for recognition in Texas. Pursuant to this statute, my office has been reviewing the laws and practices of all other states to determine whether they meet the eligibility requirements for recognition in Texas. As a result of this review, the State of Texas currently recognizes valid concealed handgun licenses from 22 other states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming. Texas law enforcement officials across the state are notified immediately, via teletype issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), when another state’s permit is declared valid by the governor and all the paperwork has become official. Members of the public are notified through the DPS website, www.txdps.state.tx.us, which is usually updated on the same day.


My office is currently reviewing the laws of the remaining states to determine their eligibility. Some states may not qualify for recognition because their eligibility standards are different from those required by Texas (e.g., they don’t fully verify the applicant’s eligibility under federal law before issuing a permit), or because they simply don’t issue concealed handgun licenses to the public. As of May 19, 2005, the ineligibility list includes Alabama, Illinois*, Kansas*, Missouri, Nebraska*, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont*, Washington, and Wisconsin*. (States with an asterisk don’t currently issue concealed handgun permits, although Vermont allows anyone to carry a handgun without a permit, whether concealed or not.)


Please remember that this information is currently valid, but may change at any time. If you are planning to travel to another state, contact law enforcement officials there to verify local rules for carrying a concealed firearm.


Not All Permits Valid; Some Restrictions


In some cases, other states issue several types of concealed carry permits (temporary vs. permanent, statewide or county, etc.). Not all of those licenses may be valid in Texas. For example, Connecticut has both state-issued, permanent permits,which qualify for Texas recognition, and temporary paper permits known as ‘60-day permits’ issued by local authorities, which do not qualify for recognition. Any special limitations like that will be noted on the face of the mutual recognition agreement or unilateral proclamation, available from the DPS website. Again, that’s www.txdps.state.tx.us. If you are unsure about the validity of an out-of-state concealed carry permit, check the website or contact the Concealed Handgun Licensing Bureau at DPS for assistance, at (512) 424-7293.


Even if another state’s license is recognized here, the license holder is still subject to the regular rules and regulations governing concealed carry in Texas. For instance, another state’s license may be a “weapons” permit, entitling the holder to carry a wide range of firearms, or may allow someone under 21 to carry. While in Texas, that license holder may carry only a “handgun” as defined by Texas law and must be 21, just like Texas license holders, among other requirements.


What About Texans?


Having a Texas concealed handgun license does not automatically permit the holder to carry a weapon in another state, even if Texas recognizes the other state’s license. For instance, four of the states that Texas recognizes as valid - Connecticut, Nevada, New Mexico and Iowa - do not recognize permits from Texas or any other state.


A Texas license is only valid if the other state recognizes Texas permits. If you plan to travel to another state with a handgun, you should contact each state you plan to enter to see whether your permit will be honored and to find out what limits or conditions the other state may place on the carrying of concealed weapons. Remember that the OAG and other Texas authorities have no control over whether Texas permits are declared valid by other states, nor over the conditions or limits of use that other states may set on non-resident permit holders. My office only determines whether permits from other states should be recognized in Texas.





Greg Abbott
Attorney General of Texas



Pay particular attention the parts I bolded, underlined, and colored red. Call the number and see if your IN CCL is valid in TX and see if the weapon you will be carrying is permitted under TX law. I would get a copy of the statues that apply to you if you will be carrying so you can show it if you run into any problems. If you IN CCL is not valid in TX you can see if a temporary TX CCL is avaliable to you. Let us know. Would love to hear from some TX LEOs on this.

[zx10r07]

A friend in TX sent me this link, so it looks like IN may have been added after the above column was wrote.

Texas Department of Public Safety - Courtesy, Service, Protection

Correct me if I am wrong, but that link would say that my permit is honored, correct?

[Five-0]

I would say yes. I would also print out 2 copies of the pdf file for the State of Indiana found on that link. Laminate one copy for you to keep. The other copy is to give out if to anyone that you may be stopped by while in TX. I know AL has many such agreements with other states. I cannot tell you all the states off the top of my head. If you are doing things right no one will know you are carrying, but if it becomes an issue I would have my documentation in order. Texas is Texas, so I don't see you having a problem.

[zx10r07]

Thanks, and I am going to call the Attorney General before the trip, just to make sure.

[NC Bullseye]

If you check here you should be good to go.

HandgunLaw.US

It also gives you the links to all of the state web sites.

[RemingtonBPD]

If you are a LEO aren't you covered in any state under HR218? I think as long as you hold a current certification from your department, and maintain your credentials with you at all times you should be covered.

http://www.leaa.org/218/218text.html

[zx10r07]

If you are a LEO aren't you covered in any state under HR218? I think as long as you hold a current certification from your department, and maintain your credentials with you at all times you should be covered.

H.R. 218 Final Text

Thanks, but an LEO, I am not.

[MacLean]

If you check here you should be good to go.

HandgunLaw.US

It also gives you the links to all of the state web sites.

I suggest using those sites only as a reference, and verifying anything you find in them.