I recently had to renew my CHL and in Texas it seems like the government is trying to make it hard as possible and to make citizens jump through as many hoops as possible . None of what i had to do was hard, it was just a matter of making sure each piece of the puzzle was completed before mailing the documents to the state. Most of the process was easy, but time consuming. I was able to pay the renewal fee online and then the state sent me all the necessary paper work to fill out. My next step was to take the proficiency test. For people renewing their license the class is a half-day class of reviewing changes to the law and proficiency in shooting. The next two steps required me to get passport photos taken and have my fingerprints taken. I had the photos taken at a local drugstore. As for the fingerprints, the state is moving toward electronic scanning. I would not be opposed to this except that the scanning device costs $15,000 and as of right now there is only one company that provides the service to the state: L1 Solutions. When I received my packet of documents from the state there was one piece of paper directing me to L1’s website where I could find locations for their fingerprinting service. Anyone renewing their CHL must get fingerprints done through L1 or a local police department.
The system in Texas could be easier, but overall I never had a moment of frustration or had to deal with some bureaucrat. I am thankful that I don’t live in a state where the government does everything humanly possible to prevent citizens from defending themselves. If my ideal experience would be a 10, I would rate Texas’s process as an 8.

License fee: $75

Class fee: $75

Passport photos: $8

Fingerprinting fee: $10

Total cost of Texas CHL: $168