Florida law prohibits carrying a concealed firearm in a number of specific locations, and those restrictions apply whether or not you hold a Concealed Weapon License. Commonly listed categories include police stations, detention facilities, courthouses, polling places, government meetings, schools, college facilities, airport sterile areas, and any part of an establishment primarily devoted to serving alcohol.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Permitless carry removed the license requirement. It did not remove the prohibited-location list.
That has created a real problem: a lot of new carriers are now carrying without ever having sat through a class where someone explained where they cannot go. The restrictions did not soften — there are simply more people carrying who have never been told about them.
Walking into the wrong building armed is not a technicality. It can be a criminal charge.
Commonly Prohibited Locations
Florida law identifies categories including:
- Law enforcement stations and offices
- Detention facilities, jails, and prisons
- Courthouses and courtrooms
- Polling places
- Meetings of governing bodies — county commissions, school boards, city councils, the legislature
- School, college, and university facilities and events
- Career centers and professional athletic events
- The sterile area of an airport passenger terminal
- Any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcohol that is primarily devoted to on-premises consumption
- Places prohibited by federal law
Each of these has nuance. Some have exceptions. Some depend on which part of a building you are in. The bar rule in particular confuses people — the restriction attaches to the portion of the establishment primarily devoted to serving alcohol, which is why a restaurant with a bar is treated differently from a bar.
We go through this list carefully in the concealed carry class, because it is the part people most reliably get wrong.
Private Property Is a Separate Question
Beyond the statutory list, private property owners can generally prohibit firearms on their premises. A store, restaurant, office building, or event venue may post a no-firearms policy.
The consequences differ from the statutory locations — typically you can be asked to leave, and refusing can become trespassing rather than a weapons charge. But the practical answer is the same: if a property owner does not want firearms on their property, do not carry there.
Employers can generally set firearm policies for their workplaces as well, though Florida has specific provisions regarding firearms lawfully stored in vehicles in parking lots. If this affects you, look up the current rule.
Federal Locations
Federal restrictions apply independent of Florida law: federal buildings, military installations, and post offices among them. National parks have their own framework. A Florida license does not override federal law anywhere.
The Practical Habit
Carriers who never have a problem tend to share one habit: they think about the destination before they leave the house.
- Courthouse, school, or government meeting today? Leave it secured at home. Not in the car outside the courthouse — at home.
- Going to a bar? Leave it home.
- Flying? Checked baggage only, declared, unloaded, locked hard case.
- Not sure? Then you already have your answer.
Everyone who has gotten into trouble over this was, at some point that morning, mildly unsure and decided it was probably fine.
Learn the Law Properly — $50
Two hours with a law enforcement veteran who will walk you through the full list. Register at the door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I carry a gun in a bar in Florida?
Can I carry a gun at a school in Florida?
Do prohibited locations apply if I don't have a permit?
Can a store legally ban guns in Florida?
Can I keep a gun in my car at work in Florida?
