TexasCHLforum.com

My don't-go-to-jail card got here in today's mail.

I feel like a citizen, in a Heinlein sense. Wonderful.

And it came on Friday the 13th. I'm good. It's just the next number when the 12th was yet another day of waiting. :-)

scratch that idea, dps says re-doing them will really foul up things...

I was told on a couple of calls that my application was waiting for the processing department to "attach" my CHL-100 to my application.

On one of those calls, the person first said my CHL-100 had not been received, but then told me the same thing - don't resubmit it, that wasn't recommended.

This past Friday, I called again. That was at about 38 days after my documents had been acknowledged as received. This time, they transferred me to a processing specialist.

The first thing the specialist said was that all applications uploaded in December had been issued, denied, or had further inquiries sent back to the applicants a couple of weeks ago. No December applications were just waiting in the queue.

She said my CHL-100 was logged as having been received, which explained why I didn't get mail saying I needed to submit it, or why nobody had told me I needed to upload it.

However, the CHL-100 itself was nowhere to be found at DPS, which was why my application had run aground.

The specialist gave me a direct email address to send the scanned CHL-100 to.

In about ten minutes I got return email, confirming the CHL-100 was in hand and that all work was now complete. My license would be mailed on Tuesday (yesterday).

Yesterday, right on schedule, my status changed on the web site, and now shows all the extra links.

I believe patience is probably the best policy out to about 3 weeks. Normal applications seem to be going through in about ten or fifteen business days, if you have no smudges on the old permanent record.

If you haven't either gotten your CHL, gotten a denial, or been queried for more information by then - well, patience is a virtue. Don't bug them. But at some point things might have run off the rails without any alarms going off.

I sense that what they mean by "attaching" the chl-100 to the application has to do with internal email. I theorize each application is represented with an email message, logging what's been done at each stage, and with attachments for fingerprints, chl-100, ddr214, and whatever other paperwork might be involved. As the application goes through the channels, that email with its attachments gets forwarded, stage by stage.

Somebody may have forwarded my application without hitting the little paperclip button to attach my chl-100 to the email.

But that's all guessing on my part.

It could still take another ten days to get my license. On the other hand, it might be here tomorrow. Only time will tell, but I think it's finally headed my way.

Oh, dear.

I called DPS, since it had been a week since I last checked, and was told today that my CHL-100 has not yet been attached to my application. They say they have it, but they haven't attached it.

Once they attach it, according to today's report, I'll either get my CHL or the reason why in 60 days, but the 60 day countdown has not yet started.

It's 43 days today since I uploaded the documents, as best I figure, and I double-checked my confirmation. i'd thought that was Dcember 28, but it was actually December 30, or 35 days ago.

And the 60 day countdown hasn't started. Or maybe it has. It seems to depend on who you ask, but something is stuck since my CHL-100 is not yet in their systems.

The standoff continues. The complete timeline:

53 days since first application and fee payment
42 days since documents uploaded
36 days since documents acknowledged
21 days since they said everything was good and I would probably have my CHL in three weeks.
7 days since they said my background check passed and that my CHL was just 'in processing'

No change in status on the web site.

Dang, this is slow.

he said it would take the full 2 months

I feel your pain. I called again, even though I was planning to give it another week. There are no flagged problems, it's just in process.

The lady I spoke with was very nice, and I thanked her for her help. She seemed surprised that anyone got a CHL in less than 45-60 days.

It's bureaucracy, and probably no escaping that with as many applications as they seem to be getting.

The wheels are turning. They are square, and the ox team isn't as young as it used to be, but the wheels turn.

The Crisis, Day 30 since confirmation of uploads received, Day 48 since paying the fee and applying, and the standoff continues. No change on the web site, no mail requesting further information, nothing yet.

I'm beginning to wonder if my history of dissent on things like egregious math errors on our local tax statements, electronic election security gaps, and protest against flawed procedures in a local municipal court doesn't count for more than my totally clean arrest and conviction record.

At least I got the tax assessor-collector to correct the tax statements.

An odd feeling, not yet passing a background check when my son got his two weeks ago, after applying a week later than I. Grumble, whine, sniff...

Day 26, no change on the web site, no little card from the State. My son, who applied a week after I did, got his license in about 12 days. He lives in the same county, so presumably he went through the same track I did.

I have no convictions, but I did find irregularities in a local municipal court which I reported to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

The SCJC did nothing, but I doubt I'm on that judge's Christmas card list.

Does the local background check include any poll of judges? Would a spiteful municipal court judge be able to slow down my application?

Just wondering, my judge friend probably has nothing to do with the delay - but it's odd my son sailed through, running pretty much through the same course as my application should be navigating.

And I'm boring. I even serve on a local civic board. I'm not a problem child, although I won't stay quiet if I see corruption.

Interesting. I called back and got somebody else.

This time they said they had been waiting on my CHL-100, but that had now been received. At this point, they are waiting for the processing department to begin my background check, at which time they will attach the CHL-100 to my application. Maybe that "attaching" process is what makes the extra links appear on the web page.

Anyway, I got my fingerprints on 12/20. I can't remember if I uploaded everything that day or not, but it seems like I would have. As noted previously, I am an impetuous sort, although I hope to grow out of it.

All documents were uploaded in the same session.

The confirmation came on 12/30.

And now, The Crisis, Day 24, waiting to get started. Sigh.

Also, not sure if this is relevant, but property taxes become overdue in about a week. If they aren't paid, no CHL I paid a few days ago, well before the deadline - but technically I hear that property taxes are due in October. For me, they are a stretch. $17 K on rent property that neither turns a profit nor can be sold at anything approaching what's invested.

Maybe they hold applications where property tax payments are pending?

Application, 12/10
class, 12/13
fingerprints, 12/20
online application, er, sometime...
confirmation of supporting documents, 12/30
son uploaded documents on 1/8/15
1/22/15 (today) son gets license

But no status change for me.

Being impetuous, I called and asked about how things were looking.

My CHL-100 is not attached to my application, but they say that doesn't happen until they actually process the application. I got the confirmation email, which, of course, doesn't say what they got, just that they got whatever I sent.

When I asked if I should re-send the CHL-100, they said not to. It doesn't show up anywhere, but it's expected to appear.

It's still a little early. I'm just shy of 30 days from uploading the documents, and 24 days past the conformation. Or, as I like to say, The Crisis, Day 24.

Oh, well, I'll be patient.

My youngest son uploaded his documents on Jan 6, and his status has changed.

I uploaded my documents a week earlier - no status change on the web site for me.

Dang whippersnappers....

Application, 12/10
class, 12/13
fingerprints, 12/20
online application, er, sometime...
confirmation of supporting documents, 12/30
1/5/15, no change in status on the chl website.

That riffling sound is me shuffling the solitaire deck, out here where seldom is heard a discouraging word, waiting to see what happens next.