Florida’s gun-carry rules have shifted in recent years, especially on open carry and age limits, but the basic framework remains: carry is generally legal for people who can lawfully possess a firearm.
But where you can carry depends on how you’re carrying (concealed vs. open), the type of place you’re entering and whether the property owner allows it.
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Concealed carry
Florida law authorizes many adults who can legally possess a firearm to carry a concealed firearm without a license if they meet statutory eligibility criteria. (Fla. Stat. § 790.01)
That means concealed carry is generally legal in many public places and many businesses — but it is still restricted in specific locations under Florida and federal law.
In everyday terms, Florida law means eligible adults can typically carry a concealed handgun in many common places, such as:
- Public sidewalks and streets
- Many retail stores and shopping centers (unless the owner asks you to leave)
- Many restaurants (but not in the portion primarily devoted to serving alcohol for on-premises consumption)
Florida law prohibits carrying in any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcohol for consumption on the premises that is devoted primarily to that purpose — a distinction that can matter in restaurants with separate bar areas. (Fla. Stat. § 790.06)
Open carry
After court rulings that lifted Florida’s long-standing open-carry ban, open carry is now generally treated as legal in many “unrestricted” public places for adults who can lawfully possess a firearm.
And age matters less than it used to: Following a June 2026 ruling, adults ages 18 to 20 have the same open-carry rights as those 21 and older, according to reporting by The Independent Florida Alligator.
Restricted locations
Even with open carry broadly allowed in public, updated law-enforcement guidance continues to point to “sensitive” and government-related places where carrying is prohibited, including:
- Courthouses
- Police and sheriff’s stations
- Schools and school-sponsored events
- Colleges and universities
- Polling places
- Government and commission meetings (Manatee County Sheriff’s Office guidance)
Florida’s school-grounds statute is especially strict: it generally prohibits firearm possession at school-sponsored events or on school property, buses and bus stops, with limited exceptions, including a vehicle-related exception tied to state law. (Fla. Stat. § 790.115)
No menacing displays
Carrying a gun doesn’t mean you can display it however you want. Guidance distributed by sheriffs’ offices stresses that you cannot exhibit a firearm in a “rude, careless, angry, or threatening manner,” except for necessary self-defense.
Vehicles
When traveling in a vehicle, updated public guidance says you may carry openly or keep the firearm secured/holstered, depending on your preference and circumstances. (Wilton Manors guidance)
Private property
Even where Florida law allows open or concealed carry, private businesses and property owners can prohibit firearms on their premises — and refusing to leave after being told to do so can lead to trespass charges.