"Waiting Room"

[stayloe101st]

135 days and still waiting. Went to the class June 7th mailed packet June 9th , DPS received packet June 13th, to this day still processing. I would like to know on this board how many folks from Harris County went to this class after me and have already got their license? I've called and they tell me the hold up is backgrounds checks from the hurricane! I think thats a total line of bull since I should have had mine back well before the hurricane!!!!!!

[waterpump1]

contact state rep and governor they helped me

[gilraen]

It should be any time, stayloe. Keep your spirits up. Calling might help, too. Surely it wouldn't hurt.

FWIW, I thought that hurricane stuff was bogus, too.

[HAWG1966]

CONTACT STATE REP AND GOVERNOR OR IT WILL TAKE FOREVER!!!! 147 DAYS APPLICATION CONFIRMED 7 DAYS AFTER REP AND GOV EMAIL!!!!

[waterpump1]

I got mine three days after governor's office contacted DPS

[stayloe101st]

Contacted to Governors office today and it has been turned over to the acting head of DPS, so we will see where it goes from here.

[firegirl911]

Application Completed - license issued or certificate active as of today, 10/31. Happy Halloween!!
Mailed application on August 10th. Had to submit DD214 (oops - forgot to include it with my app), processing took a little longer because of this. Total of 82 days from date I mailed the application to completion of application. Not too bad considering the minor delay. My husband sent in his application same date as I; he just received his "plastic" this past Monday. It took about a week after notification on DPS website his application was complete. So, my plastic is in the mail and should be here soon!!

[longhorn_92]

Application Completed - license issued or certificate active as of today, 10/31. Happy Halloween!!
Mailed application on August 10th. Had to submit DD214 (oops - forgot to include it with my app), processing took a little longer because of this. Total of 82 days from date I mailed the application to completion of application. Not too bad considering the minor delay. My husband sent in his application same date as I; he just received his "plastic" this past Monday. It took about a week after notification on DPS website his application was complete. So, my plastic is in the mail and should be here soon!!

Congratulations!

Maybe you can have a duo Wally Walk and report to follow! Would be fun to see...

[firegirl911]

IT'S HERE!! Just arrived in today's mail! Submitted application on August 10th, received plastic November 5th!!

[gumaro]

Should I worry? I got my pin number last month, Oct. 6. I checked the site all month long and it said "processing application." Well I checked it tonight and it says "No application or license/certificate active." What happened? I did recieve the letter saying that there will be delays because of Ike. I live in Brazoria county. What should I do? Thanks.

[Nintao]

Should I worry? I got my pin number last month, Oct. 6. I checked the site all month long and it said "processing application." Well I checked it tonight and it says "No application or license/certificate active." What happened? I did recieve the letter saying that there will be delays because of Ike. I live in Brazoria county. What should I do? Thanks.

You probably hit the link for Instructor Lic. I know this because I did it too :).

[Morgan]

So from what I gather, on day 61, I should call them? This seems to be good grease for the wheel, to be sure things are rolling?

A person I trust (trust, but verify) said that there's an "issue" threshold where if they're over the limit, they're supposed to issue. I don't recall that, and I'd think it would be posted here... any truth to that? I know he wouldn't LIE, but humans are prone to making mistakes. He's a CHL and an NRA instructor, but that doesn't mean he can't be wrong. LOL

[seamusTX]

This is the law that your friend is referring to. I omitted some verbiage to make it more readable.

GC §411.177. ISSUANCE OR DENIAL OF LICENSE. (a) The department shall issue a license to carry a concealed handgun to an applicant if the applicant meets all the eligibility requirements and submits all the application materials....
(b) The department shall, not later than the 60th day after the date of the receipt by the director's designee of the completed application materials:
(1) issue the license;
(2) notify the applicant in writing that the application was denied:... or
(3) notify the applicant in writing that the department is unable to make a determination regarding the issuance or denial of a license to the applicant within the 60-day period prescribed by this subsection and include in that notification an explanation of the reason for the inability and an estimation of the amount of time the department will need to make the determination.

DPS will not issue a license until all the background checks are completed. That is necessary to preserve the integrity of the program.

All this "shall" business is essentially instructions on the will of the legislature. It was intended to prevent a foot-dragging bureaucracy from delaying licenses indefinitely, which happens in some states.

If DPS does not issue a license or tell you the reason for denial within the statutory period, it is considered the same as a denial. In that case, you can drag them into Justice of the Peace court in your district and compel them to explain themselves.

However, that costs a lot of money and I have never heard of anyone doing it.

Calling your state representative or senator seems to be the ticket. Just be sure to talk to the right person. Some legislators have retired or lost their seats, and newly elected ones will not have offices set up yet.

- Jim

[Morgan]

I see.. that point 3 is their out. All they're required to do TRULY is send you a letter saying "you don't have a license because we're not done yet" and they're in compliance. Cool. But the 60 day rule does seem to apply... if I haven't heard from they, they'll hear from me, and at least I'll know what's what.

[seamusTX]

That's basically it.

Furthermore, the law is somewhat ambiguous. There's a 30-day allowance to start processing your application, and a 60-day allowance to actually complete it or notify you why they haven't. DPS considers these periods as stacking up to a 90-day period.

Charles Cotton says that was not the legislative intent, but that's how it is.

You'll probably get a letter eventually saying that Hurricane Ike delayed processing, especially if one of your background checks is in a coastal county.

- Jim