Moving to Texas -- have questions

[JeepArn]

Looks like we'll be moving to Texas in the next few months (dallas-ft worth area.) So I have some questions if anyone could point me in the correct direction for answers I'd appreciate it.
-- can I keep my lifetime LTCH Indiana license? Only needing to alert and change address or will I have to surrender and re-apply as an out of state if I chose?

--transporting firearms and ammo when we move: ok to transport in personal vehicle? I would think do and if I only had a few of each I wouldn't worry. But with my luck something will happen where the police would have need to see into my vehicle and notice a small armory which I'm sure would throw a few red flags. Other options?

-- if timing doesn't work out and we have to move before we can get into our new house are there options for storing said collection with a local FFL in TX as opposed to keeping it in temporary housing with us or in a storage unit?

Thanks for the help,

 

[MCgrease08]

As for the LTCH, it's good for life, as long as you're living in Indiana. You will almost certainly need to apply for your Texas CHL once you get there. Remember, concealed only. I doubt they'll let you carry with an out of state license if you reside in Texas.

If/when you move back to Indiana your LTCH will still be in effect. That's when you would need to provide ISP with your new IN address.

As for transporting your guns... Handgunlaw.us.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yep. as MC said, your Larry is no longer valid when you move out of state since a condition of its validity is that you are a resident. Just give the ISP your new TX address and it goes inactive. If you move back you send the ISP your new IN address and its valid again. (without reapplying, etc assuming its a lifetime)

Good luck with the move!

 

[Alamo]

JeepArn,

Welcome to Texas, soon. The internet place for getting spun up on Texas Concealed Handgun License (CHL) and assorted laws is the TexasCHLforum.com. Please join us there.

And again, welcome!

p.s. This goes to the Texas Department of Public Safety home page, which has links to both the drivers license and CHL pages.
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/

 

[JeepArn]

Thanks for the help guys! Alamo- I've signed up on the forum (same name JeepArn) look forward to talking with you and the other Texas folks on there. Thank you all again.

 

[Alamo]

PM'd you at the texas forum. Good luck!

 

[jwh20]

I can't imagine why police would need to see inside your vehicle but if you pack your firearms and ammo carefully they shouldn't see them and even if they do, there will not be an issue. Properly packed, which usually means unloaded and locked in a case, you should not arouse any suspicions. Your best defense against hassles, however, is to avoid getting stopped in the first place and if you do for some reason beyond your control, as long as what you're carrying is not visible, who is going to know?

Ok, worst case scenario, some jack-ass in a mini van is texting and causes an accident and your car spills its contents all over the highway. So now there are guns and ammo littering the road and the News Chopper is hovering overhead. Yes, you might have some 'splaining to do. Let's hope that doesn't happen!!

What you might do is go to handgunlaw.us or some of the other sites that offer summaries of the various states and their laws. Check the laws for every state you will be traveling through and be sure you are in compliance. Biggest concern would be a state like Illinois where just about anyone with any sort of gun is viewed as a criminal. So either take your chances and move through carefully or avoid it altogether. Between here and TX, I think only IL falls into that category. In fact, all the other states you might traverse, MO, KS, OK, and TX recognize your IN LTCH so you can even keep your CCW with you once you get through IL.

 

[Alamo]

...Between here and TX, I think only IL falls into that category. In fact, all the other states you might traverse, MO, KS, OK, and TX recognize your IN LTCH so you can even keep your CCW with you once you get through IL.

Screw Illinois.

Go south on I-65 until you hit Nashville (TN). Turn right onto I-40, head for Little Rock. Jump on I-30, next stop Dallas-Fort Worth. It's a bit farther than going through Illinois, but Tennessee and Arkansas honor Indiana handgun licenses.

The only thing to watch out for is wall-to-wall poe-leece from Memphis to the border of Arkansas, so drive carefully. I dunno what that was about but I never saw any part of the interstate system so infested with cops. ?? That's old data, I haven't done that route in years, but keep it in mind.

Once you reside in Texas, you will need to get a TX DL and CHL, but that's fairly easy. And if you move out again, your CHL will become a non-resident CHL with just an address change.

 

[Leo]

Screw Illinois.

Go south on I-65 until you hit Nashville (TN). Turn right onto I-40, head for Little Rock. Jump on I-30, next stop Dallas-Fort Worth. It's a bit farther than going through Illinois, but Tennessee and Arkansas honor Indiana handgun licenses.

The only thing to watch out for is wall-to-wall poe-leece from Memphis to the border of Arkansas, so drive carefully. I dunno what that was about but I never saw any part of the interstate system so infested with cops. ?? That's old data, I haven't done that route in years, but keep it in mind.

Once you reside in Texas, you will need to get a TX DL and CHL, but that's fairly easy. And if you move out again, your CHL will become a non-resident CHL with just an address change.

That's my route, good advice

 

[Bfish]

Screw Illinois.

Go south on I-65 until you hit Nashville (TN). Turn right onto I-40, head for Little Rock. Jump on I-30, next stop Dallas-Fort Worth. It's a bit farther than going through Illinois, but Tennessee and Arkansas honor Indiana handgun licenses.

The only thing to watch out for is wall-to-wall poe-leece from Memphis to the border of Arkansas, so drive carefully. I dunno what that was about but I never saw any part of the interstate system so infested with cops. ?? That's old data, I haven't done that route in years, but keep it in mind.

Once you reside in Texas, you will need to get a TX DL and CHL, but that's fairly easy. And if you move out again, your CHL will become a non-resident CHL with just an address change.

Is that a lifetime permit?

 

[Alamo]

No lifetime permits. Five years, hence good for bypassing NICs check when buying firearms.

(Technically, the initial one will be good for a bit less than five, since the first renewal will be on the recipient's first birthday following the four year anniversary of the issuance of the license. Henceforth renewals will be due on your birthday every five years.)

 

[Bfish]

No lifetime permits. Five years, hence good for bypassing NICs check when buying firearms.

(Technically, the initial one will be good for a bit less than five, since the first renewal will be on the recipient's first birthday following the four year anniversary of the issuance of the license. Henceforth renewals will be due on your birthday every five years.)

Cool, thank you!

 

[JeepArn]

All of this is great info... Thanks to each if you and am following the suggested travel route for sure.
One more question...
It looks like I'll be moving to temporary housing for at least a month prior to owning my home (Maybe two months.) and by temp housing I mean like a Homewood suits of sorts so furnished and such. Don't know if I'd be comfortable leaving the firearms in there... Do you think I'd have any luck finding a local gun shop in TX that I could rent some safe space from during that time?

I have a safe and could take it with me and actually thought about asking a fellow worker to store at their house. Only dilemma is how they'd react to the "new guy" having a mini arsenal.

 

[T.Lex]

Have family in Dallas, with a ranch near Mineola. I'm generally open to moving down there, too, if the right job opens up.

One bit of advice, if you aren't into hog hunting, you will be.

Good luck with the move!

 

[Alamo]

....Do you think I'd have any luck finding a local gun shop in TX that I could rent some safe space from during that time?

I have heard people ask that before on the 'net, but never seen a reliable answer. I suspect that if you found one agreeable, you'd might have to go through the NICS check when getting the guns back from an FFL...and in that short time frame may not have your Texas CHL to bypass it. Not a real reason not to do it, just be ready for it, and there may be some additional fees involved.

I have a safe and could take it with me and actually thought about asking a fellow worker to store at their house. Only dilemma is how they'd react to the "new guy" having a mini arsenal.

Me, I would be skittish about my new coworkers (and therefore employer) knowing of my arsenal, at least until I knew the lay of the land at work.

So what's the answer? I dunno. What I would probably do is find a small climate control storage place somewhere in a self-storage place that has a fence, a gate, lights, cameras, etc. (NOT the places where people off the street can walk right up to the door). The better quality climate control units will be inside another building, and the entrances to that may be controlled as well. I'd put my stuff in a big metal locking container, and chain the container to other stuff, like heavy furniture, concrete blocks, whatever makes it difficult to carry away. Your storage lease is likely to say something like no ammo, but firearms should be fine. The lease will also state that the storage facility is not liable for anything that happens to your stuff for any cause, and even if they are, the limit is only $5K, so make sure you have your own insurance and that it covers firearms.