Poll: Reasons you have not gotten a CHL?

[Liko81]

Mine's cost and time, but predominantly cost. In addition to the $140 license fee, the law requires the 10-hour course that can easily cost as much or more. So you spend upwards of $300 to become a CHL. A new driver's DL is $25, no charge for the written or driving test. The CHL should be no different; if you can pass a written test and qualify on the range (I could understand paying range fees) that should be equivalent to the course. and it does NOT cost the State $140 to run a background check, log fingerprints, and print a card.

[Crossfire]

If you want to compare the CHL to a driver's license, then the CHL course is the same thing as the state required driver's education class.

How many hours did you spend doing that? And how much did it cost you?

[Liko81]

If you want to compare the CHL to a driver's license, then the CHL course is the same thing as the state required driver's education class.

How many hours did you spend doing that? And how much did it cost you?

Good point. The driver's ed however didn't cost me a penny; I'll have to see how much my parents forked . When my parents moved in-state, they took a written test, passed a practical driving test and paid the new driver license fee, no in-state education or other costs required. You are allowed to do the same as a brand-new driver in lieu of a driver's ed course. Why shouldn't you be able to do the same with a CHL?

Of course, if you continue down that road, the DPS would then have the ability to require registration and inspection on a yearly basis .

[seamusTX]

The fee and course requirement for a Texas CHL aren't going to change in the foreseeable future. If you want a CHL, deal with them. Over 260,000 Texans have. Or get a Utah or Florida license.

- Jim

[Commander Cody]

I think the fee and the classroom; including the range time was well spent. My son and I took the course from "ElGato" and we both enjoyed every minute. Less of an experience would have been disappointing for both of us. Hooray for the requirements.

[Border Roll]

New guy here. Took the course about 6 years ago,and never got around to sending in the paperwork.Travel quite a bit all over the state by car,and usually carry an old Colt Python under the seat.Really not comfortable with the idea of carrying a weapon on myself.

[Venus Pax]

Of course, if you continue down that road, the DPS would then have the ability to require registration and inspection on a yearly basis .

Although I wouldn't put it past some of them to try and require people to register firearms, comparing firearms to vehicles is comparing apples to oranges.
Driving is considered a privilege, not a right.
Owning a gun is a right.

[mgood]

Money.

I was one of the first people to get my packet. I sent in the card on the very day they became available. (A guy from my gun store in Mesquite was in Austin waiting for them and drove them home rather than waiting on the mail. He then called his customers who had told him they wanted to be in the first class. Mine was in the mail headed back to Austin before the mail ran that day.) I wasn't in the first class, but I was in a class within a few weeks of the time they started them. This was before the CHL law actually went into effect. (IIRC, the law wouldn't go into effect until January, but they started classes in the September before that.)

I didn't send in the application for some time after that because I couldn't afford the fee. I think it may have been a couple years. But I called DPS and was told that it was still valid and all I had to do was mail it in with the fee, so I did. I think the number on my CHL came from the order in which the recieved the cards and sent out the packets.
My number is 09000330. I've never researched this, but I suspect that means it's the 330th one.

Been expired since 2001.
I've always meant to get it renewed and just haven't gotten around to it.
When I've had the funds, they were needed for other things, like rent and groceries. The few times I've had a good enough paying job that the class fee and application fee would have been no problem, my job was too time-consuming to get off to take classes.
I have the packet with the blank fingerprint cards and all that junk. I have to take the class and do everything over again since it's been so long. (I've had that stuff for quite a few years. I don't even know if the forms have changed and I need to get new stuff.) I am hoping I'll get to keep the same number. (I still have the expired plastic and still carry it. Why, I don't know.)

I just moved back to Texas after three years in The People's Republic of Kalifornia. I'm so happy to be back in a gun-friendly state.
I am going to get it renewed within the next few months. . . . Really, I am this time. That's why I found this forum. I was looking for information regarding renewals of expired CHL's.

If anyone knows whether or not my theory about the license number holds any water, I'd like to know. Or if anyone knows whether I could keep the same number, I'd like to know.


Another reason is time, specifically driving time. (And the cost of gasoline, which brings us back to money.) I live in Denver City, TX. That's the middle of nowhere. I drive 40 miles each way, five days a week to attent classes at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, NM. To take a CHL class, I'll have to drive to Lubbock, TX which is 70 miles the other direction. Closest place I know to do it. I heard there was once someone giving classes in Brownfield, which is closer. But last I heard they no longer had classes there. I noticed a member of this forum from Brownfield. Maybe someone here knows of a place closer than Lubbock?

[longtooth]

Brownfield would help you some. I dont remember his screen name. dont remember any post in a long time from there either. How far are you from Midland? About the same??

[mgood]

How far are you from Midland? About the same??

Yeah. Going to Midland/Odessa is about the same as going to Lubbock. Six of one, half a dozen the other.

EDIT:
I have not yet looked into course schedules. At lest not since before I moved to California in '04.
If someone in Lubbock (or in Midland or Odessa) has a course I can complete in one 10-hour Saturday session or even a Saturday-Sunday deal, I can handle that, no problem. But if it involves going for a few hours a night for several nights, it's going to be very difficult for me to arrange that.

[seamusTX]

The list of instructors is here:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... uctors.pdf

Some don't advertise, and they might be hard to locate, because this list contains only names and ZIP codes.

Almost everyone does one-day courses. It's hard to find one that is held on multiple evenings.

- Jim

[longtooth]

How far are you from Midland? About the same??

Yeah. Going to Midland/Odessa is about the same as going to Lubbock. Six of one, half a dozen the other.

EDIT:
I have not yet looked into course schedules. At lest not since before I moved to California in '04.
If someone in Lubbock (or in Midland or Odessa) has a course I can complete in one 10-hour Saturday session or even a Saturday-Sunday deal, I can handle that, no problem. But if it involves going for a few hours a night for several nights, it's going to be very difficult for me to arrange that.

I am sure there are several all day turn key courses in Lubbock. I do not recall where they are but someone on the board should. 10 hr class & 70 miles one way is a loooong day for sure. Still well worth it.

[mgood]

Almost everyone does one-day courses. It's hard to find one that is held on multiple evenings.

That works to my advantage. In the past, all I could ever find when I had money to do it was the multiple weekday evening classes. That was difficult for me because I always seem to have jobs that work odd hours. I'm off when other people are working and working when other people are off. So classes scheduled around when the average person gets off work . . .

I think when I took mine the first time, most of it was covered on a Saturday then we came back and finished up, took the test and shot our qualifications on Sunday.
I just told my boss I had to have that weekend off. Scheduled it plenty in advance and didn't give a specific reason.

I've always been shy about telling an employer I wanted off so I could go take a CHL class. Since most places I've worked have prohibited the carrying of weapons. I've been worried that if I told them I was going to get my license, they'd make a point of reminding me that they didn't allow weapons and then keep a close eye on me thereafter.
I currently work nights at a convenience store, by myself. I think that's a pretty good reason for wanting to carry concealed.
There's no sign on the door or anything, but some of the paperwork I was shown (the stuff most people sign without ever reading, but I read because I was specifically looking for language dealing with firearms) says that we're not to allow anyone in the store with a weapon.
I guess I'm supposed to say, "I'm sorry sir, but you can't be in here with that gun," when they come in to rob the place.
Granted, Denver City is fairly peaceful. I think there's been one armed robbery . . . ever, as far as I know. But a store just like mine has a bullet hole in the floor as a reminder of that one time.

[mgood]

I found a class in Brownfield on Saturday, March 22. I've got it penciled in.
I've got to find out about packets and stuff before then.