Note: Department of Public Safety has revised their instructor procedures. As of 2013 you must be certified as an instructor through an accredited process before becoming a Texas CHL instructor.

To become a Qualified Texas Concealed Handgun Instructor you must take and pass the Texas Department of Public Safety training course and successfully complete a background check.

CHL Instructor training classes are held at the Department of Public Safety training facility in Austin. Instructor renewal classes are scheduled August through December of every odd numbered year. Scheduling them this way allows DPS to update all instructors soon after each session of the Texas Legislature.

New instructor classes are scheduled several times a year. These classes are limited to 100 students. Once you make application you will be assigned to the next available class. They often fill up well ahead of time.

The new instructor training course is a 36 hour course covering methods of instruction and the contents of the Texas Concealed Handgun Training Course. It includes the shooting practical, which is administered in the same manner you will give it to your students. There is one important difference. A student qualifying for a CHL may take the shooting practical with either a revolver or a semiautomatic, and make a passing score of 70%. As an instructor candidate you are required to take the practical with both a revolver and a semiauto, and pass each with a score of 90%.

You must also pass a multiple choice and true-false examination over the course material.

Instructors who can document firearm instructor certification through the National Rifle Association, TCLEOSE, or the military may qualify for an abbreviated 28-hour course.

Applying for the Class

1. Either:
   1. Print out and fill in the CHL-90, Instructor Certification Application. The form is available on the DPS Concealed Handgun Licensing Forms page. Mail to Department of Public Safety. You may also apply for a CHL at the same time.
   2. Visit the Concealed Handgun Licensing & Instructor Certification Site at https://www.texasonline.state.tx.us/txapp/txdps/chl/ and complete the online process. You will need:
      • Your Social Security Number.
      • Your Texas Driver License or Texas Identification card.
      • A valid credit card. (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express)
2. Texas DPS will send you information about the training class for new instructors.

Please note: If you are from outside Texas you may qualify to be an instructor. However, Texas law requires you to give the training course within Texas for it to be valid.

You may use your instructor rating as a substitute for the training required to get a Texas Concealed Handgun License, but you are not required to get a CHL to be an instructor.