TexasCHLforum.com

TxDrifter wrote:Has anyone ever received their license in the mail prior to the website updating?

Yes, I recall seeing at least one recent post that mentioned receiving plastic in the mail, and the web site still said "processing". I keep hoping that's what will happen with mine...wishful thinking.

Same here. I'm in California right now for work, but hoping it might be at home. I am only thinking that because of all the ones showing up rather quickly right now, especially since I am not in a metro county like Harris.

SkinnyB78 wrote:*pulls up a chair*

glad to be here (now in correct month too)

9/6 class completed
9/8 packet mailed
9/13 Hurricane Ike hits
9/17 return receipt received
9/29 packet not yet entered into system
11/13 "processing app"

argh!

11/13 Call DPS - Awaiting Background Check (Harris County blah blah blah)
11/20 "Processing app"

and I say again, ARGH!

About three weeks after I furnished proof of citizenship, which was about two weeks after I submitted the paperwork, I got a letter saying it was in process, along with a PIN number. About two weeks after that, another letter. Yesterday, another letter.

Decided to check a few minutes ago.

Application Completed or Certificate Issued.

Hoping to have plastic soon.

I sent my 3rd letter to the Gov's office this morning. The last two rec'd the boiler-plate letter saying that they have asked the interim director of DPS to look into the Molasses County (Harris County) delay. Whatever...it sounded impressive when I got the 1st letter, but when I saw that everyone else was getting the same response, and then I got my 2nd response that was the same as the first, I couldn't believe it.

I reached boiling point and sent a blistering letter to the Gov's office, and requested that they actually look into it themselves and quit sending out these passifier letters to everyone. I'm not expecting much. Lately, the Gov's office is just as bad as Molasses County.

I read this morning on the October thread, that a guy got his license issued in 38 days...What?? Good for him, but it certainly exposes the shortcomings of Molasses County.

Howdy, Everyone! I'd like pull up a chair if you don't mind.

I live in Harris County and have not received anything form DPS except a cancelled check. My wife and I did everything at the same time and she has not received anything as well.
Passed course on 09/20
Mailed app on 09/22
Packet Received by DPS on 09/24
Nothing as of 11/24

I noticed some folks kept referring to a "PIN" number they received. Apologies for the ignornance of this question but am I to receive a letter from DPS with a PIN or was this for one who did their application (which I did not) via on line? The CHL website is not very helpful.

After perusing this forum I suspect it must be Harris County causing the backlog. Our class instructor said it could take anywhere from 4-5 months due to the high volume of applciations.

I never got a pin either. I went to the DPS web site and requested one.

I got my PIN about 9-10 days after I submitted my app.

PIN numbers are not just for online applicants. You should write to them and get a status. They seem to reply to emails best. Mention the date you know they received the packet, that it's been over 60 days, that you have yet to receive your PIN number to check your status online, and you'd like to know that you're application is being processed. That's about it. I don't mean to offend, but the site is plenty helpful...

http://www.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASA ... ctTask.jsp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

For example, you can find this text:

In order to login you are required to have a Personal Identification Number (PIN). All PIN’s are assigned by the Texas Department of Public Safety. If you have forgotten, misplaced or never received your PIN, please contact TxDPS via email (chl@txdps.state.tx.us) and include the following information: Texas concealed handgun license number, driver license number, full name and date of birth. Your PIN will be returned in a timely fashion to the same email address submitting the request and in the order your request was received.

If your application didn't include an email address, you will probably have to call them to get a status. But fortunately their FAQ basically says "don't call us for 60 days" and you're just now over the 60 days. I'm no expert...I sent my application in this month and I can only go on the stores i've seen on this forum, but your wait, as a Harris County resident, has only just begun. Once they receive it, they have a month to start processing. Once they start processing they have 60 days to approve, deny, or tell you there's a delay and give you an ETA. So you're a month away from that, but since you don't have a PIN to know when they started processing, I don't think they'll get upset if you call or contact them. Good luck!

Thank you, Morgan. I appreciate the help and info. I called DPS today and, alas, it all lies with Harris County and the BC. At least all of my paperwork is in order, that much I did find out. I decided to take it one step further. I contacted Senator Dan Patrick's office and Representative Bill Callegari to express my concerns as well. Hopefully, that will help for everyone as well.

Sent an email to DPS this morning... I wasn't expecting to hear back from them since the last time I called the guy on the phone wouldn't couldn't tell me anything more than my application is being processed, but this afternoon I got an email stating my application is "in the final stages of processing". Very Cool. Too bad it's a holiday weekend.

I guess I had better get to picking out a holster and place an order.

-- Jeremy

Hope you didn't want a custom holster...the wait on those is often worse then the wait on DPS! lol

Wanted to get my packet sent before my Sept birthday. Had a buddy that it took 16 weeks. Mine was 8 weeks and 8 days from the time they received it till the plastic was in my wallet. Told him it was my CLEAN LIVIN.

HARRIS COUNTY APPLICANTS - MUST READ
I'm not sure what good will come from it, but I sent another letter to my Rep on the 24th, asking her office to look into the delay for background checks from Harris County. I gave my submittal timeline along with the fact that CHL applicants from non-gulf coast counties are getting their licenses in 40-65 days. I'm on day 89, which I know is peanuts compared to what some applicants have endured. But it's a principal thing...I wan't want Harris County to do better. I asked them to please look into the matter, and please don't send me a boiler-plate response letter (I asked the same from the Gov).

I got an e-mail response from my Rep's chief of staff on Wednesday 11/26. He was asking me if I had seen any change in my processing status...I responded "no, not yet". He responded again and said that he will continue to dig into it for me. While I greatly appreciated his effort at the time, I didn't really expect anything more to come from it.

Anyway, I received a call today from a Leut. from the Texas Highway Patrol here in Harris County, following-up on a letter that I sent to my Rep. He said that the chief of staff from my Reps office called him to ask about the status of my application.

Now, here's where all the Harris County applicants really need to pay attention! He works in the same office as the "Trooper" that processes the CHL background checks for Harris County, but she was currently unavailable as she is serving as an honor guard at an officer's funeral today. But that he would personally check with her later this week when she gets settled back into her routine, and will call me back by Friday at the latest. He was very nice and accomodating, so I asked him about the staff that processes the applications...how many people are currently working in that role? He said, only Trooper ___. He said that it is her full-time job...processing CHL application BC's for Harris County. I was sure that I misunderstood him, so I asked him again to clarify, and yes, it's only one person that handles the CHL BC's for Harris County. Whoa! So, since he was being so enlightening, I asked how hurricane Ike effected her job. He said that Trooper ____ was reassigned for 5-6 weeks to hurricane duty immediately after the storm, and that, during that time, nobody was processing those CHL BC's. Another Whoa!

So, there you go...Harris County is at least 5-6 weeks behind due to Ike, and then, anytime that she takes off for other responsibilities, such as today, the BC's go untouched.

I will share more after I hear back from the Leut. I have a name of the Trooper, but I'm not going to make it public, as it's not quite fair to her. More later...

That is pretty much the same story I got out of Austin. I could not believe it either. When you talk to the Lt. again please tell him to call me!