Originally Posted by usmc-sgt

the only way you can take a initial cfi with anyone other than the fsdo is with a waiver number and the only way you are getting a waiver number is if the fsdo can not accomodate you within 30 days for the checkride. Some fsdos have more than enough inspectors that are able to get the checkrides done and that means you ARE riding with the fsdo others for example riverside county in CA do not have many at all so they wil give you a waiver number and the name of a dpe you can do the ride with.

one last exception, some schools have examining authority on initial cfi but I only know of a few and I am not sure how it works out. but DCA in MA has that authority