Can You Carry Concealed in Florida Without a Permit?

Yes. Since July 1, 2023, concealed carry in Florida without a permit is legal for anyone who meets the eligibility standards that used to apply to Concealed Weapon or Firearm License (CWFL) applicants.¹ No course, no application, no wait. But the law did not legalize open carry, it did not shrink the list of places firearms are banned, and it created a federal school-zone problem that catches unlicensed carriers off guard.

Who Is Actually Eligible

You have to be at least 21 and a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.¹ Beyond that, several categories of people are barred from carrying:

Anyone with a felony conviction under state or federal law.
Anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.²
Anyone whose adjudication was withheld or sentence suspended on a violent misdemeanor, until three years after finishing probation and all court-ordered conditions.¹
Anyone committed for controlled substance abuse under Florida law.
Anyone adjudicated mentally incapacitated or involuntarily committed to a mental institution.
Anyone whose habitual use of alcohol or other substances impairs their normal faculties.

Federal law adds its own list of prohibited people, and those prohibitions apply in Florida no matter what state law says. The federal categories overlap with Florida’s but include a few the state’s list does not: fugitives from justice, anyone dishonorably discharged from the military, anyone subject to a qualifying domestic violence restraining order, and anyone who has renounced U.S. citizenship.³

Medical Marijuana Cardholders Are Not Eligible

This one trips people up constantly. Marijuana is still a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, and federal law prohibits any unlawful user of a controlled substance from possessing firearms or ammunition. There is no exception for state-legal medical use. The ATF has explicitly stated that anyone who uses marijuana, even with a valid state medical card, is a prohibited person who may not possess firearms.⁴ Holding a Florida medical marijuana card and carrying concealed exposes you to federal prosecution.

Where You Still Can’t Carry

Permitless carry did not shorten the list of restricted places. Knowingly carrying into any of the following is a second-degree misdemeanor.¹

Any K-12 school, college, or university facility.
Courthouses, courtrooms, and law enforcement agency administration buildings.
Polling places on election day.
Sterile areas past airport security checkpoints.
Meetings of a county commission, school board, city council, or special district governing body.
Any business primarily licensed to serve alcohol for on-premises consumption.

Private property owners can bar firearms on their premises. Florida does not attach a specific criminal firearms penalty to ignoring a posted “no weapons” sign, but if the owner or staff ask you to leave and you refuse, you can be charged with trespass.

Federal facilities add another layer state law cannot override. Firearms are prohibited in any building owned or leased by the federal government where federal employees regularly work. Post offices, Social Security offices, VA hospitals, and federal courthouses all qualify.⁵

National parks are different. Since 2010, you can carry inside a national park unit as long as you follow federal, state, and local law, which in Florida means permitless carry rules apply.⁶ Park buildings and visitor centers are still off-limits where posted.

Open carry itself remains illegal. Florida’s ban on visible public carry survived the 2023 law, with narrow exceptions for hunting, fishing, and camping. A brief, unintentional exposure (a shirt riding up) is not a violation as long as you aren’t displaying the weapon in a threatening way.⁷

The Federal School Zone Problem

This is the single biggest legal risk unlicensed carriers tend not to know about. The federal Gun-Free School Zones Act makes it a crime to possess a firearm within 1,000 feet of any K-12 school. There is an exception for people who hold a concealed carry license issued by the state where the school is located, but the exception specifically requires a state-issued license with a background check verification.⁸

Permitless carry does not qualify. If you carry without a Florida CWFL, driving through a residential neighborhood near a school (nearly unavoidable in most Florida cities) can technically put you in violation of federal law. The penalty is up to five years in prison.

Rules to Follow While Carrying

You must have a valid government-issued photo ID on you at all times while armed, and you must show it if a law enforcement officer asks.¹ Florida does not require you to volunteer that you’re carrying during a traffic stop or other encounter. Disclose only if the officer asks.

Keep the firearm concealed. Intentionally displaying it in public, unless in self-defense, violates the open carry prohibition.⁷

Penalties If You Get It Wrong

Carrying a concealed weapon other than a firearm (a knife, for instance) without meeting the eligibility requirements is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail. Carrying a concealed firearm without meeting the eligibility criteria is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.⁹

Carrying into a restricted location is a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail. Failing to produce ID when an officer asks while you’re carrying is a noncriminal violation with a $25 fine.¹

Why a License Is Still Worth Having

The CWFL program did not go away, and there are practical reasons to apply even though the law no longer requires it.

A valid CWFL triggers the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act exception. Permitless carry alone does not.⁸
Florida’s CWFL is recognized by many other states through reciprocity. Permitless carry under Florida law gives you no legal authority to carry in another state; only the physical license does.
Florida imposes a waiting period of at least three days when buying a firearm. CWFL holders are exempt.¹⁰
Showing a CWFL during a law enforcement encounter immediately proves you’ve passed a background check. Without one, an officer has no quick way to verify your eligibility, which can extend the interaction.

Crossing State Lines

Florida’s permitless carry law stops at the state line. Each state sets its own rules, and many states that honor Florida’s CWFL do not recognize someone carrying without a license. Traveling to another state relying only on Florida’s permitless carry status can put you in violation the moment you arrive.

If you need to transport a firearm through a state with restrictive carry laws, the federal Firearm Owners Protection Act offers narrow protection. You can transport a firearm through any state, even one that bans concealed carry, if you can legally possess the gun at both your starting point and destination. The firearm must be unloaded and stored in a locked container separate from the passenger compartment, not in a glove box or center console.¹¹ That covers transport only, not carrying during stops along the way.

1
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Permitless Carry in Florida
2
Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Requirements to Purchase a Firearm
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
4
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Open Letter to All Federal Firearms Licensees
5
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities
6
National Park Service. Laws and Policies
7
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 790.053 – Open Carrying of Weapons
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 922 – Unlawful Acts
9
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 790.01 – Unlawful Carrying of Concealed Weapons or Concealed Firearms
10
The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 790.0655 – Purchase and Delivery of Firearms; Mandatory Waiting Period; Exceptions; Penalties
11
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms