How Much Does a Concealed Carry Permit Cost in Florida?

A new concealed carry permit cost in Florida starts at $97 in state fees: a $55 license fee plus a $42 fingerprint processing fee, both paid to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).¹ Once you add a training course and the small convenience fee most applicants pay at a county tax collector’s office, a typical first-time applicant spends between $170 and $270 all in. Renewal seven years later is $45.

What the $97 State Fee Covers

The state fee has two parts, and both are nonrefundable. The $55 goes toward the license itself. The $42 pays for the fingerprint-based background investigation FDACS runs on every applicant.¹ Whether you apply through a tax collector or directly to FDACS, the state’s share of the bill is the same.

The Tax Collector Convenience Fee

Most applicants file through a county tax collector’s office, where you complete the application, get your photo taken, and submit fingerprints in a single visit. Tax collectors add a convenience fee for handling all of that, commonly around $22, which brings the total paid at the counter to roughly $119.²

If you apply by mail or at a regional FDACS office instead, you skip that convenience fee but pick up costs elsewhere. A sheriff’s office can fingerprint you for up to $5 on top of the $42 state processing fee.¹ Private LiveScan vendors run $25 to $50 or more. You’ll also need to supply a passport-style photo, typically $15 to $18 at a pharmacy or shipping store.

Training Course Cost

Florida requires you to demonstrate competence with a firearm, and the statute accepts several ways to do it: a hunter safety course, an NRA firearms safety or training course, a course taught by a certified instructor, law enforcement training, or documented participation in organized shooting competition or U.S. military service.¹

For courses taught by a certified instructor, the instructor must personally observe you safely handle and discharge a firearm using live ammunition, so most classroom courses include range time. Group classes typically run $50 to $150. Private one-on-one instruction runs $200 or more. Some courses fold range time and ammunition into the price; others charge separately, and if you need to rent a firearm and buy ammunition at the range, budget an additional $30 to $50.

Prior military service, a previous concealed carry license from any state, or documented competition shooting can satisfy the requirement with documentation alone, which drops the training line off your budget entirely.

Non-Resident Applicants

Florida issues licenses to non-residents at the same $97 in state fees. The difference is procedural: non-residents must apply directly to FDACS rather than through a county tax collector, and must submit a complete set of fingerprints with the application.¹ That means paying a local law enforcement agency or a LiveScan vendor in your home state, plus postage to mail everything in.

Renewal, Late, and Replacement Fees

Florida licenses are valid for seven years. Renewal costs $45, with no new training or fingerprinting required.¹ Renewing through a tax collector adds a convenience fee of around $12, bringing the total to roughly $57.

If your license expires and you renew within 180 days, you owe an extra $15 late fee on top of the $45.¹ Miss the 180-day window and the license is permanently expired. You’d start over at the full $97, with new fingerprints and new training documentation.

A replacement for a lost, stolen, or destroyed license costs $15 and requires a notarized statement to FDACS explaining what happened.¹ A name change on the card is also $15.³ Address changes must be reported to FDACS but don’t require a new card.

Fee Reductions for Law Enforcement and Military

Active Florida law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and correctional probation officers with current Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission certification are exempt from the background investigation and the fingerprint processing fee. They still pay the $55 license fee.¹

Officers who retired within the past year pay nothing and skip the background investigation entirely. After the first year of retirement, the standard fees return. Active-duty military members and veterans get expedited processing but pay the same fees as everyone else.¹

Total Cost at a Glance

A typical new applicant going through a county tax collector pays:

$55 state license fee
$42 fingerprint processing fee
About $22 tax collector convenience fee
$50 to $150 for a group training course

That lands most first-time applicants between $170 and $270. If qualifying military service or a prior license lets you skip the training, you’re closer to $119. Seven years later, renewal is $45, or about $57 through a tax collector, with no training or fingerprinting to redo.

1
Online Sunshine. Florida Code 790.06 – License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
2
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Submitting Fingerprints Electronically for a Concealed Weapon License FAQ
3
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. How Do I Notify FDACS About My Name Change?