The Texas Department of Public Safety will launch a new online licensing platform for the state’s License to Carry program on Oct. 1, 2026, the agency announced in a Sept. 11 news release. The system, called RSD Connect, is being rolled out by the department’s Regulatory Services Division.
The change consolidates handgun licensing transactions that applicants, license holders and instructors now handle through the department’s existing system. DPS said RSD Connect is intended to improve the License to Carry experience for all three groups.
Through the new platform, License to Carry customers will be able to apply for a handgun license, renew one or check the status of an application online, according to the department. Instructors will be able to create and manage handgun licensing courses through the same system.
Moving to the new platform requires a pause in service while data is transferred. The department said the last day to submit an application under the current system is Sept. 12, 2026, and the last day to submit supporting documents for an application already in progress is Sept. 14, 2026. Online services will then see scheduled downtime as records are migrated.
Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, users can visit the DPS website to log in to the new licensing platform, and License to Carry applications will resume, the agency said. More information about the transition is posted on the department’s website.
The License to Carry program is administered by the Regulatory Services Division, which handles a range of state licensing and regulatory functions. Applicants planning to file in the coming weeks will need to account for the September cutoff dates and the October restart when timing their paperwork.