Texas · Hunter safety · 2026 Edition
Texas Hunter Safety Course 2026: Cost & Online Options
Anyone born on or after September 2, 1971 must complete hunter education before hunting in Texas. 17 and older can certify entirely online, from $39.99.
Texas splits its online path in an unusual way by age: hunters under 17 can't certify fully online at all — they must do the free Internet Course and still attend an in-person Field Course — while hunters 17 and older skip the field requirement entirely and just pay a commercial vendor. The temporary certificate issued at course completion is only valid 60-90 days until TPWD uploads the permanent one, which can take up to 21 days.
01 — Who needs it
Anyone born on or after September 2, 1971 must complete hunter education before hunting in Texas.
A one-time 'Hunter Education Deferral' ($10, sold wherever licenses are sold) lets hunters 17+ postpone certification for up to a year, as long as they hunt accompanied by voice control by someone already certified or exempt by birth date.
02 — Course options
| Course | Format | Who | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom course | In person | 9 and older (minimum certification age) | $15 | 6 hours — Paid directly to the instructor; added range or facility fees may apply. |
| Free Internet Course + Field Course | Online + field day | All ages | $15 | Free online coursework, then a 4-hour field course — The $15 fee is for the Field Course only, paid to the instructor. Two commercial online options (Be A Safe Hunter, NRA) are free ONLY for hunters under 17 — those 17+ should not pay for a commercial course here, since Option 3 exists for them. |
| Online-only certification (17 and older) | Online | 17 and older | — | Self-paced — No field day. Fee set independently by each of 11 TPWD-approved providers — see below. |
A dash means TPWD publishes no set price for that route — what you pay depends on the provider you pick or on the individual class.
03 — Approved online courses, side by side
| Provider | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| hunter-ed.com | $45.20 | $39.95 course fee plus a $5.25 TPWD processing fee. |
| Recademics | $39.99 |
TPWD approves 11 online-only providers total (also including NRA Hunter Education, ilearntohunt, HunterSafetyUSA, HunterEdCourse, HUNTERcourse, Certifiedhunter.com, Be a Safe Hunter, and USCCA/Cabela's Shield) — only the two most-cited are priced here; check the source page for the full list and current prices before choosing.
04 — Your certificate, and other states
Texas hunter education certification does not expire.
Texas accepts hunter education certification earned in other states.
Texas does not require bowhunter education; TPWD offers optional bowhunter education resources.
05 — Where to register
Courses are booked through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Find and register for a Texas course →
Got your certificate? Next step: Texas hunting license costs and permits →
Everything else we track for the state: Texas hunting seasons →
Looking for somewhere to hunt? Texas public hunting land — WMAs by county & access rules →
FAQ
Can I take the Texas hunter safety course online?
Yes. 17 and older can certify entirely online, from $39.99. Anyone born on or after September 2, 1971 must complete hunter education before hunting in Texas.
Is there a free hunter safety course in Texas?
Every TPWD-approved online provider charges a fee; the cheapest is Recademics at $39.99. In-person courses run by the agency itself are often free — see the formats above.
How much does the Texas hunter safety course cost?
Approved online providers run from $39.99 (Recademics). They all produce the same certificate, so the cheapest one certifies you just as well. Prices are set by the providers and change without notice — the table above was read on Aug 12, 2026.
How long does the Texas hunter safety course take?
The online course runs self-paced. That is course content, not a deadline — how many sittings you spread it over is up to you.
Verified · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department · Last verified 2026-08-12
Publisher's note. Requirements and course fees read from TPWD, retrieved 2026-08-12. Review due 2027-08-01. Course providers set their own prices and change them without notice — confirm before you pay.