Vanguard wrote:The other day, I forgot that I did this and neglected to transfer the CHL back to my wallet. I did not have it on me when I went to pick up my daughter but I did have my firearm on me. I was wondering if placing the firearm in my console would be okay. So, it's not a criminal offense but it's still on the books as a no no....got it. Seems silly to me that anyone can carry a gun in their car in Texas but CHL holders have an extra requirement when doing so, even though they've actually already been through more stringent background checks to begin with. Thanks for the reply.
If you get pulled over in TX, the officer will know from your DL that you have a CHL.
In the scenario above, I would do/say the following...
1. I would continue to carry concealed on my person IN THE CAR, because there's nothing wrong with doing so.
2. If I got out of the car, I would lock the gun up. Preferably in a keyed lock box, the glove box is too easy for a criminal to open.
3. If I got pulled over, when the officer approached I would say "Officer, I have a concealed handgun license and I do have my weapon with me today, how would you like to proceed?"
4. after the officer tells you what to do, I would say "officer, I believe I left my CHL card in my workout clothes when I was riding my bicycle earlier". They can look you up in the system to verify and you are covered under MPA as a fall back.
Since you are in the car, you can carry under MPA, but CHL's are required to notify, even if your license is not on you.
If you are outside the car WITH your gun and no license, you can be cited. I don't recall the penalty offhand.
There is no penalty for not notifying, but it is still required.
This is my opinion. I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.