The Complete Florida Concealed Carry Guide

For decades, carrying a concealed firearm in Florida required a license. That changed when Florida adopted what is commonly called permitless carry — sometimes "constitutional carry" — allowing eligible adults to carry a concealed firearm without first obtaining a license from the state.

Two things are widely misunderstood about that change.

First, it did not eliminate the license. Florida still issues the Concealed Weapon License through Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and hundreds of thousands of Floridians still hold one.

Second, it did not change who is allowed to have a firearm. Permitless carry applies only to people who would otherwise be eligible for a license. If a prior conviction, a court order, or another disqualifier means you could not lawfully get a CWL, you cannot lawfully carry without one either. The eligibility bar did not move — only the paperwork requirement did.

For most people who carry regularly: yes. Here is the honest accounting.

Reasons to still get the CWL

1. Reciprocity — the big one

This is the single most common reason people still get licensed. Your Florida license is recognized by roughly three dozen other states. Permitless carry in Florida means nothing the moment you cross a state line. If you drive to Georgia, travel for work, or visit family out of state, the license is what keeps you legal. See our guide on Florida concealed carry reciprocity.

2. It comes with training

The license requires a course. That course is the only formal instruction many carriers ever receive, and it covers the legal side that people most often get wrong.

3. Firearm purchases

Holding a CWL can simplify parts of the purchase process at a licensed dealer. Verify the current specifics with your dealer, since the details change.

4. It demonstrates good faith

If you are ever in a defensive incident, having voluntarily gone through a background check and a state-recognized training course is not nothing.

Reasons someone might skip it

If you never leave Florida, never intend to, and have no interest in the purchase conveniences, the license is genuinely optional now. That is a real position and we are not going to pretend otherwise. But at $50 for the course, the calculation tips for most people the first time they plan a road trip.

Florida sets specific eligibility criteria. In broad terms, applicants generally must:

• Meet the state's minimum age requirement
• Be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident
• Not be prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law
• Demonstrate competency with a firearm through an approved training course
• Not have a disqualifying criminal history, including certain felony and domestic violence convictions
• Not have a disqualifying adjudication related to mental health or substance abuse

Disqualifiers are more detailed than a bulleted list can capture, and some are time-limited rather than permanent. If you have anything in your history you are unsure about, check the current criteria with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) or speak with a Florida attorney before applying.

To get the license, you must demonstrate competency with a firearm. The most common route is completing a firearms training course from a certified instructor.

360 Tactical's Concealed Carry Class is recognized by the State of Florida as fulfilling this requirement. Practical details:

The class is beginner friendly. You do not need to own a firearm and you do not need prior experience. See the upcoming class schedule.

The short version:

1. Complete a state-recognized training course and keep your certificate.
2. Get fingerprinted. We offer this on-site for $30 so you can finish in one visit.
3. Submit your application to FDACS with your certificate, fingerprints, photo, and the required fee.
4. Wait for processing and for your license to arrive.

Fees and processing times change, so check the current figures directly with Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) rather than trusting any number you read on a website — including this one. The full walkthrough is in how to get your Florida concealed weapon license.

This is where licensed and unlicensed carriers get into trouble equally, because the prohibited-location list applies regardless of whether you hold a license.

Florida law identifies a number of places where carrying a concealed firearm is not permitted. Commonly listed categories include law enforcement facilities, detention facilities, courthouses and courtrooms, polling places, government meetings, schools and school events, college and university facilities, the sterile areas of airports, and any portion of an establishment primarily devoted to the service of alcohol for on-premises consumption.

The exact list and its exceptions are more nuanced than a summary can convey, and it is one of the things we go through carefully in class. Full detail in where you cannot legally carry in Florida.

Here is the part that matters most, and the part the internet talks about least.

The Florida CWL is a legal document. It says the state has run your background and confirmed you completed a course. It does not say you can draw from concealment under stress, that you can shoot accurately with your heart rate elevated, that you can identify a target in the dark, or that you will make a sound decision in the two seconds you might have to make one.

Those are separate skills and they are built the only way skills are built.

• Introductory Course ($175) — fundamentals, for anyone new
• Intermediate Course ($200) — drawing, reloads, movement
• Force-on-force (from $60) — decision-making against a live opponent
• Low-light training ($225) — because most defensive incidents are not in daylight

Get the license. Then get trained. They are not the same thing, and only one of them helps you at 2 AM.