Texas Hunters Safety Course—3 Easy Steps to Get Your License in 2026
Planning to hunt in Texas? If you were born on or after September 2, 1971, you must complete a Texas Parks & Wildlife Department-approved (TPWD) hunter education course to hunt legally.
Hunters in Texas have a responsibility to understand the ethics of hunting and the essentials of keeping themselves (and others) safe in the field. These essentials include why hunters wear blaze orange, how to handle firearms and bows safely, and animal identification.
Planning to hunt in Texas in 2026? Keep reading to learn how to take the Texas hunters safety course and get certified. We'll also cover the three easy steps to get your hunting license.
How to Get Your Texas Hunter Education Card in 2026
Remember: hunters born on or after September 2, 1971, must complete a hunter education course approved by the TWPD before hunting.
The State of Texas offers three options for taking the course and getting certified.
Option 1: Take an In-Person Classroom-Only Course
Hunters of all ages can take an in-person class with an instructor.
These classes include six hours of basic hunting safety essentials, including firearm instruction, legal and ethical practices, and a final exam. Course fees are $15. You'll also pay any additional range or facility fees.
To pursue this option, you must pre-register for the class on a date, time, and at a location that's convenient for you.
Option 2: Take an Online-Only Course
An approved online course is the most convenient way to learn everything you need to know and get your certification!
Hunters 17 years of age or older can complete the entire certification online. This means you can take the ilearntohunt course for Texas, pay the required fees, and work through the course material, quizzes, and final exam to get certified from home (or anywhere you can connect to the internet).
After passing the final exam, you’ll be able to print a temporary hunter safety certificate. This allows you to hunt right away! Then, within a few weeks, the TPWD will also email a link to print a permanent certificate.
Option 3: Take an Online Course + Field Course
The hybrid option hunter education certification is open to hunters of all ages, but it's ideal for hunters under the age of 17.
For Part I of your certification, select an online course. After completing the free course, young hunters under the age of 17 can print a Field Course Voucher to bring to the required Field Course.
Adult hunters can choose the free TPWD Hunter Education Course.
Part 2 of this two-part option includes a 4-hour field course. You'll pay the instructor $15 for the course fee (and any additional facility charges) when you arrive for the class. This is an in-person, hands-on instruction session where you'll learn about ethical, responsible hunting. You'll also participate in a hunting skills trail, live firing exercise, and final exam.
After all requirements are met, the TWPD makes your permanent certificate available for download/print via the TPWD system.
Before taking the online part of the requirement, make sure a Field Course is available in your area.
How to Get Your Texas Hunting License in 3 Easy Steps
With your hunters safety course complete, you're ready to get your hunting license! Note: You'll only need to take and pass the hunter safety course one time. Your certification is good for life!
Here are three easy steps for getting your TX hunting license:
- Meet the TWPD Requirements for Hunter Education
Again, if you were born on or after September 2, 1971, you must meet the state's requirements for completing a Texas-approved hunter education course before purchasing your license.
ilearntohunt makes it easy to do that with our online course, approved by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD). - Choose and Purchase the License You Need
Make sure you buy the right license based on what you plan to hunt. Texas offers resident, nonresident, trapper, youth, or specialty licenses.
Then, purchase your license online, by phone, or at an approved retailer (like Wal-Mart stores, many sporting goods stores, and other designated locations). - Carry Proof of Your License When Hunting
Always carry your hunting license with you in the field!
You can choose a digital license (viewable via the Texas Hunt & Fish / Outdoor Annual apps) or carry a printed version.
Additionally, if tags are required (for deer, turkey, etc.), make sure to tag your harvest properly.
How to Take the Texas Hunters Safety Course Online
The easiest (and fastest) way to get your Texas hunters safety course certification is to take the ilearntohunt online course!
The ilearntohunt course:
- Is a game-style format, making it fun and educational for anyone aged 9 and older.
- Is available for residents and non-residents of Texas.
- Can be taken from anywhere you can connect to the internet using a phone, tablet, or computer.
- Is approved by the International Hunter Education Association (IHEA) and TPWD.
- Saves your progress, so you can start and stop as needed to fit your schedule and work at your own pace.
- Includes a character-driven story, real-life scenarios, and quizzes to help you learn the required material.
- Can be completed in under 3 hours.
- Allows unlimited attempts to pass the final exam. You'll need to score at least 75% on the exam to pass.
Hunters ages 17 and older are certified after completing the course and passing the final exam. Hunters under the age of 17 must also attend a Texas Field Day to complete the certification.
Why Hunter Safety Education is Important
Why bother with a hunter safety course? Why do states require it?
Hunter education is a cornerstone of responsible hunting (for new hunters and experienced hunters), whether you’re using a bow, crossbow, or firearm.
When every hunter completes an approved hunter education course in Texas, it helps ensure that they know how to protect themselves, others, and the environment while preserving the integrity of the sport.
Hunter education is essential because it:
- Prevents Accidents and Injuries: Comprehensive training in firearm handling, safe shooting practices, and field awareness significantly reduces the risk of accidents and injuries while hunting.
- Builds Skilled and Knowledgeable Hunters: Safety courses teach critical skills such as navigation, first aid, survival techniques, and safe equipment use. They also promote respect for fellow hunters, landowners, and the outdoors.
- Promotes Ethical and Responsible Hunting: Ethical behavior is a core part of hunting. Education emphasizes respect for wildlife, adherence to hunting laws, and sustainable practices that help maintain healthy wildlife populations for future generations.
- Ensures Legal Compliance: In most states (including Texas) completing a certified hunter education course is required to purchase a hunting license. This ensures hunters understand and follow state regulations.
To sum up, hunter education keeps the sport safe, supports conservation efforts, and equips hunters with the knowledge and skills they need to hunt responsibly and successfully. A hunter safety course is the best way to start hunting and enjoy a lifetime of hunts.
Why is it Important to Take a State-Specific Hunter Education Course?
Many states accept hunter safety certifications from other states (known as "reciprocity"). While this can be convenient, hunters can miss out on crucial information specific to a state when using one state's safety certification to hunt in other states.
State-specific information can include important rules and regulations that can be critical to hunting safely and legally in that state.
So, before you trust another course from another state or assume that "one course works in any state" to prepare you for hunting in Texas, sign up for the ilearntohunt Texas hunter education course and get certified It only takes a few hours!
Why Choose ilearntohunt?
Did you know that ilearntohunt is the only interactive (i.e., game format) hunter education course? When you choose our course for your Texas hunter safety certification, you learn everything required by the state in a fun, interactive, online format.
Choosing ilearntohunt means:
- TWPD-Approved Hunter Safety Education: Our interactive course satisfies the online component of your hunter education requirements established by IHEA-USA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
- No Minimum Time Requirements: You can complete our interactive courses faster than our traditional courses because there are no timers—ever!
- Completing Your Hunter Education Quicker than Other Courses: Instruction that engages the brain using both words and images has been shown to significantly increase student retention and comprehension. When you combine this with no time requirements, you learn faster!
- Learning from Real-Life Situations: You'll choose a character and make choices in different scenarios to earn awards and move through levels by applying what you’ve learned about hunter safety throughout the challenges.
- Role-Playing Simulations: You'll experience realistic simulations to keep you engaged along the way. Earn achievement badges as you master trip planning, emergency preparation, and safety operations.
Crack all the levels, and you earn your Hunter Education Certificate for Texas!
Get Your Texas Hunters Safety Course Certification with ilearntohunt!
Make sure you're ready for hunting season in Texas! Take the ilearntohunt Texas hunters safety course to get certified—fast. You can't get your hunting license without it!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We have answers to the top questions about the Texas hunters safety course!
Q: Can you take a hunter safety course online in Texas?
A: Yes! Texans aged 17 and older can complete an online-only hunter safety course through TPWD-approved providers like ilearntohunt.
Q: Can you get a hunting license in Texas without taking the safety course?
A: In some cases, you can purchase a hunting license without first finishing hunter education, but if you were born on or after September 2, 1971, you must have proof of hunter education or a valid deferral with you while hunting.
Q: How much is the hunter safety course in Texas?
Traditional in-person/field courses through TPWD cost about $15 plus possible range/facility fees. If you take the online, game-style course through ilearntohunt, the cost is $49.95. Hunters older than 17 will also pay a $5.25 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department fee.
Q: How long does the Texas Hunter Safety course take?
A: Online Texas hunter education courses typically take about 3–6 hours to complete, depending on your pace and the provider. Most students finish the ilearntohunt course in about three hours.
Q: When should I sign up for the Texas Hunter Safety course before hunting season?
A: We recommend registering and completing the course several weeks before your planned hunt so you have time to receive your certification and avoid last-minute rush or technical delays.
