Moving To Florida? Get Your CWFL Within 90 Days or You Cannot Conceal Carry!

Welcome to the Sunshine State!

So, you’re finally ready to move to the Sunshine State.  Your current Concealed Carry license is valid for 90 days when you move to Florida.  Therefore, you only have 90 days until you cannot legally conceal carry.  Apply for your Concealed Weapon and Firearm License immediately.

Your current Concealed Carry license is valid for 90 days!

Florida does not recognize non-resident permits.  Therefore, if you move from Texas to Florida and have a Texas license to carry (that’s Texas’ equivalent to Florida’s CWFL), your Texas license will not allow you to carry concealed in Florida once you become a Florida resident.  In actuality, it is not the date you physically move to Florida that matters.  The date you establish legal residence in Florida is the pivotal date.  Your current Concealed Carry license is valid for 90 days from the date you establish legal residence in Florida.

Legal residence is established in one of 3 ways.

1. Registering to vote.
2. Making a statement of domicile pursuant to Florida Statute § 222.17.
3. Filing for homestead tax exemptions on property in Florida.

Your Current License Cannot be Converted

You CANNOT convert your concealed weapons permit from another state into a Florida CWFL.  Remember that your current Concealed Carry license is valid for 90 days from the date you establish legal residence.  Therefore, you only have 90 days until you cannot legally conceal carry.  Therefore, During the 90-day period you must obtain a Florida CWFL. Currently, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) oversees the firearm licensing program.  You can apply either:

1. Online at https://www.fdacs.gov/Consumer-Resources/Concealed-Weapon-License/Applying-for-a-Concealed-Weapon-License
2. By mail to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Licensing, P.O. Box 6687, Tallahassee, FL 32314-6687.
3. In person at any FDACS regional office or an authorized Florida tax collector’s office in your area.

1)Application, 2)Fingerprints, 3)Approved Firearms Course

Applications for a Florida CWFL can be found on the FDACS webpage.  The application, along with fingerprints and a certificate of completion from an approved firearm course must be submitted together.

To be eligible for a CWFL in Florida, you must

1. be 21 years or older,
2. be eligible to obtain a concealed weapons license, and
3. demonstrate competency with a firearm.

FDACS has 90 days from the date they receive a completed application to approve or deny it.  Therefore, if you want to conceal carry without interruption, you must hurry to submit your completed application.  Remember, your current Concealed Carry license is valid for 90 days once you establish legal residence and FDACS has 90-days to process your application.  If FDACS must look into your background more closely, or you did not complete the paperwork correctly, the application will be deemed incomplete.

Of course, you will also want to know how to legally carry your firearms in Florida.  For an overview of Florida’s Concealed Carry Laws, click here: Firearm Firm Blog Post on Traveling to Florida with your Firearm

Welcome to the Sunshine State.  Carry responsibly!

David S. Katz

About Expert Firearm Attorney David Katz. David Katz is an Expert Firearm Attorney and has been practicing law for over 14 years. He began his career as a prosecutor in Seminole County, Florida.   There, he gained invaluable experience analyzing how...
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