Cheaper Florida Concealed Weapon Permits On The Way

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Floridians who wish to join the estimated 1.7 million other residents of the state in holding a concealed weapon license will find their out-of-pocket costs are about to get lower. The price to apply for a new license or renew an existing one officially drops by $5 on July 1.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam worked with the state Legislature to obtain the reduction in cost this year. The price for new permits will drop from $60 to $55 on Saturday. The cost to renew permits will decline from $50 to $45. The cost for active law enforcement officers, correctional officers and probation officers will be $55 for new licenses and $45 for renewals.

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The July 1 price reduction is the third time in five years the state has dropped fees for concealed carry permits. All told, the reduction over the past five years adds up to $20. State concealed weapon licenses are valid for a total of seven years.

“I’m a proud supporter of the Second Amendment and am dedicated to making our concealed weapon license application and renewal process as convenient as possible,” Putnam said in a Thursday statement announcing the price drop. “By reducing the concealed weapon license fee yet again, we can put the savings back in the pockets of Floridians.”

Floridians interested in permits will find application fees are not the only associated costs. First-time applicants must provide fingerprints and undergo a background check. The typical cost for first-time licenses is about $97, according to the state. People who obtain their licenses through their local tax collector’s office may also face a convenience fee of $22 for first-time licenses and $12 for renewals.

The state has allowed local tax collectors’ offices to take fingerprints, photos and accept applications on the department of agriculture’s behalf since 2014. Applications, however, are still processed by the department. Over the last year, the department has received almost 450,000 applications for concealed weapon licenses.

As of May 31, 2017, Florida had a total of 1,767,552 permit holders, according to state records. Here is a sampling of the number of license holders in counties across the state:

Broward – 119,249

Hillsborough – 90,772

Pasco – 40,781

Pinellas – 67,235

Polk – 46,881

Miami-Dade – 133,657

For more information about concealed weapons licenses, visit the state’s website.

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