From one vet to another, View attachment 2241All fees to the state are waived for military members, including those honorably discharged within the last 365 days. Over 365 days, the state fee is half.
Also, range qualification is optional if you qualified with a handgun (not a long gun) in the last five years. If you qualify to opt out of the range portion of the class, in addition to proof of military status as mentioned above, you will also need to include military proof of handgun qualification, i.e., certification or training notation contained in your military records, when you submit your other paperwork to DPS.
I've had my CHL for several years now, it's due for renewal in 2011 so I guess around three years. Still, I have not heard that new policy, does anyone have a source for it? It's not listed on the DPS site for eligibility, nor was it listed in the 2009 Legislative Changes to the Concealed Handgun Licensing Act.
There was a proposal for that would have required a psychological evaluation for licensing proposed during the 78th Texas Legislature back in 2003, but it failed to pass (source) and it wasn't specifically directed towards veterans.
Certain types of psychological diagnoses can disqualify individuals, but I can find no requirement for psychological evaluations for veterans. I would be very interested in seeing what law requires it...
Nothing showed up on my background check i got a letter from the medical board that stated that i needed a psyc eval and my discharge eval was not sufficient so when i called i was told that it was a new policy of theirs for new vets. They had too many vets with PTSD and mTBI that were not diagnosed until after receiving CHL's.
It was the State Dept of Health Services Medical Review Board that sent me the paper work. when they first asked for it i sent in my Separation Eval that i had to do since i was medical retired. They said that it would not work because it didn't specifically say that i "have the the mental and emotional stability to properly and safely handle and store firearms". So i went to the VA and they refused to do the eval and I'm too poor to pay a private shrink. The VA has been working my claim since April and from the way they talk when i call to check on it it sounds like they are going to deny my claim. I also applied as a recently separated Vet for the discount so that might have had something to do with it.