Texas law allows churches, synagogues, and other established places of worship to establish security teams without obtaining a license or permission from the state, if the individuals proving the security services:
- are unpaid volunteers;
- are providing the services on the premises of the church, synagogue, or other established place of worship; and
- do not wear a badge or uniform that identifies them as security or creates the impression that they are law enforcement officers or personal protection officers.
- Texas law allows churches, synagogues, and other established places of worship to create minimum training and competency requirements that may be appropriate for such volunteer security services.
- Volunteer security team members may carry firearms only when otherwise allowed by state law.
- Texas law generally allows a person to carry long guns (rifles and shotguns) without any special license or permit;
- Texas law generally allows a person to carry handguns
- on property the person owns or controls; or
- inside of or on the way to a vehicle the person owns or controls.
- A person who carries a loaded handgun on property, or inside a vehicle, not owned or controlled by the person must obtain a License to Carry a Handgun from the Texas Department of Public Safety, regardless of whether such handgun is carried openly or concealed;
- Texas law does not restrict the lawful carry of firearms in places of worship, but laws restricting carry in schools or government buildings may impact some congregations that worship in such places.
- Texas law also allows churches, synagogues, and other established places of worship to utilize paid
security services from either law enforcement officers or individuals licensed to provide private security, as provided under chapter 1702 of the Texas Occupations Code.
Download a copy of the Volunteer Security in Houses of Worship brochure (PDF).