TexasCHLforum.com

Well, I'm quite surprised, but I got my pin number in a mere 5 days. I have read about the dreadfully long wait times, so I am very surprised by this. Here is my story

I took my CHL class on Saturday May 10th. Instructor warned us of the long wait times, so immediately after class I went home and started researching and found this site, along with others. I read some individuals who said that people who submitted their applications online had experienced shorter wait times than those who mailed in. So, I figured what have I got to lose, and Saturday night, I used the online DPS site to submit my application (which included paying for it). My intent was to mail in my CHL paperwork from my class on the following Monday morning. I did some more reading and read one individual on another site (can't remember where right now) that said you can't do this, as the paperwork you get in your CHL class is different than the paperwork you get from the state. This worried me, as I thought I was going to have to chase down my CHL instructor and get him to resign all of the new paperwork from the state.

So Monday morning I get on the phone and call the CHL offices. The lady I talk with says that indeed there are some differences in the online packet than the packet you get from your CHL class, and that I would have to sign and submit the paperwork from the online application when it was received. She said that it would take approximately 2 weeks before I recieved my packet from Austin, so immediately I'm thinking I just delayed myself 2 weeks + the time it will take to chase down my CHL instructor (estimated 1 additional week).

Well, today I get home and find my online packet waiting for me. I open it up, and am surprised to see that I have been assigned a PIN # !! Now, I don't really know if this is anything to get excited about, but I was just surprised after reading that people here have waited over a month just to get their PIN number. I'm hoping that since I prepaid the fee's, and already have my information in the system, that I can skip the data entry period, along with the time the state waits to verify your payment (assuming they do. I'm guessing that they will wait until the check clears until they start doing all of the work. Could be wrong)

IIRC, if you apply online you will automatically get your PIN along with the packet. If you were to check your online status with that PIN right now, for example, you should see a "packet mailed to applicant." Even after you send in your packet, it may take an extended amount of time before the "packet mailed to applicant" changes to "processing application," and possibly even longer until it changes to "certificate active"

What you're experiencing is standard operating procedure and nothing particularly special. Now, if you had mailed in your packet from the instructor instead of doing the online application and received your PIN in 5 days, then I would be shocked.

Ha ha, so I didn't find a secret back door portal that will shoot me to the first of the line? We shall see how it goes. I mailed off my application today, so they should get it by Monday, and then the waiting game begins.

Nope, no secret back door. I did mine online and checked immediately on receipt. Showed as "Packet mailed to applicant". Took class, completed packet, mailed. My packet arrived there April 18 and it still shows as "Packet mailed to applicant".

The disadvantage of getting your PIN quickly is so many people get obsessed with checking their status online.

boomerang wrote:The disadvantage of getting your PIN quickly is so many people get obsessed with checking their status online.

I wouldn't say I'm obsessed. It's 9am on Monday and I've only checked three times.

I'm holding fast in checking only once a day, in the morning. My guess is it's only updated at night. Ocasionally....I might check before I leave work. Realy, occasionally!! :D