TexasCHLforum.com

What's up guys, this is my first post and I have a question. I am currently working in Tx but still have a house in NC where I came from. I have a NC CHL that is valid for a few more years. It's looking like I will be staying here to work for a period of time and getting rid of the house. Here is where it gets tricky. I know NC and TX have reciprocity so I am good here. I basically have two questions.

1. I called the sheriffs office in NC where I was issued my CHL and told them I was probably moving to Tx and asked if I needed to turn in my CHL or discard it. ( This is my first CHL and I honestly had no idea what to do with it.) I was informed that it is still valid in TX which I know. I then mentioned once I get a TX drivers license that my NC CHL would no longer be valid and I was told that when I get a TX drivers license that my NC CHL will still be valid but once it expires I cannot renew it. Now I was under the impression that your drivers license address had to mach your CHL address so I don't see how my NC CHL and a TX drivers license with different addresses could be valid. Anyone have a clue?

2. This is the part I hate to mention but it's for the better. When I first moved to NC I got into some trouble with the law. I now have about 5 misdemeanors on my record, all of them the same. These were not violent misdemeanors, nor were they involving family members nor were they involving a weapon or drugs. Just me being an idiot. Anyways, I am (obviously) allowed to own guns, I received two pistol purchase permits (required to buy a pistol in NC unless you have a CHL) and then later on received my NC CHL so I know I am 100% able to own and carry a weapon in NC. That being said, I know to obtain a TX CHL it says something about not having been convicted of a class A or B (correct me if I am wrong) misdemeanor within the last 5 years. NC does it a little different than TX and we do not go by letters but numbers. Mine were class 1 misdemeanors. So my other question is, is there a chart or something to compare the two? Am I out of luck on receiving a TX CHL? (It's only been about 3 years since my conviction even though I was charged in 2008.)

I'm kind of inbetween a hard place in a rock because as of now I a legally allowed to cc a firearm in the state of TX but if I get a TX drivers license and my NC CHL does not work then I am only left to open carry a rifle/shotgun because we all know as of now the open carry of handguns is illegal. My thought is if I get a TX drivers license and my NC CHL becomes invalid I will be forced to open carry my ar 15 or shotgun to defend myself when out in public and I really don't want to do that. I would much rather CC my handgun.

Sorry for the long read.

Andrew

Only two ways I know of to answer that. Apply for a CHL and take the risk. Or hire a Texas lawyer to research it for you.

When I was at Ft. Bragg we had a formation called. The XO advised everyone that a seed of marijuana can get you two years under UCMJ but off post it was a, "class 1 citation, about like a traffic ticket." Then he simply dismissed the formation. The point being, at that time in history Class1 = Traffic Ticket which is a Class "C" here. Using that convoluted reference I would bet your okay. But as Bald Eagle said, there is really only two ways to tell.

First, your NC license remains valid until it expires even if the address on that license does not match the address on the TX driver license.

Second, more important that what is NC Class 1 versus TX Class A is to look at the actual crime in the Texas Statute to see what it is classified as here. Different states classify different crimes at varying severity levels.

Third, if you are ineligible for a TX CHL, you also have the option of getting a VA or AZ non-resident license. If NC requires training for a CHL, then your NC license may serve as proof of training for either of those states.

Can you change the address on your NC license to your TX address to match your new DL?

Not sure how too multi-quote guys sorry.

@baldeagle: That's what I figured would be best. I was hoping someone here has been in a similar situation and could help me out. Thanks

@Dragonfighter: Thanks for the comparison. About what time were you at Ft. Bragg? I had two good buddies who were in go there. Maybe you know them. lol

@Jumping Frog: Are you saying my NC CHL is valid even if it doesn't match on a TX drivers license? If so, that would be fantastic because by the time my NC CHL expires it will be past the 5 year mark for me and I won't have to worry about it.

Are you saying I could get a non resident license in one of those states and then a CHL in one of those states while living in TX with a TX drivers license?

Thanks for the reply's.

sjfcontrol wrote:Can you change the address on your NC license to your TX address to match your new DL?

I don't think you can do that but I'm not sure.

There was a move afoot to make out of state licenses invalid for instate residents, but for the life of me I can't recall if the bill passed. Maybe somebody else knows. If true, your NC license would still be valid, but you would also be required to obtain a Texas CHL.

OK for him to get a TX DL all he has to do is go apply for it. It should be that way for the TX CHL also. After all since TX reciprocates with NC, TX must consider him qualified and should issue him one.

baldeagle wrote:There was a move afoot to make out of state licenses invalid for instate residents, but for the life of me I can't recall if the bill passed. Maybe somebody else knows. If true, your NC license would still be valid, but you would also be required to obtain a Texas CHL.

No it did not. I don't think it even made it out of committee.

Pawpaw wrote:

baldeagle wrote:There was a move afoot to make out of state licenses invalid for instate residents, but for the life of me I can't recall if the bill passed. Maybe somebody else knows. If true, your NC license would still be valid, but you would also be required to obtain a Texas CHL.

No it did not. I don't think it even made it out of committee.

That is correct, and as I recall, the issue is now moot since Utah now requires out-of-state applicants to have a local CHL if their state offers one. That solved the "Utah" problem.

ldj1002 wrote:OK for him to get a TX DL all he has to do is go apply for it. It should be that way for the TX CHL also. After all since TX reciprocates with NC, TX must consider him qualified and should issue him one.

That is completely inaccurate.

The requirements to be granted a CHL vary enormously from state to state. He could totally qualify in other states with misdemeanors that disqualify a person in Texas.

All Texas requires for reciprocity, per statute, is the other state to perform an FBI background check. It assures, at minimum, that the person is not disqualified from possessing firearms at the federal level.

America wrote:
@Jumping Frog: Are you saying my NC CHL is valid even if it doesn't match on a TX drivers license? If so, that would be fantastic because by the time my NC CHL expires it will be past the 5 year mark for me and I won't have to worry about it.

Yes, so long as NC considers your license valid, which is what you said in your first post, then the license is valid. It still has your name, DOB, and picture regardless of address -- it is obvious that it is you.

America wrote:Are you saying I could get a non resident license in one of those states and then a CHL in one of those states while living in TX with a TX drivers license?

seems like you are double counting here. I am saying you get a non-resident concealed handgun license from AZ or VA for your Texas address. You would also get a Texas driver license.

Thanks to the OP and the replies, I did some checking on my own and was thrilled to learn that I can use my VA resident permit here until it expires! I had **assumed** that once I moved here, established residency and gotten my TX DL that I could no longer use my VA CHP. Some digging on the VA State Police site and a quick phone call confirmed that my permit was still valid. So thanks a lot for this thread and for those that posted replies!

The requirements to be granted a CHL vary enormously from state to state. He could totally qualify in other states with misdemeanors that disqualify a person in Texas.


The requirements to get drivers do vary from state, maybe not as enormously as CHL, but the do vary. My point was if TX is concerned about someone from NC with a CHL why in the world would TX reciprocate with NC