Florida CCL

[Bman505]

Anyone here have their Florida CCL? Was it difficult to get?

[Teksan80]

I'd like to know about this as well. As i am thinking of applying for mine next month after my concealed carry course. I am planning on applying for NM, UT and FL.

[Bman505]

If I was applying for my Utah CCL, I don't think I would mess with Florida. I don't think there is much difference. Do you do a lot of traveling?

[taltyman]

Doesn't Colorado (maybe other states) require that your CCL be issued from your state of residency for reciprocity?

[Jizzle]

yes colorado does and so does south carolina, west virginia new hampsire, michigan and kansas, off the top of my head. A nonresident FLA is good for 28 states. A non resident Utah is good for 29 states and a NM is good for 22 states. With Utah you get Washington state and Minnisota but, don't get Florida. With Fla you get Florida and lose Washington State and Minnisota.,

[Jizzle]

:) Military Resident of Fla.. It's a beautiful thing.

[ballbob]

Check out this website. NM permit is honored by both UT and FL

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USReciprocity.pdf

[Jizzle]

ya but overall you get less states and the cost time/money wise is somewhat prohibitive to some.

[AussieRogue]

I'll be getting my Florida Non Resdient CCW in a couple of months when I get a bit of spare cash :D

[PPK]

I have the Florida permit. My first one was good for 3 years. The one I have now is good for 5. Their current license is good for 7. Here's the link:
Florid CCW Info (http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/index.html)

[BangBang]

I usually lurk on this site but this topic motivated me to register and add to the O.P.

There are just a couple things.... First Florida started issuing CCW in 1987 (Thank you the then Governor Martinez) At that time each county controlled its own carry permits and if you were one of the court house buddy crowd you had no problem getting a permit. The county sheriff had final say on who got one or not so you basically had to be his buddy. I hate to admit it about the state I love but back then if you happened to be a different color, had different politics, went to a different church..... well, you can see who did not get a permit.

On top of that each county refused to recognize any other counties permit. If you went into the next county you did not have legal carry permit.

Governor Martinez threw all of that out and made a state CCW available to everyone with the same set of requirements for everyone.

Now to those things I wanted to mention..... There is no such thing as a Florida non resident CCW. The Florida Supreme Court when the law was enacted interpreted "the right to keep and bear arms" as a country wide right available to all citizens and nowhere does the constitution say the right is only for Floridians. Because of this, everyone regardless of where you live is eligible and welcome to apply for and receive the same Florida CCW permit.

There is also no such thing as a "military resident of Florida". If you are a soldier or not a soldier makes no difference. You fill out the application with your address just like everyone else. If you are stationed in Fl when you get your permit and can prove residency (drivers license, utility bills, etc) you are considered a resident. If you move and leave the state you are required to update your permit with the state of Florida. The only benefit when it comes to getting a CCW in Florida that a person gets from being past or prior military is that when applying, your DD-214 (seperation papers) or your current proof of military serves to fulfill the training requirement to allow you to get your permit.

The major reason that there is no reciprocity between more states and Florida is because Florida is one of only a few states that issue a permit to carry a concealed weapon and not a permit to carry a concealed gun. Florida allows any type of weapon (knife, billy, tazer, brass knuckles, etc) under it's carry laws. Most states do not allow their own residents to carry any weapon so they do not agree to allow someone from Florida to do so. Also, Florida is adament that all states accepting reciprocity with Florida have at least the same requirements for their own residents. Two examples of this are Vermont and Alaska. They have no CCW laws, everyone is allowed to carry without a permit. Because of this they accept Florida's permit but with no training required in those states Florida can not recognize a permit that does not exist.

You do not have to announce your status as CCW to a police officer if you are stopped in Florida. As soon as he calls in your driver license # he is told you have a permit. At that time he will (in most cases) tell you he is aware of your permt and he will ask if you are armed. If you answer in the affirmative he will ask for your weapon. This is done for his own safety and piece of mind. When he is done with whatever business he has with you (unless it is a DUI or something similar that would prevent you from carrying legally) he will return your gun unloaded with the loose ammunition.

I'm proud of my state and our CCW laws. Florida started the CCW thing and was very aggressive in offering reciprocity to other states in turn encouraging other states to offer CCW. I am grateful for the fact that Florida, while it does not give me the right to concealed carry, recognizes the fact that it is a right guaranteed me by the constitution, and supports it in the easiest way it can be do that.

And finally, yes, I have a Florida Concealed Weapons Permit. I have had one, and carried just about every day, since 1990 and plan on keeping it until I'm to old to handle a gun. My wife has had her permit since 1998 and carries every day. My daughter just turned 18 and while she is not legal to apply for a CCW due to her age, she keeps a handgun in her car (perfectly legal in Florida at age 18) and she will apply for a permit the day she is legally old enough to get one.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post and I hope to get to know some of y'all in the near future.....

Don