TexasCHLforum.com

Greetings everyone!

Quick question that I've not seen addressed here (but I've only been here a short time) so forgive me if this is redundant.

I checked the DPS website today and low and behold it says "Application Completed"!!

Yea! 101 days.....finally made it (sort of). No plastic in hand yet.....

In the interest of discussion, let's say its going to be here in 5 days.

What if I'm stopped by LEO "in between" the time I was "approved" and I get my plastic. Now, I do legally carry a CCW in my car, but I only have my DL to hand to him.
When he runs my license, will he see the CHL and then come back to me and ask if I have a weapon in the car (I'm honest, I'd have to say "YES" and then ask why I did not show my CHL when 1st approached?
Will he understand that I'm "in between"?

I realize the probability is low (but the possibility is there)......but you know Murphy......

An understanding LEO might see it my way, but I can see where some LEOs might make a federal case out of it (literally).

Any thoughts on this? Would I (or anyone like me) be in a jam?

I enjoy the Forum very much. Good info and great advice and discussion.

LabRat
Kimber ProCovert 2
Kimber Ultra Covert
"Remember, you can never have too many!"

Congratulations on your last few days of agonized waiting.

This topic has been discussed many times.

No one knows of it ever happening in real life. No one knows how long it takes for your CHl status to show up on the system that traffic patrol has access to.

Just drive carefully.

- Jim

Congrat's accepted! Many thanks!

I felt that it would be a topic, but wasn't sure which keyword search would be best. Seems like there may be many, many new people like me here now or shortly.

Thanks for the "drive carefully" advice.

Regards,
LabRat

IIRC, it tends to pop up in The Waiting Room topics. You probably couldn't find it with a search.

Here's an example: http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... 53&t=14705

- Jim

LabRat wrote: In the interest of discussion, let's say its going to be here in 5 days.

What if I'm stopped by LEO "in between" the time I was "approved" and I get my plastic. Now, I do legally carry a CCW in my car, but I only have my DL to hand to him.
When he runs my license, will he see the CHL and then come back to me and ask if I have a weapon in the car (I'm honest, I'd have to say "YES" and then ask why I did not show my CHL when 1st approached?
Will he understand that I'm "in between"?

I realize the probability is low (but the possibility is there)......but you know Murphy......

An understanding LEO might see it my way, but I can see where some LEOs might make a federal case out of it (literally).

Any thoughts on this? Would I (or anyone like me) be in a jam?

I enjoy the Forum very much. Good info and great advice and discussion.

LabRat
Kimber ProCovert 2
Kimber Ultra Covert
"Remember, you can never have too many!"

Bottom line -

Just don't get stopped by LEO!!

The usual responses vary between "It's illegal to carry without the plastic on you" (which is true whether you're waiting on the mail to deliver your CHL or you left it at home by accident, except that car carry is now legal, CHL or not) to "Tell the officer 'I'm lawfully carrying in my vehicle under the authority granted in PC §46.02 and I haven't received my CHL in the mail, yet.' "

You are right that it is legal to carry in your car. You may also be right that you might get hassled for doing so if you get stopped, because the computer is probably going to say you have a CHL and you didn't show it to the officer. You'll probably be okay, so long as you're not in Harris County, Austin, DFW, or San Antonio at the time you're pulled over. I agree with the drive like a perfect angel until you get the plastic in the mail if you're in one of those places.

And, BTW, congratulations, and be safe!

LabRat wrote:What if I'm stopped by LEO "in between" the time I was "approved" and I get my plastic. Now, I do legally carry a CCW in my car, but I only have my DL to hand to him.
When he runs my license, will he see the CHL and then come back to me and ask if I have a weapon in the car (I'm honest, I'd have to say "YES" and then ask why I did not show my CHL when 1st approached?
Will he understand that I'm "in between"?

I realize the probability is low (but the possibility is there)......but you know Murphy......

Murphy got me this exact way. I hadn't been stopped in years (a decade?) prior to, but I got stopped in that few day period there. I informed the officer that I had a valid CHL but that it hadn't come in the mail yet and that I was NOT carrying. He verified that I was not carrying and we moved on from there. Nothing unusual happened with the stop beyond that.

Kalrog wrote:He verified that I was not carrying and we moved on from there. Nothing unusual happened with the stop beyond that.

He verified it? Did he have you get out and pat you down?

EDIT: realized it sounds like I'm doubting you - totally not the case, just curious how the LEO approached it.

thejtrain wrote:

Kalrog wrote:He verified that I was not carrying and we moved on from there. Nothing unusual happened with the stop beyond that.

He verified it? Did he have you get out and pat you down?

EDIT: realized it sounds like I'm doubting you - totally not the case, just curious how the LEO approached it.

No - I didn't get searched like that. He just verbally verified that he heard me correctly and asked again if I was carrying. I was not and said so. I never got out of the car.

seamusTX wrote: No one knows how long it takes for your CHl status to show up on the system that traffic patrol has access to.

My best friend is an LEO and he just happened to stop by my house the night that the website said mine was "Application Complete". We were talking and had this exact conversation and he decided to run my DL to see if it showed me as CHL. Sure enough, it did...on the same day it went active! He is a reasonable guy and generally in favor of CHL, so he said he would probably just let it pass if it were him, but he also said he knew of some LEO's who would definitely try to bust you on it.

Thanks for the information. I will keep this in mind when the question comes up in the future (as it is bound to do).

- Jim

longhorn_92 wrote: Bottom line -

Just don't get stopped by LEO!!

Another bottom line, wait until you get your plastic! Mine came in 2 days of the change in status.

Don't carry illegally!!

A gun in the vehicle without the presence of 'plastic' is not carrying illegally.