Getting a CCW in Florida (2026)

Data verified 2026-10-13 · general legal information, not individualized advice · facts cite official sources (see verification dataset)

Requirements, costs, and steps for a Florida concealed carry permit · Updated October 13, 2026 · Not legal advice

This guide is general legal information, not individualized legal advice. Rules change; verify every step with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) before you apply. Prepared 2026-10-13.

Quick facts

Drawn from the site's live reciprocity data (ccw.workmanfirearms.com/data/reciprocity.json, retrieved 2026-10-13):

• Permit type: Shall Issue — Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License (CWL), issued by FDACS, Division of Licensing.
• Constitutional carry: Yes — permitless carry for qualifying adults under HB 543, effective July 1, 2023 (s. 790.01(1)(b), Fla. Stat.: an unlicensed person may carry if they satisfy the license criteria in s. 790.06(2)). The CWL remains valuable for reciprocity and NICS-check-free purchases.
• Minimum age: 21 under s. 790.06(2)(b) — but on June 17, 2026 the Fourth District Court of Appeal held that bar facially unconstitutional in Eubanks v. Florida (No. 4D2025-1698), and FDACS's official notice (accessed 2026-10-13) states FDACS will issue licenses to applicants 18 years or older who meet all other eligibility requirements. See "Who can apply."
• Duty to inform: No proactive duty. A licensee carrying must have valid identification at all times and must display it on demand of a law enforcement officer; violation is a noncriminal $25 penalty (s. 790.06(1)(c), Fla. Stat.).
• Open carry: Allowed for law-abiding adults, subject to prohibited-location rules — Florida's prior open-carry ban (s. 790.053) was declared unconstitutional in McDaniels v. State, No. 1D2023-0533 (Fla. 1st DCA Sept. 10, 2025), per the site's reciprocity data.

Who can apply

Under s. 790.06, Fla. Stat., and FDACS eligibility guidance (accessed 2026-10-13), an applicant must satisfy the criteria in s. 790.06(2), including:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident alien of the United States (or a qualifying consular security official) — s. 790.06(2)(a);
• Not suffer a physical infirmity that prevents safe handling of a weapon or firearm — s. 790.06(2)(c);
• Not be ineligible to possess a firearm under s. 790.23 by virtue of a felony conviction — s. 790.06(2)(d);
• Not have been found guilty of, or committed for, controlled-substance offenses under chs. 893/397 within the statutory look-back periods (unless relieved under s. 790.065) — s. 790.06(2)(e);
• Not chronically and habitually abuse alcohol or other substances — s. 790.06(2)(f);
• Not have been adjudicated incapacitated or committed to a mental institution (unless relieved) — s. 790.06(2)(i)–(j); FDACS publishes the full list;
• Age: the statute sets the minimum at 21 (s. 790.06(2)(b)), but the Fourth DCA held that bar facially unconstitutional in Eubanks v. Florida (No. 4D2025-1698, June 17, 2026), and per FDACS's official notice FDACS will issue to applicants 18 years or older who meet all other requirements.

Step-by-step application process

Issuing authority: FDACS Division of Licensing (statewide). Applications are accepted online, by mail, and in person at FDACS regional offices or authorized county tax collector offices (FDACS "Applying for a Concealed Weapon License," accessed 2026-10-13).

1. Qualify on training (see "Training requirement") and obtain your documentation.
2. Get a color passport-style photo taken within the preceding 30 days (photo dimensions per s. 790.06(5)(e), Fla. Stat.).
3. Apply — online through the FDACS application portal (laso.fdacs.gov), in person at a regional office or tax collector office (appointment recommended), or by mail with the application form and instructions packet.
4. Submit fingerprints electronically as part of the in-person visit (or at a law-enforcement agency if applying by mail, per the FDACS instructions).
5. Pay the fee and let FDACS run the state/national background check.
6. Receive the license by mail. FDACS has 90 days from receipt of a complete application to issue or deny (s. 790.06(6)(c), Fla. Stat.; FDACS "Applying for a Concealed Weapon License," accessed 2026-10-13); most applications are processed sooner.

Costs

From the official FDACS Concealed Weapon License Fee Schedule (PDF, accessed 2026-10-13):

• New license, Florida resident: $42 fingerprint processing fee + $55 initial license fee = $97 total.
• Renewal, Florida resident: $45. (Out-of-state residents: $97 new / $87 renewal, the renewal including the $42 fingerprint fee.)
• Revised or duplicate license: $15.
• Tax collector convenience fees (in addition, per s. 790.0625, Fla. Stat.): up to +$22 new applications, +$12 renewals, $9 fingerprint-only or photo-only services.
• Training: set by the instructor/organization; FDACS does not set the price.

Training requirement

Yes — unless you qualify through equivalent experience. Under s. 790.06(2)(h), Fla. Stat. (accessed 2026-10-13), you demonstrate competence with a firearm by any one of:

1. Completion of a hunter education or hunter safety course approved by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (or a similar agency of another state);
2. Completion of any National Rifle Association firearms safety or training course;
3. Completion of any firearms safety/training course available to the general public offered by a law-enforcement agency, junior college, college, or public/private institution or firearms training school, using instructors certified by the NRA, the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, or FDACS;
4. Completion of any law-enforcement firearms safety or training course offered for security guards, investigators, special deputies, or similar divisions;
5. Evidence of equivalent experience through participation in organized shooting competition or U.S. military service;
6. Previously licensed to carry concealed in Florida or one of its counties/municipalities (unless revoked for cause);
7. Completion of any firearms training or safety course conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor.

Acceptable documentation: a photocopy of the certificate of completion, an affidavit from the instructor/organization, or any document showing completion. For items 2, 3, and 7 the instructor must certify they observed the student safely handle and discharge a firearm (live fire) in their presence.

Timeline & renewal

• Processing: FDACS has 90 days from receipt of a complete application to issue or deny; most licenses are issued well before that deadline (FDACS).
• Validity: 7 years from issuance (s. 790.06(1)(c), Fla. Stat.).
• Renewal: FDACS mails a renewal form approximately 95 days before expiration. You may renew online, in person, or by mail. If you miss the expiration date, you may renew up to 180 days after expiration with a $15 late fee; after 180 days you must apply as a new applicant (FDACS "Renew Your Concealed Weapon License," accessed 2026-10-13).

Where to apply

• Official starting point: https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Concealed-Weapon-License
• Applying page (online, in-person, mail options): https://www.fdacs.gov/consumer-resources/concealed-weapon-license/applying-for-a-concealed-weapon-license
• Online application portal: https://laso.fdacs.gov/

Sources

• s. 790.06, Fla. Stat. (2025) (eligibility, training list, 90-day issuance, ID display, 7-year validity) — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/790.06 (accessed 2026-10-13)
• s. 790.01, Fla. Stat. (2025) (permitless carry under HB 543) — https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/790.01 (accessed 2026-10-13)
• Eubanks v. Florida, No. 4D2025-1698 (Fla. 4th DCA June 17, 2026), as described in FDACS's official notice — https://www.fdacs.gov/consumer-resources/concealed-weapon-license/applying-for-a-concealed-weapon-license (accessed 2026-10-13)
• McDaniels v. State, No. 1D2023-0533 (Fla. 1st DCA Sept. 10, 2025) (s. 790.053 declared unconstitutional) — https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/fl-district-court-of-appeal/117688141.html (accessed 2026-10-13)
• FDACS — Applying for a Concealed Weapon License (incl. Eubanks notice and 90-day processing statement) — https://www.fdacs.gov/consumer-resources/concealed-weapon-license/applying-for-a-concealed-weapon-license (accessed 2026-10-13)
• FDACS — Concealed Weapon License Fee Schedule (PDF) — https://www.fdacs.gov/content/download/7438/file/Concealed-Weapons-License-Fees.pdf (accessed 2026-10-13)
• FDACS — Renew Your Concealed Weapon License — https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Concealed-Weapon-License/Renew-Your-Concealed-Weapon-License (accessed 2026-10-13)