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FLORIDA - Two years after Florida eliminated the requirement to obtain a permit for concealed carry, millions of residents still choose to be licensed, though far fewer are seeking firearm training.
According to data from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, over 2.4 million Floridians held active concealed weapons licenses as of late April 2025.
Miami-Dade County recorded the highest number, with 186,435 licensed individuals, followed by Broward County with 168,641.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the permitless carry bill into law on April 3rd, 2023, allowing eligible Floridians to carry a concealed firearm without a permit or mandated training.
The legislation sparked contentious debate in the state Capitol.
Supporters claimed the law protects Second Amendment rights and simplifies self-defense access for law-abiding citizens.
Critics, however, raised concerns about public safety, referencing high-profile mass shootings such as the 2016 Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando and the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland.
After the Parkland tragedy, former Governor Rick Scott enacted stricter gun control measures, including raising the minimum purchase age and implementing waiting periods.
But since permitless carry took effect, experts have observed a steep decline in the number of people pursuing firearm training.
According to Florida Politics, applications for concealed carry licenses, which require completion of a safety course, dropped by nearly 64% during the same three-month period compared to the previous year.
While millions still choose to get licensed, safety course attendance appears to be a casualty of the state’s more relaxed carry laws.