Using CHL As ID

[The Wall]

It's called a "concealed" handgun license for a reason. Should be concealed, don't you think? Why tell anyone other than a police officer you're carrying? To me it defeats the idea of carrying concealed. I won't be using mine for ID unless I have to. Just my opinion.

[K5GU]

I carry my LTC (CHL) whether I'm covertly carrying a gun or not and have used it many times as ID at stores, banks, etc. As a previous poster said, it doesn't mean you're covertly carrying a gun. It just means you might or could be. Eh?

[ScottDLS]

My girlfriend has used it as ID at bars before with no issue, she lost her DL and that's all she had. She tried using it at a Houlihans restaurant though and was denied. Guess that won't be happening again, although what recourse was one really have if they still deny you?

Same recourse anyone has when encountering someone violating the law. I keep a note on my iPhone with the new law copied directly from the state site just in case.

I don't think it's against the law for them to refuse to recognize it, but the new law says they can take it if they want to.

Reminds me of 25 years ago when I was in the Navy. We went to a Penn State football game with some buddies. After we went to a local bar to have a drinks. The bouncer was hassling a college kid who only had a US Passport for ID. He said WE ONLY TAKE PA DRIVERS LICENSE, and sent the kid away. Meanwhile, we walked in one showing a VA DL and me a military identification card.

No if I could gin up a passable US Passport forgery, I sure as heck wouldn't be selling them to Penn State freshmen to buy beer, I'm thinking more on the lines of setting myself up in Laredo, or maybe Iraq & Syria.

Actually, yes it is against the new law to refuse to recognize it:

" Sec. 506.001. CONCEALED HANDGUN LICENSE AS VALID PROOF OF
IDENTIFICATION. (a) A person may not deny the holder of a
concealed handgun license issued under Subchapter H, Chapter 411,
Government Code, access to goods, services, or facilities, except
as provided by Section 521.460, Transportation Code, or in regard
to the operation of a motor vehicle, because the holder has or
presents a concealed handgun license rather than a driver's license
or other acceptable form of personal identification."

So they cannot refuse you services because you produce a CHL in lieu of a DL. If they do so, they are violating the law.

COOL! I didn't see that. I will be using mine from now on, though I rarely get asked for ID anymore since I'm almost 50.

[K5GU]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited? Add edit: should've said "..prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

[Taypo]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

[K5GU]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

I should've said, "...even though the new law says it is prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

BTW, does the CHL scan provide info that delineates it from a DL? Just curious.

[Taypo]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

I should've said, "...even though the new law says it is prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

BTW, does the CHL scan provide info that delineates it from a DL? Just curious.

I don't know if its hardware dependent on the scanner type but I just ran both and the information is identical between the two. Name, age, birthdate, address and physical stats. Nothing on the CHL swipe to tell me its a CHL without looking at the card.

[K5GU]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

I should've said, "...even though the new law says it is prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

BTW, does the CHL scan provide info that delineates it from a DL? Just curious.

I don't know if its hardware dependent on the scanner type but I just ran both and the information is identical between the two. Name, age, birthdate, address and physical stats. Nothing on the CHL swipe to tell me its a CHL without looking at the card.

Ahh. Thanks. So that implies that unless the merchant makes a photocopy of the license, they would not know which one it was. Just as a an experiment, the next time I'm at my neighborhood pub (private club) I'll ask them to do a scan. They do this anyway occasionally I'm told as some kind of private club regulation to verify ID (age, etc.).

[K5GU]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

I should've said, "...even though the new law says it is prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

BTW, does the CHL scan provide info that delineates it from a DL? Just curious.

I don't know if its hardware dependent on the scanner type but I just ran both and the information is identical between the two. Name, age, birthdate, address and physical stats. Nothing on the CHL swipe to tell me its a CHL without looking at the card.

Ahh. Thanks. So that implies that unless the merchant makes a photocopy of the license, they would not know which one it was. Just as an experiment, the next time I'm at my neighborhood pub (private club) I'll ask them to do a scan. They do this anyway occasionally I'm told as some kind of private club regulation to verify ID (age, etc.). They do a scan, not a photocopy.

[Glockster]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

Very good to know. I was thinking that would be the case given that your DL is on the CHL, that possibly the DL would be the common data point.

I am happy to not use my DL as I have to use it way too much. As a consultant I have done studies for three states regarding unfunded mandates and such and there is a significant cost to states that we then pay because a DL was never intended to be pulled from your wallet everytime anyone seems to think that they need to see it. The wear and all that and then having to replace them when they no longer can be scanned. My CHL will get replaced a lot sooner than my DL, so am happy to save the wear on my DL.

[Taypo]

Some merchants could be required by their policy to specifically scan either the DL or Texas ID. If they refuse your CHL and they haven't updated their policy, they're not necessarily discriminating against the CHL. They are just following store policy.

And this brings up the question, what is your recourse of action if a merchant still requires the DL even though the new law says that is prohibited?

You raise a good point. I've got an ID scanner that I just swiped my CHL through - worked just fine!

I should've said, "...even though the new law says it is prohibited to deny the CHL holder to..."

BTW, does the CHL scan provide info that delineates it from a DL? Just curious.

I don't know if its hardware dependent on the scanner type but I just ran both and the information is identical between the two. Name, age, birthdate, address and physical stats. Nothing on the CHL swipe to tell me its a CHL without looking at the card.

Ahh. Thanks. So that implies that unless the merchant makes a photocopy of the license, they would not know which one it was. Just as a an experiment, the next time I'm at my neighborhood pub (private club) I'll ask them to do a scan. They do this anyway occasionally I'm told as some kind of private club regulation to verify ID (age, etc.).

Sounds like Fox and the Hound's club rules

[winters]

I like to use my chl as id when those people at walmart ask to see id when I buy ammo. I just laugh some and ask if that's good enough.

[JALLEN]

It surprises me that some of the clerks even look at the ID. I've used mine just about everywhere I've been asked and if anyone has known the difference, they didn't let on. It looks like a DL, close enough.

I don't even get carded for senior coffee at McDonalds anymore.

[sass2924]

I think the less someone knows about me or what I might doing the better, I'll use my DL.

[pt145ss]

Two months ago I had the DMV add my veterans endorsement to my drivers license. As part of that procedure, the DMV cut off the top portion of my license and gave me a paper temporary license. The next day I went to the bank to withdrawal a small amount of cash ($500 maybe). I was not driving I and I did not have the paper temp license so I presented my CHL. The bank refused to accept it as ID. They did take the cut up ID without the temp paper. I inquired about it and they stated that it was bank policy. They also cited that the DMV does not accept CHL as primary form of ID. The DMV says a CHL is secondary supporting documentation.

Fast forward to today. I sent an email inquiring about the identification requirements in light of HB2730 going into effect on Sept 1. They responded that their policies are governed by the USA Patriot Act and they may consider in the future accepting the CHL as ID but for now they take a driver's license as primary ID. She stated that they will let me know if policy changes in the future. In short, even with HB2739 they do not recognize a CHL as valid ID.

I did a little reading on the Patriot Act (Section 326 to be specific) which says that a customer must be appropriately identified when OPENING an account. It did not say (from what I read) that ID must be in the form of a drivers license. It does give some suggestions but basically states that as long as the ID has name, birthday, address, and an ID number on it that is all that is needed.

Any thoughts on if HB2739 can compel a bank to accept CHL as ID in light of the Patriot Act? Mostly curious...