The background check for a concealed carry permit in Florida is performed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on anyone seeking a concealed carry permit in the state.
While applying for a Florida concealed weapon license, every applicant must submit his/her fingerprints, which the Florida Department of Agriculture will use to examine for disqualifying offenses in the Florida Crime Information Center database (FCIC), the National Crime Information Center database (NCIC), and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Unlicensed concealed carry in Florida tends to happen when a non-authorized individual carries a loaded firearm in a manner that is hidden or not evident to others. A concealed weapon charge is categorized as a 1st-degree misdemeanor or a 3rd-degree felony depending on the type of weapon.
Although citizens in Florida are permitted to own firearms, only authorized individuals are permitted to carry concealed weapons. Owing to that, if you don’t possess a license or fall within any of the lawful uses defined by Florida Statute 790.25(3), you are not permitted to carry a gun openly or concealed.
Certain benefits are available if you procure a concealed firearm license/permit. Such a license/permit makes it possible to carry a weapon concealed from the public (i.e. under your shirt, in your jacket, ankle holster, etc.). If you apply for a Florida concealed carry permit, your application may be turned down if you have a criminal record or do not satisfy other eligibility requirements.
In Florida, you can apply for a concealed weapons permit through the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Permit processing typically takes 50-55 days.
How is Background Check for Concealed Carry Permit Done in Florida?
If you are looking to apply for a concealed carry permit in Florida, here is how the background check is done.
Submit Your Fingerprints
Applicants for a concealed weapon license in Florida must get their fingerprints captured at a law enforcement agency. Electronic fingerprint scanning services are provided at nearly all the state’s 67 county sheriff’s offices, as well as some local police departments.
You should contact your local law enforcement agency ahead of time to determine whether the agency offers electronic fingerprint scanning services and whether a reservation is required.
After scanning your fingerprints, the fingerprint technician will provide you with a receipt and/or a photocopy of the scan. Remember to keep these documents on file. They include your Transaction Control Number, which again is required if you pay for fingerprinting online instead of in person at the sheriff’s office or police department.
Pay The Necessary Fees
The cost of electronically submitting your fingerprints via digital image is around $35. It should be noted, however, that some sheriff’s offices and police departments can charge a small fee for the fingerprinting service. If you use the traditional hard-card fingerprint submission method, the fingerprint submission fee is $42.
Only credit cards are accepted, and you will need to make online payments within 30 days after scanning your fingerprints. The receipt you received after scanning your fingerprint will have your name and a Transaction Control Number (TCN).
The TCN will probably start with 70C, 70SO, 70LX, or 70SX and will also have a number with up to 18 digits. You will be expected to fill in your name and your Transaction Control Number (TCN) as they show up on the receipt you received after making your online payment. After submitting your payment, make sure your receipt is printed out. It will indicate that you have finished your online payment.
Send Your Concealed Weapon License Application To FDACS
When submitting your concealed weapon license application to FDACS, you will be expected to include the following:
- A completed application;
- A color passport (photograph);
- Copies of training documentation;
- Copies of all receipts and the photocopy of the electronic fingerprint submission you received from the fingerprint technician; and
- A check or money order in the amount of $55 is paid to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Keep in mind that you are only required to pay the licensing fee. You are not required to pay anything extra for the digital fingerprint scan. To minimize disruptions and additional costs, mail your completed application to FDACS in less than 90 days after scanning your fingerprint.
If both submissions occur within 180 days, the Federal Bureau of Investigation usually permits the submission of two fingerprints for the fee of one. This is usually accepted if you have issues with your first application.
If there is a problem with your first fingerprint submission and the agency somehow doesn’t receive your application until after 90 days, the agency may not have enough time to assess the problem and immediately contact you so that you will be able to send in the second set of fingerprints within the 180-day grace period.
In such a situation, they would have no choice but to scan your fingerprints again, but this requires that you pay an extra fee.
What are the Requirements for Background Checks for Concealed Carry Permits in Florida?
Note that to be eligible for a Florida concealed weapon or firearm license:
- You should be 21 years of age or older.
- You should be able to demonstrate competency with a firearm.
- Except if you are a member of the United States Armed Forces serving overseas, you must currently live in the United States and be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident alien as specified by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. If you are currently serving in the United States Armed Forces, you should include a copy of your deployment documentation with your application. Residents Aliens should also present a valid Permanent Resident Alien card.
Florida Concealed Carry Permit Background Check Disqualifying Conditions
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may deny your application for a variety of reasons, including:
- The loss of the ability to effectively handle a firearm.
- Guilty verdict for a felony (unless civil and firearm rights have been restored by the convicting authority).
- Having adjudication or sentence suspended for a felony or malfeasance crime of violence unless three years have passed since probation or other court-imposed conditions have been met.
- A misdemeanor crime of violence conviction within the last three years.
- Multiple arrests or at least a conviction for violations of controlled substance laws.
- A history of substance abuse.
- A minimum of two or more DUI convictions within the last three years
- Being committed to a mental institution or being found incompetent or mentally deficient.
- Failure to provide proof of firearms proficiency.
- Having received a domestic violence citation
- Being the subject of a current domestic violence injunction or an injunction against repeat violence.
- Renunciation of US citizenship
- A dishonorable discharge from the military.
- Being on the run from the law.
Conclusion
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services conducts background checks on anyone wishing to obtain a concealed carry permit in the state.
Every applicant must submit fingerprints when applying for a Florida concealed weapon license, which the Florida Department of Agriculture will use to search for disqualifying offenses in the Florida Crime Information Center database (FCIC), the National Crime Information Center database (NCIC), and the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
If you applied for a concealed weapon permit and were denied, contact an experienced attorney to help you understand why, and appeal the decision.