TexasCHLforum.com

Hey all, new guy here. Been thinking more and more about getting my CHL. I just registered for the crimanal background area on the dps website. Of course they made me by credits.(3 bucks each search)
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I put in all my exact info. MY question is am I good here as far as my application goes? How accurate is the info thay are giving me? I have had some minor run ins. Mostly traffic 15 years ago. I do not remember the dates thats why I was trying to look up my record. Any advice or help is appreciated.

Have you ever been arrested?
Misdemeanor or Felony?
If Misdemeanor, what class?

Where you convicted or acquitted?

Hi Dryfire2010, welcome to the forum! Glad to have you with us. There's a wealth of information right here at your fingertips and a great bunch of guys & gals to get to know, to help you on your journey towards a CHL.

The DPS website for background checks isn't 100% reliable, IMO, as it didn't contain any of my prior arrests(Class C misdemeanors).

Teamless asks the critical question: Have you ever been arrested for anything in your ENTIRE lifetime? If so, you must submit to DPS the "disposition" (or final sentence and judgment)...results of the arrest, if you will.

If you've ever been arrested, photographed, fingerprinted and "booked" into a jail, then you need to tell DPS about it.

If you have ANY questions regarding CHL, please ask away. We are here to help!

Hell yes I've been arrested I'm from Texas.J/J yes. Once when I was 19 in TN, once when I was 20 (MiP) in HI, not fingered or pictured ,a week before my 21st b day and I think 3 times back In Texas. The last 3 were unpaid traffic tickets. Wow seems once I add them up it's alot, but it was in my wild youth and I have not had any run ins in almost 20 years. All were misdemeanors. I dont have the exact dates and I want to be honest on my app. How do I get this info? Do I even need to mention the out of state stuff that happened over 20 years agao and did not envolve booking?

heck yes I've been arrested I'm from Texas.

'Nuff said!

Yes you need to get the dispositions on stuff that happened out of state as well.

You will need to have those "disposition" to mail with your packet when you send it off. You'll have to put on your thinking cap and remember where the arrests(going to jail and being booked) took place. Then request certified dispositions from the law enforcement agency where it happened. I'd start with the county criminal court clerk first. Call them and tell them what you are looking for, and they can tell you what you need to do.

Some people stop at the County level....I didn't. I also went to the city level, of where arrests took place, and asked THEM for certified dispositions on everything they had on me. It took a while & 2 trips but luckily they were in the immediate area.

To help you understand, this is what I did. Not saying it's the best way, but it worked for me.
1. Went to Tarrant County criminal court clerk and got certified dispositions on an issue I had back in 1983: bounced check. Never did get arrested, but was sent a letter saying a warrant was issued and take care of it immediately....I did. But the record was there, so I got what Tarrant County calls the disposition, "Final Sentence and Judgment". Certified, of course.
2. Went to Arlington PD and got dispositions from them on an arrest in 2002 for not paying traffic tickets(expired inspection, registration). I got the ticket in Euless, but Arlington PD arrested me and booked me. So I had to get disposition from them.
3. Went to City of Euless on disposition from those traffic tickets(I did community service instead of paying the $976.00 fine).
4. I got a full background check from both Arlington AND Euless, and got them certified. Looking back on it, I prolly didn't need it but I was taking NO chances for the CHL application to get a hitch in the giddyup.
5. After I got all that together, I wrote out a detailed explanation of ALL of those infractions(how I got them and how I got them taken care of). I wound up with 2 pages of explanation in landscape format! And that's exactly what they wanted. FULL disclosure, and explanation.

For me, I sailed through the process without any problem at all. I'm not saying my way's the best way.....only that it worked for me.

Hope that helps a lil bit.

Thanks for the info. The issues here in Texas were all in Taylor county within the city limits. I will start with the county clerk. Hopefully this will get me through.

Dryfire2010 wrote:I put in all my exact info. MY question is am I good here as far as my application goes? How accurate is the info thay are giving me? I have had some minor run ins. Mostly traffic 15 years ago. I do not remember the dates thats why I was trying to look up my record. Any advice or help is appreciated.

I doubt that includes juvenile history but I think DPS checks juvie records for CHL.

I really doubt that includes out of state arrests but if you don't declare it, and DPS finds one, they can reject based on a false application.

bizarrenormality wrote:

Dryfire2010 wrote:I put in all my exact info. MY question is am I good here as far as my application goes? How accurate is the info thay are giving me? I have had some minor run ins. Mostly traffic 15 years ago. I do not remember the dates thats why I was trying to look up my record. Any advice or help is appreciated.

I doubt that includes juvenile history but I think DPS checks juvie records for CHL.

I really doubt that includes out of state arrests but if you don't declare it, and DPS finds one, they can reject based on a false application.

Before mine was approved i got 2 letters from DPS

1) They wanted records from Clerks in some city in Arizona on a person with my same name (I've never been to Arizona)
They got back with me and said never mind; their error. (That city wanted $900.00 to research and send copies of something showing it wasn't me)

2) They wanted District+County Clerk records from Harris County showing no record (of another matter, plus ... ) of any conviction for an "POSSIBLE unlawful concealed carry weapon" in 1968 or 1969 when I was 12 or 13 years old juvenile carrying a BB gun down the street and Police took me to the Station and had my parents come get me. (No law broken and no charges filed, but they wanted records) They knew to ask because I was honest on my Application and said "I don't know if this was an arrest or not but .... " However, if I Hadn't told them, and something popped up on a computer SOMEWHERE (Something did in the 1970s when an Insurance Company asked "This isn't you is it?" Application would have been denied.

Hmmm more questions than answers. My father was a Marine so we moved a lot. Well I will start in my county and work back. Now if it is rejected is it possible to reapply with corrections?

Dryfire2010 wrote:Thanks for the info. The issues here in Texas were all in Taylor county within the city limits. I will start with the county clerk. Hopefully this will get me through.

Ahhh... A Good Ol' Abilene boy! I'm guessing from your post that you're about 5-10 years younger than me. We probably crossed paths at some point. Heck, maybe even saw you in jail! I lived there for almost 30 years, before moving to Austin in 1994.

I had to do a search through Taylor County Clerk's office, too. Just send them a request, in letter form, to do a criminal records search of you, and give them all your pertinent info. Explain that you will need a certified copy of the "final judgment and sentence" of any conviction they find. Include a money order for $5.00 for the search fee.

They will get back to you (through phone, email, whatever you provide) with the costs of providing the requested copies. Send them a payment for the certified copies of what they find, and in a week or two, you'll have what you need. It was much quicker and smoother than I anticipated.

BTW, they do NOT accept payment by credit card/etc., and do NOT process search requests by phone. Just write up a letter detailing what you need and get it sent -- sooner than later!

(Cooper or Abilene High?)

Neither, remember, dad was a Marine we moved a lot. I support both though. Though AHS was this years state champ Thanks for the advice. Going to start the process in the morning.