Class G License in Florida: Training, Application, and Penalties

A Class G license in Florida is the statewide firearm authorization that security officers, private investigators, and certain agency managers must hold before carrying a gun on duty. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) issues it under Chapter 493 of the Florida Statutes. To get one, you need a qualifying underlying license, 28 hours of firearms training from a Class K instructor, a fingerprint background check, and an approved application to FDACS.¹ The license runs for two years and requires annual range re-qualification to stay valid.

You Need Another License First

A Class G is not a standalone credential. Florida law limits firearm authority to holders of a Class C (private investigator), Class CC (private investigator intern), Class D (security officer), Class M (private investigator agency manager), Class MA (private investigator agency manager), or Class MB (security agency manager) license.² If you don’t hold one of those, FDACS will reject your Class G application regardless of how much training you’ve completed.

For most people entering the industry, the path starts with a Class D unarmed security officer license, which has its own 40-hour training requirement. Once that’s in hand, you can pursue the Class G to move into armed work. Skipping this sequence is the single most common mistake new applicants make, and it wastes both time and training fees.

Eligibility Requirements

Beyond the prerequisite license, applicants must meet several personal qualifications under Section 493.6105 of the Florida Statutes.³

You must be at least 21 years old.
You must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien, or hold a work-authorized visa. The application asks for either a Social Security number or an alien registration number.
A felony conviction or a disqualifying misdemeanor involving violence or controlled substances will bar you from licensure. The application requires disclosure of all criminal convictions, guilty pleas, and nolo contendere pleas regardless of whether adjudication was withheld. Applicants under 24 must also disclose juvenile acts that would have been felonies if committed by an adult.
You must disclose whether you have been adjudicated incompetent or committed to a mental institution. A history of substance abuse or an active domestic violence injunction can result in denial.

FDACS runs a fingerprint-based background check through the statewide automated biometric identification system, so leaving past offenses off the application is pointless and is itself grounds for denial.

The 28-Hour Firearms Training

Every applicant must complete 28 hours of combined classroom and range instruction before applying.¹ The statute splits the hours: up to 20 hours of classroom work, which can be delivered online through a secure verified platform, and a minimum of 8 hours of in-person range training covering safe firearm handling and storage.³

The classroom hours cover Florida’s use-of-force standards, safe handling, and the legal boundaries of armed work. All instruction must be taught and administered by a licensed Class K firearms instructor, who verifies your identity, attendance, and successful completion.⁴ You must qualify on the range with each specific type and caliber of firearm you intend to carry. Once you pass, the instructor issues a training certificate that goes into your application package.

Training Waivers

FDACS can waive the 28 hours if you are currently certified as a Florida law enforcement or correctional officer, have completed law enforcement certification training within the past 12 months, or are currently certified as a federal law enforcement officer with agency-administered firearms training.³ If any of these apply to you, contact FDACS before paying for a course.

How to Apply

FDACS provides a dedicated Class G Statewide Firearm License Application through its website.¹ The completed package needs to include:

Full legal name and any aliases, date and place of birth, Social Security or alien registration number, and current residence and mailing addresses.
A complete statement of criminal history, including guilty pleas and nolo contendere pleas.
Disclosure of any mental incompetency adjudication or commitment.
One passport-style color photograph taken within the six months immediately before submission.³
A full set of fingerprints submitted electronically through a law enforcement agency, FDACS regional office, or approved tax collector location.
The original 28-hour training certificate signed by your Class K instructor.

Fingerprint processing costs vary by where you submit. At a law enforcement agency, expect roughly $35. At a FDACS regional office or approved tax collector, the fee is $42, and tax collectors may add a convenience fee of up to $9.⁵ A separate application fee applies, and FDACS publishes the current amount on its Class G requirements page. Plan for the training course itself as well; providers typically charge a few hundred dollars.

You can submit the package by mail to FDACS headquarters in Tallahassee, in person at a regional office, or through the department’s online portal. FDACS also issues a temporary Class G that remains valid until the permanent license is issued or denied, so you may be able to begin armed work before the final card arrives.² If reviewers find problems, you’ll receive a deficiency letter asking for more information. Before mailing anything, verify that your photo is recent, your instructor’s signature is legible, and your criminal history section is fully filled in.

What You Can Carry, and When

Class G holders are limited to specific handgun types and calibers on duty. The approved list under Section 493.6115 is:⁶

.38 caliber revolver
.380 caliber semiautomatic pistol
9mm semiautomatic pistol
.357 caliber revolver, loaded with .38 caliber ammunition only
.40 caliber handgun
.45 ACP handgun

Two limits catch people out. You may only carry a firearm of the specific type and caliber you qualified with during training. If you trained on a 9mm, you cannot carry a .45 ACP without a separate qualification. And you may carry no more than two firearms on your person while performing your duties.⁷

The license also has a hard scope limit: it authorizes you to carry only while performing duties regulated under Chapter 493. The statute says no employee shall carry a firearm except in connection with those duties.⁷ When you clock out, your Class G authority ends. If you want to carry a personal firearm off duty, you need a separate Florida concealed weapon license and must follow the same laws as any other civilian.

Keeping the License Active

Holding a Class G is not a one-time step. Every year you must complete four hours of firearms re-qualification training taught by a Class K instructor.⁸ The course reviews the same legal and safety topics from initial training, notes any recent changes in the law, and includes a live-fire qualification of 48 rounds.¹ You re-qualify with each type and caliber you carry on duty. Failing the range portion gives you up to three attempts; after a third failure you need additional remedial training before trying again. Proof of completion must go to FDACS each year.

The license itself renews every two years.⁸ FDACS mails a renewal application with instructions about 95 days before expiration.⁹ The renewal package requires a renewal fee, a fingerprint retention fee, and proof that you completed both years of annual re-qualification. If you miss the expiration date, you can still renew by paying a late fee, though the late fee cannot exceed the license fee itself. Active-duty military, their spouses, certain recent veterans with honorable discharges, and surviving spouses of service members who died on active duty may qualify for a fee waiver.

Penalties for Working Without a Valid License

Carrying a firearm during security or investigative work without a valid Class G is a criminal offense under Section 493.6120. A first violation is a first-degree misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation is a third-degree felony, and FDACS can seek a civil penalty of up to $10,000 on top of the criminal charge.¹⁰ One narrow exception: if your license expired within the past 90 days, the criminal penalty does not apply, but you still must complete renewal before returning to armed work.

The exposure reaches your employer too. Agencies that assign armed duties to officers without a current Class G face their own regulatory consequences. If your re-qualification has lapsed or your license has expired, step out of armed assignments until the paperwork is current.

1
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Class G Statewide Firearm License Requirements
2
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 493.6115 – Weapons and Firearms
3
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 493.6105 – Initial Application for License
4
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Private Security Licenses
5
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. What Is the Cost of the Electronic Fingerprint Submission
6
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Approved Firearms for Class G License Holders
7
Florida Senate. Florida Code 493.6115 – Weapons and Firearms
8
Florida Senate. Florida Code 493.6113 – Renewal of Licenses
9
Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Renewing Your Private Security License
10
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code Chapter 493 – Private Investigative, Private Security, and Repossession Services