Buying a Gun in Florida: Laws, ID and No State Permit
Good to know: Sunlit Carry is an online store for parts, accessories and gear that ships nationwide except where restricted. This guide has no prices or listings, and nothing in it is an offer to sell. It explains how buying a gun in Florida works so you know what to expect. It is general information, not legal advice, so check the current law or ask an attorney about your own situation.
People moving to Florida, and plenty of people who have lived here for years, are often surprised by how simple the state's purchase rules are. There is no permit to buy, no license to own and no state registry of guns. But "simple" isn't the same as "no rules." Florida adds a minimum age of 21, a waiting period, a state-run background check and a few local options on top of federal law.
Comparing states? See our state-by-state guide to buying a gun for age limits, permits and waiting periods across the country.
This guide covers what you need to buy a gun in Florida: who can buy, what ID to bring, how the background check works, when the waiting period applies and who is exempt, how private sales differ from dealer sales, and what changes if you live in another state.
The short version
- No state permit to purchase. Florida doesn't require a purchase permit, a firearm owner's ID card or a license to own a gun.
- No registration. Florida law forbids the state and local governments from keeping a list or registry of privately owned firearms or their owners (section 790.335, Florida Statutes).
- You must be 21. Florida law says a person younger than 21 may not purchase a firearm, rifles and shotguns included, with narrow exceptions for law enforcement, correctional officers and servicemembers buying long guns.
- Dealer sales need a background check. For Florida dealers, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) runs the check.
- There's a waiting period. State law sets a waiting period of 3 days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, between buying a firearm from a dealer and taking it home. Several groups are exempt.
- Private sales between Florida residents don't go through a dealer under state law, though counties can add checks for sales on property open to the public.
Who can buy a gun in Florida?
To buy from a Florida dealer, you generally need to be at least 21, be a Florida resident (for handguns), and not be prohibited from having a firearm under state or federal law.
Age
Florida raised the purchase age for all firearms to 21 in 2018. Section 790.065(13) of the Florida Statutes says a person younger than 21 may not purchase a firearm, and that dealers may not sell or transfer a firearm to anyone under 21. The exception covers rifles and shotguns bought by sworn law enforcement officers, correctional officers and servicemembers. The Florida House has passed bills to lower the long gun age back to 18, but none has passed the Senate (the latest, HB 133, died there in March 2026). The U.S. Supreme Court also declined to hear a challenge to the age-21 rule in June 2026, so 21 is still the rule.
Federal law adds its own age limits. Dealers can't sell handguns to anyone under 21 or long guns to anyone under 18, so in Florida the state's 21 rule is the one that matters.
Who is prohibited
Federal law and Florida law both list people who can't buy or possess firearms. The main categories include people convicted of a felony, people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, people under certain domestic violence or repeat violence injunctions, people who have been adjudicated mentally defective or involuntarily committed, people who are unlawful users of controlled substances, and people subject to a Florida risk protection order. The Form 4473 asks about each of these, and the FDLE check looks for records that match.
It is also a felony in Florida to buy a firearm for someone who is prohibited from having one. That's often called a "straw purchase," and it is a federal crime too.
What ID do you need?
At a dealer, you'll fill out two sets of paperwork: the federal ATF Form 4473 and the information Florida requires for the FDLE check. Florida law requires the dealer to inspect proper identification that includes a photograph of the buyer.
In practice, bring:
- A valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID that shows your name, date of birth and current home address. For most people that's a Florida driver's license or Florida ID card.
- Proof of your current address if your ID doesn't show it. Federal rules let a dealer accept another valid government-issued document, such as a vehicle registration or voter information card, to supplement a photo ID that has an old address. Ask your dealer what they accept before you go, because dealers can set stricter policies.
- Your Florida concealed weapons license, if you have one. It can exempt you from the waiting period.
- Your hunter safety card or Florida hunting license, if you're buying a rifle or shotgun and want to use that exemption from the waiting period, explained below.
If you've just moved to Florida, update your license address first. A mismatch between your ID and where you actually live is one of the most common reasons a purchase stalls at the counter.
How the Florida background check works
In most states, dealers contact the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) directly. Florida is a "point of contact" state, so Florida dealers send checks to FDLE through its Firearm Purchase Program instead. FDLE searches the Florida Crime Information Center and National Crime Information Center records along with the federal NICS databases.
The dealer gets one of a few results:
- Approved. The dealer gets an approval number and records it.
- Non-approved. The records show you're prohibited. You can ask FDLE to review and correct the record if you think it's wrong.
- Conditional non-approval. FDLE found an open arrest, charge or injunction and needs to find out how it was resolved. State law gives FDLE 24 working hours to determine the outcome.
The dealer also collects a state fee for the check. The FDLE rule sets it at $5 per transaction, and the statute caps it at $8.
Florida law also says the state can't use these checks to keep a list of gun buyers. FDLE must destroy the buyer information from an approved check within 48 hours, apart from a limited transaction log.
The Florida waiting period
This is the rule people most often get wrong. The Florida Constitution has required a 3-day handgun waiting period since 1990, and many guides still describe it as a handgun-only rule. Since 2018, though, the state statute (section 790.0655) has applied the waiting period to all firearms bought from a dealer, rifles and shotguns included.
The waiting period is 3 days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, or until the background check is complete, whichever is later. Because weekends and holidays don't count, a Thursday purchase usually means pickup the following Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on how the dealer counts, assuming the check is approved. Ask your dealer how they count it.
A pending court case
The waiting period is still in the Florida statute, and dealers are still applying it. But it is being challenged in federal court in Dunn v. Glass (U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida). In June 2026 the state's Attorney General and other state defendants agreed the waiting period is unconstitutional and the plaintiffs accepted a proposed judgment, but as of October 28, 2026 the court had not entered a final judgment. If that changes, the background check would still be required, but the extra wait could end. Ask your dealer what they are doing when you buy.
Who is exempt from the waiting period
- Florida concealed weapons license holders. The exemption also covers certified law enforcement officers, correctional officers, correctional probation officers and servicemembers.
- Trade-ins. The waiting period doesn't apply when you trade in another firearm.
- Hunters buying a rifle or shotgun. If you've completed a 16-hour hunter safety course and have a hunter safety certification card, or you're exempt from the course and hold a valid Florida hunting license, you can skip the wait on a rifle or shotgun.
Even when you're exempt from the waiting period, the background check still has to be approved before you can take the gun home.
County waiting periods
The Florida Constitution also gives each county the option to require a criminal history check and a waiting period of 3 to 5 days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, for firearm sales on property the public has a right to access, such as gun shows. Some counties use this option and some don't, so check the local rules if you're buying at a show.
For the full story on the court case and a quick look at waiting periods in other states, see our waiting-period guide. If you are buying online and shipping to a dealer, how FFL transfers work explains each step, and suppressor buyers should read the October 2026 NFA changes.
Private sales in Florida
Florida doesn't require private sellers who aren't in the business of dealing firearms to run a background check or use a dealer when selling to another Florida resident. The county option described above is the main exception, for sales on public-access property.
That doesn't mean anything goes. A private seller still can't knowingly sell to someone who is prohibited, and the age-21 purchase rule is written to apply to the buyer, not only to dealers. Many buyers and sellers write up a simple bill of sale with names, the date and the serial number, and check each other's ID. Some prefer to run a private sale through a dealer so the buyer gets a background check and both sides have a record. That process works like an FFL transfer.
Private sales between residents of different states are a different matter. Under federal law, those generally have to go through a dealer in the buyer's state of residence.
Buying in Florida if you live somewhere else
- Handguns: Federal law says a dealer can only sell or transfer a handgun to a resident of the dealer's own state. If you live in another state, a Florida seller has to ship the handgun to a dealer where you live.
- Rifles and shotguns: A Florida dealer can sell a long gun in person to a resident of another state if the sale is legal in both Florida and the buyer's home state. Florida's age, background check and waiting period rules still apply at the counter.
- Snowbirds and part-time residents: Federal rules treat a person with homes in two states as a resident of the state they're living in at the time, if they intend to make a home there. Bring documents that prove your Florida address, and expect the dealer to ask questions.
Buying a gun online as a Florida resident
Online sellers ship firearms to a licensed dealer, not to your home. You pick a local dealer, the seller ships to them, and you complete the Form 4473, the FDLE check and the waiting period at pickup, just like buying off the shelf. Our guide to how FFL transfers work covers each step.
If you're shopping for a used duty pistol, our guide to how police trade-in guns are graded explains what Grade 1, 2 and 3 usually mean.
After you buy: carry and transport basics
Since July 1, 2023, Florida has allowed people who meet the eligibility requirements to carry a concealed firearm without a license. Many people still get a concealed weapons license because it exempts them from the waiting period, simplifies some purchases and is recognized by many other states when traveling. Places where carry is off-limits still apply with or without a license, so learn them before you carry.
Florida also preempts most local gun regulation (section 790.33), so cities and counties generally can't pass their own gun laws beyond the narrow county options the Constitution allows.
A quick checklist before you buy
- Make sure you're 21 or older and that your ID shows your current Florida address.
- Bring your concealed weapons license or hunter safety card if you have one.
- Plan for the waiting period unless you're exempt, and count business days, not calendar days.
- Ask the dealer about their fees, accepted ID and pickup hours.
- Answer every Form 4473 question truthfully and double-check your entries before you sign.
- Know how you'll store the gun at home. Florida's humidity is hard on steel, and safe storage matters if children are in the house.
Thinking about trigger upgrades? Our article on the ARHK prototype leak and FRT patents explains why forced-reset triggers that are federally allowed can still carry felony risk under Florida law.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to buy a gun in Florida?
No. Florida doesn't require a permit to purchase, an owner's ID card or registration. You do need to be 21 or older, pass a background check when buying from a dealer, and wait out the waiting period unless you're exempt (see the note on the pending court case above).
Do you need a license to own a gun in Florida in 2026?
No. In 2026 Florida has no license to own a gun and no registration. A concealed weapons license is optional, though it exempts you from the waiting period.
How much does it cost to transfer gun ownership in Florida?
Florida charges no registration or ownership-transfer fee because there is no registry. A dealer sale includes the FDLE check, and dealers set their own fees for transfers and online orders shipped to them, so ask before you buy. A private sale between Florida residents has no required state fee.
How do I buy a gun in Florida?
To buy a gun in Florida from a dealer, be 21 or older, bring a valid photo ID with your current Florida address, fill out ATF Form 4473, pass the FDLE background check and wait out the 3-day waiting period unless you are exempt.
Does the Florida waiting period apply to rifles and shotguns?
Yes. Under section 790.0655, Florida Statutes, the 3-day waiting period (excluding weekends and legal holidays) applies to any firearm bought from a dealer. Concealed weapons license holders, trade-ins, and hunters with a hunter safety card or qualifying hunting license buying a rifle or shotgun are exempt. A federal lawsuit challenging the waiting period is pending, so ask your dealer how they are handling it at the time you buy.
Can an 18-year-old buy a gun in Florida?
Generally, no. Florida law says a person younger than 21 may not purchase a firearm. The exception covers rifles and shotguns bought by law enforcement officers, correctional officers and servicemembers.
Do Florida private gun sales require a background check?
State law doesn't require one for private sales between Florida residents, but counties can require a check and waiting period for sales on property open to the public, such as gun shows. Sales between residents of different states generally must go through a dealer.
Can a non-resident buy a gun in Florida?
A non-resident can buy a rifle or shotgun in person from a Florida dealer if the sale is legal in both states. Handguns must be transferred through a dealer in the buyer's home state.
Does Florida register guns?
No. Section 790.335, Florida Statutes, prohibits the state and local governments from keeping a registry of privately owned firearms or their owners.
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