Blackjack weapon laws in Florida do not ban the weapon itself, but they tightly control how you carry it. Owning a blackjack is lawful. Carrying one concealed in public is only lawful if you meet every eligibility requirement for a Florida concealed-weapon license, and doing so without qualifying is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
What Counts as a Blackjack Under Florida Law
The word “blackjack” never appears in the statute. Florida Statute 790.001 instead uses two terms that cover the same category of weapons: a “billie,” which covers rigid or semi-rigid striking weapons, and a “slungshot,” defined as a small mass of metal, stone, sand, or similar material fixed on a flexible handle or strap and used as a weapon.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 790.001 – Definitions A typical blackjack fits one or the other depending on how it is built.
The same statute lists billies and slungshots inside its general definition of “weapon,” alongside dirks, metallic knuckles, tear gas guns, chemical weapons, and knives, while excluding firearms, common pocketknives, plastic knives, and blunt-bladed table knives.1Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 790.001 – Definitions Because a blackjack is a “weapon” under Chapter 790, every concealed-carry and penalty rule in that chapter applies to it.
Concealed Carry After Permitless Carry
Florida became a permitless-carry state in 2023, and the change reaches beyond firearms. Under Florida Statute 790.01, you may carry a concealed weapon or concealed firearm if you either hold a concealed-weapon license or satisfy the eligibility criteria for one, even without the license in hand.2Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 790.01 – Carrying of Concealed Weapons or Concealed Firearms Section 790.06 defines “concealed weapon or concealed firearm” to include handguns, electronic weapons, tear gas guns, knives, and billies.3Justia Law. Florida Statutes 790.06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm Because “billie” is on that list, a blackjack qualifies for permitless concealed carry.
You still have to actually meet every license requirement. Under Section 790.06 the key ones include being at least 21, having no felony convictions, no recent commitment for drug or alcohol abuse, no disqualifying mental-health adjudication, and no outstanding domestic-violence injunction.3Justia Law. Florida Statutes 790.06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm If you would be denied a license, permitless carry is not open to you and carrying concealed is a crime.
One nuance to be aware of: the 790.06 list mentions “billie” but not “slungshot.” A weapon built as a slungshot arguably falls outside the concealed-carry framework entirely. Many blackjacks could be classified either way, and getting an actual concealed-weapon license does not resolve the ambiguity because the license covers the same list of weapons as permitless carry.
Open Carry and Possession at Home
Florida’s open-carry ban under Section 790.053 applies only to firearms and electric weapons. Carrying a blackjack openly does not violate that statute on its face. Displaying one in a threatening way is a separate problem and can support an improper-exhibition charge under Section 790.10.
Keeping a blackjack at home or at your place of business is on solid ground. Florida Statute 790.25 authorizes possession of arms at your home or place of business as a lawful use.4Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 790.25 – Lawful Ownership, Possession, and Use of Firearms and Other Weapons This is true regardless of whether you would qualify to carry the weapon concealed in public.
Penalties for Unlawful Concealed Carry
Carrying a concealed blackjack without meeting the eligibility criteria is a first-degree misdemeanor.2Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 790.01 – Carrying of Concealed Weapons or Concealed Firearms The maximum sentence is up to one year in county jail5Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 775.082 – Penalties and a fine of up to $1,000.6Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 775.083 – Fines
First offenders without aggravating factors often receive probation instead of jail. The conviction itself still creates a criminal record that can affect employment, housing, and future firearm eligibility.
Felons and Blackjacks
Florida Statute 790.23 treats convicted felons much more strictly. The statute prohibits felons from owning or possessing any firearm, ammunition, or electric weapon, and separately prohibits them from carrying a concealed weapon, a category that includes billies.7Justia Law. Florida Statutes 790.23 – Felons and Delinquents; Possession of Firearms, Ammunition, or Electric Weapons or Devices Unlawful A violation is a second-degree felony, carrying up to 15 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.6Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 775.083 – Fines
The two prohibitions work differently. The possession ban lists firearms, ammunition, and electric weapons only, so a felon may have an argument for openly possessing a blackjack at home under the 790.25 home-possession exemption. Carrying one concealed in public is a clear felony. Given the exposure, anyone with a felony record is safer avoiding these weapons altogether.
Using a Blackjack While Committing Another Crime
Penalties climb sharply when a weapon is involved in a separate felony. Under Florida Statute 775.087, carrying, displaying, or using a weapon during the commission of a felony reclassifies the offense one degree higher:8Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 775.087 – Possession or Use of Weapon; Felony Reclassification
- A third-degree felony becomes a second-degree felony.
- A second-degree felony becomes a first-degree felony.
- A first-degree felony becomes a life felony.
The bump applies even if the weapon was not central to the offense. Simply having a blackjack on you during a burglary or robbery is enough. The exception is when the weapon is already an essential element of the crime being charged.
Self-Defense Complications
Florida self-defense law under Chapter 776 allows non-deadly force when you reasonably believe it is necessary to defend against imminent unlawful force, and deadly force when you reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm, or a forcible felony.9Florida Senate. Florida Statutes Chapter 776 – Justifiable Use of Force Florida has no duty to retreat if you are in a place you have a right to be and are not engaged in criminal activity.
Blackjacks create a practical problem inside this framework. A weighted blow to the head can cause death or traumatic brain injury, so a prosecutor can characterize almost any blackjack strike as deadly force. If the threat you faced did not justify deadly force, you can be charged even when you were genuinely defending yourself. And if you were carrying the blackjack concealed in violation of Chapter 790 at the time, you were engaged in criminal activity, which knocks out stand-your-ground protection. Lawful carry is not a technicality here. It directly controls whether the strongest self-defense doctrines remain available to you.