Federal law completely prohibits gun possession by felons, but state laws regarding the ability to purchase a gun with a criminal record vary. In Texas, a person with a felony conviction is allowed to possess a firearm on-premise where he/she lives, five years after the disposition of his/her conviction. Although Texas is a pro-gun state, licensed gun dealers typically do not allow those convicted of violent crimes to purchase a gun under any circumstances.

In Texas, you are not allowed to purchase a gun within five years of your felony conviction. Those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors are also prohibited from purchasing a gun within the five-year mark. Generally, if you’ve been convicted of any domestic violence-related charges, you will be barred from buying a gun in Texas for at least five years, and most licensed gun dealers will refuse your request even after the five-year mark.

Texas law allows those with felony convictions to possess a firearm five years after conviction only on the premises where he/she lives. Those with felony convictions are not allowed to carry a gun outside of the premises of their home, even in Texas. Violation of this law is considered a felony crime in itself, and is usually punishable by a prison sentence of one to three years, along with other fines and fees.

Overall, even if state law allows those with a criminal record to possess a firearm, most licensed gun dealers will deny their request. The only way to restore your gun ownership rights is to have the conviction expunged or removed from your criminal record. As long as you maintain a clean criminal record after the expunction, your background check should not continue to bar you from legally obtaining a firearm in Texas.