Florida Non-resident CHL

Wrothgar · January 22, 2011, 07:40 PM

I live in TX now, but will be moving to Colorado shorty. I don't want to wait some six months to establish CO residency, and I don't want to be without carrying for that time, so I sent off for Florida CHL. Question; is there an actual "non-resident" CHL, or are they all the same? I didn't specify, and just got a normal Florida CHL. Thanks for any info!

Al Norris · January 22, 2011, 10:01 PM

Should you get a FL CHL, it will be worthless in CO.

Colorado does not recognize non-resident permits. First, you must be a resident of the State in which your permit is issued. Second, your State must have reciprocity with CO.

You would meet the second part, but not meet the requirements of the first part.

Residency requirements are quite liberal. Get your CO drivers license with your correct address and you are pretty much good to go. The law only requires that you be a legal resident (no stated time frame).

Wrothgar · January 22, 2011, 11:18 PM

Ahhh, see, I knew they recognized the FL license, but I didn't know that about non-resident licenses. Hopefully the wait has gone done on getting one's CHL. Also, good to know about establishing residency. I think in TX they want you to have lived here for 6 months or something. Good to know!

Also, I hear the CO classes are much shorter than the TX ones. There's a law mandating the classes here take 8 hours - it was miserable. They could have done it in 4.

Al Norris · January 22, 2011, 11:27 PM

A good resource is http://www.handgunlaw.us/

Gary Slider (a member here), makes every effort to keep his site up to date and as correct/current as humanly possible.

scorpion_tyr · January 25, 2011, 01:31 PM

Answer: Unless they have changed it in the past few years, there is no "Non-Resident" Florida CHL, it's the exact same thing a FL resident will get... with the exception that your address will not be in FL.

Advise: Just get the CHL for the state you live in, even if "technically" legal, it can be confusing to patrol officers who don't have every law memorized (cause there are kind of a lot)

airfoil · January 25, 2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Advise: Just get the CHL for the state you live in, even if "technically" legal, it can be confusing to patrol officers who don't have every law memorized (cause there are kind of a lot)

I disagree. For starters, it's perfectly legal to keep a handgun in your vehicle in Texas. So that's not really grounds for a UCW if you have a handgun in your vehicle, preferably out of your reach if you are stopped.

I've been harassed by a couple of small town cops in my time, and from my experience, if they are bored enough, they'll bother you anyway, even if you don't have a gun and don't have a CHL.

In general, if you don't have a lead foot and don't run red lights and/or stop signs, you might get pulled over once every year or two if you even get pulled over at all.

The other issue is that the Texas CHL is a relatively expensive CHL. A Florida CCW is less than half of the total cost (including licensing and training), is valid for three more years, and it has a quicker turnaround compared to Texas. The DPS was moving so slow with CHL applications and renewals that the TSRA got involved with one of the house subcommittees a couple of years ago.

January 22, 2011, 07:40 PM	#1
Wrothgar Junior member Join Date: January 28, 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 778	Florida Non-resident CHL I live in TX now, but will be moving to Colorado shorty. I don't want to wait some six months to establish CO residency, and I don't want to be without carrying for that time, so I sent off for Florida CHL. Question; is there an actual "non-resident" CHL, or are they all the same? I didn't specify, and just got a normal Florida CHL. Thanks for any info!

January 22, 2011, 11:18 PM	#3
Wrothgar Junior member Join Date: January 28, 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 778	Ahhh, see, I knew they recognized the FL license, but I didn't know that about non-resident licenses. Hopefully the wait has gone done on getting one's CHL. Also, good to know about establishing residency. I think in TX they want you to have lived here for 6 months or something. Good to know! Also, I hear the CO classes are much shorter than the TX ones. There's a law mandating the classes here take 8 hours - it was miserable. They could have done it in 4. Last edited by Wrothgar; January 22, 2011 at 11:26 PM.

January 25, 2011, 01:31 PM	#5
scorpion_tyr Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: East Texas Posts: 1,326	Answer: Unless they have changed it in the past few years, there is no "Non-Resident" Florida CHL, it's the exact same thing a FL resident will get... with the exception that your address will not be in FL. Advise: Just get the CHL for the state you live in, even if "technically" legal, it can be confusing to patrol officers who don't have every law memorized (cause there are kind of a lot) __________________ “Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight.” - Thomas Jefferson

January 22, 2011, 10:01 PM	#2
Al Norris Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 9,660	Should you get a FL CHL, it will be worthless in CO. Colorado does not recognize non-resident permits. First, you must be a resident of the State in which your permit is issued. Second, your State must have reciprocity with CO. You would meet the second part, but not meet the requirements of the first part. Residency requirements are quite liberal. Get your CO drivers license with your correct address and you are pretty much good to go. The law only requires that you be a legal resident (no stated time frame).

January 22, 2011, 11:27 PM	#4
Al Norris Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 9,660	A good resource is http://www.handgunlaw.us/ Gary Slider (a member here), makes every effort to keep his site up to date and as correct/current as humanly possible.