Florida Concealed Weapon and Firearm License Requirements

To qualify for a Florida concealed weapon and firearm license, you must meet the requirements in Section 790.06: be at least 21 years old, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, clear both state and federal background checks, demonstrate firearms competency through an approved course or equivalent experience, and submit an application with fingerprints, a photo, and the required fees to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).¹ The license is valid for seven years and covers handguns, electric weapons, tear gas guns, knives, and billies. It does not cover machine guns, rifles, or shotguns.

Why Get the License at All Under Permitless Carry

Since July 1, 2023, House Bill 543 has allowed anyone who meets the same eligibility standards to carry concealed in Florida without a permit.² You still have to carry ID and show it to law enforcement on request, but no license is required inside the state.

The reason to get the 790.06 license anyway is reciprocity. Florida has formal agreements with 37 other states that recognize the license, meaning you can carry legally when you travel to those states.³ Permitless carry stops at the state line. A license also gives you documented proof of eligibility during any police encounter, which is faster than having an officer verify your status on the spot.

Reciprocity does not mean identical rules. Each state you visit sets its own restrictions on where and how you can carry, and some jurisdictions, including Washington D.C., do not honor any out-of-state permits. Check the local law before you travel.

Who Qualifies Under Florida Law

Beyond age and residency, you must want the license for lawful self-defense. Several categories of people are disqualified:¹

Anyone convicted of a felony, or found delinquent for an act that would be a felony if committed by an adult.
Anyone convicted under Florida’s controlled substance laws (or similar laws in another state) within the three years before the application date. Anyone committed for substance abuse is permanently ineligible unless firearms rights have been restored.
Anyone adjudicated incapacitated or committed to a mental institution.
Anyone subject to an active injunction restraining them from committing domestic violence or repeat violence.
Anyone with a physical infirmity that prevents safely handling a firearm.

Those are the state rules. Federal law imposes additional bars, and they catch more Florida applicants than you might expect.

Federal Disqualifiers That Override Florida Eligibility

Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), federal law prohibits several categories of people from possessing firearms or ammunition anywhere in the country, regardless of what a state permits.⁴ The list includes felons, fugitives, unlawful users of controlled substances, people adjudicated as mentally defective, undocumented immigrants, people dishonorably discharged from the military, people who have renounced citizenship, people subject to certain restraining orders, and anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

The Medical Marijuana Problem

This is the disqualifier Florida applicants stumble over most. Marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law, and the ATF has stated that anyone who uses marijuana is an “unlawful user of a controlled substance” prohibited from possessing firearms, regardless of state medical marijuana laws.⁵ Holding a Florida medical marijuana card triggers the federal prohibition. There is no exception.

Domestic Violence Misdemeanors Never Expire

The federal domestic violence prohibitor has no time limit. A qualifying misdemeanor conviction from decades ago still bars firearm possession today. The conviction counts if it involved the use or attempted use of physical force against a spouse, former spouse, co-parent, or someone you lived with in a spousal-type relationship, and there is no exemption for law enforcement or military personnel.⁶

Demonstrating Firearms Competency

You have to document that you can safely handle a firearm. Any of the following satisfies the requirement:¹

A hunter education or safety course approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or an equivalent agency in another state.
Any firearms safety or training course offered by the National Rifle Association.
A firearms safety course taught by an instructor certified by the NRA, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, or FDACS.
Evidence of current or past U.S. military service, including a DD-214 or proof of active duty.
Participation in organized shooting competition.

Your documentation needs to clearly show your name and the specific course or qualification. If you take a private class, confirm the instructor’s certification comes from one of the recognized bodies. FDACS will reject paperwork from uncertified instructors.

What to Submit and What It Costs

The application itself asks for personal information and a series of yes-or-no eligibility questions answered under oath. Along with it, you need:

A full-frontal, head-and-shoulders color photograph taken within the last 30 days.
A complete set of fingerprints taken by a law enforcement agency or authorized provider. These go through both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI.⁷
Proof of firearms competency.

A new Florida resident application costs $42 for fingerprint processing and $55 for the initial license fee. Applying through a tax collector’s office adds a service fee of $22, for a total of $119.⁸ The service fee can vary slightly by county.

Where and How to Apply

You can submit a completed application by mail to FDACS in Tallahassee, in person at an FDACS regional office, or at an authorized tax collector’s office. The tax collector route is popular because staff can review the application, take your photo, and process fingerprints in one visit.

How Long Processing Takes

Once FDACS has a complete application, the department has 90 days to issue or deny the license. If the background check turns up criminal history that lacks a final disposition or enough detail to decide, FDACS gets another 45 days to investigate. If the department still cannot resolve the question within that extension, it must issue the license as long as you are otherwise eligible.⁹

If Your Application Is Denied

FDACS must notify you in writing with the specific grounds for denial and inform you of your right to an administrative hearing under Chapter 120 of Florida law. You have 21 days from receiving the notice to file a hearing request, or 26 days if the notice was mailed.¹⁰ Missing that window means losing your chance to challenge the decision through that process.

Keeping the License: Renewal and Ongoing Eligibility

The license lasts seven years. About 95 days before expiration, FDACS will mail a renewal form. You can renew online, in person at an FDACS regional office or authorized tax collector, or by mail.¹¹

If you miss the expiration date, you have a 180-day grace period to renew with a $15 late fee. Past 180 days, the license is gone and you have to start the full application over, including new fingerprints and full new-application fees. Tax collector renewals add a convenience fee of up to $12.

Certain events after issuance can cost you the license. FDACS can suspend or revoke it for a qualifying felony conviction, a controlled substance conviction, substance abuse commitment or habitual offender status, two DUI convictions within three years, a mental health adjudication or commitment, a physical infirmity that prevents safe handling, or a violent crime finding within the preceding three years.¹⁰ FDACS will also suspend the license (or pause a pending application) if you are arrested or charged with a disqualifying crime, or if an active domestic violence or repeat violence injunction is entered against you. The same 21-day hearing window applies to suspensions and revocations.

One boundary worth knowing before you carry: even with a valid license, Section 790.06(12) prohibits carrying in 15 categories of locations, including police stations, courthouses, polling places, schools, college campuses, bars, airport terminals, and federal buildings.¹⁰ Knowingly carrying in a restricted location is a second-degree misdemeanor, and federal facilities carry separate penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 930.¹² Read the full list in the statute before you carry regularly.

1
Florida Senate. Florida Code 790.06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
2
Florida Senate. House Bill 543 (2023)
3
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Concealed Weapon License Reciprocity
4
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Open Letter to All Federal Firearms Licensees
6
U.S. Department of Justice. Criminal Resource Manual 1117 – Restrictions on the Possession of Firearms by Individuals Convicted of a Misdemeanor Crime of Domestic Violence
7
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Concealed Weapon License Application Instructions
8
Hillsborough County Tax Collector. Payments and Fees – Concealed Weapon License Application
9
Florida Senate. Chapter 790 Section 06 – 2025 Florida Statutes
10
The Florida Legislature. Florida Code 790.06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
11
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Renew Your Concealed Weapon License
12
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities