Unexpected trip to FL; advice needed please.

GeekWithAGun

New member
Well, on the ride into work this morning, I got a call telling me one of my cousins died in a car accident late last night. He was a LEO in Florida and somehow his cruiser got into it with a semi. I'll be heading to Florida this weekend for his funeral, and was wondering what proper etiquette I might need to follow as far as carrying down there. USAcarry.com shows my GA permit will be honored in FL, so I just want to make sure I don't do something I shouldn't. Can I carry concealed? Or do I have to open carry? Etc... Thanks in advance.

-Drew
 

Dewhitewolf

New member
Florida has a pamphlet that they hand out with carry permit applications. In that pamphlet, it states that firearms must be concealed. This applies to both those with a Florida carry permit as well as carry permits honored from other states. It is my understanding that Florida is NOT an open carry state, and that the only time it is legal to open carry is if you are a uniformed security officer.

Always use information provided by the state, not by a private website. If you were to run into trouble, you cannot say "...but USA Carry said I could." Florida keeps its reciprocity list updated.

http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/news/concealed_carry.html
 

GeekWithAGun

New member
Thanks Dewhitewolf, I see what you mean by checking the state's website. I guess what I need to know is: Is there any particular Florida state requirements about transporting a weapon? When I cross state lines, should I have it in the trunk, unloaded? Or am I good keeping it in my IWB holster like I normally would? I know I need to abide by FL laws, so that's what I need. I didn't see much, but I understand Georgia's laws, so I just want to make sure of Florida's laws. Hopefully they are pretty similar, but it's the possible differences in "pretty similar" that could mean a mess of trouble.
 

mountainclmbr

New member
Geekwithagun, Sorry to hear about your cousin. If you have a Georgia permit, you are OK to carry concealed when you cross into Florida. Florida does not allow concealed carry into bars or sporting events. I don't know the current law about duty to notify LEO if you get pulled over. The safe thing to do is check the laws or play it safe and notify them anyway. I have both a Colorado and Florida CCW license and carry when I travel to Florida where the rest of my family lives.
 

surveyor

New member
from Fl statues 790.06..

12) No license issued pursuant to this section shall authorize any person to carry a concealed weapon or firearm into any place of nuisance as defined in s. 823.05; any police, sheriff, or highway patrol station; any detention facility, prison, or jail; any courthouse; any courtroom, except that nothing in this section would preclude a judge from carrying a concealed weapon or determining who will carry a concealed weapon in his or her courtroom; any polling place; any meeting of the governing body of a county, public school district, municipality, or special district; any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof; any school, college, or professional athletic event not related to firearms; any school administration building; any portion of an establishment licensed to dispense alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, which portion of the establishment is primarily devoted to such purpose; any elementary or secondary school facility; any career center; any college or university facility unless the licensee is a registered student, employee, or faculty member of such college or university and the weapon is a stun gun or nonlethal electric weapon or device designed solely for defensive purposes and the weapon does not fire a dart or projectile; inside the passenger terminal and sterile area of any airport, provided that no person shall be prohibited from carrying any legal firearm into the terminal, which firearm is encased for shipment for purposes of checking such firearm as baggage to be lawfully transported on any aircraft; or any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law. Any person who willfully violates any provision of this subsection commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

I also add federal buildings to the list, but that's me..(post offices, etc..)

concealed carry, not open..

if someone asks you to leave, you should, otherwise it could be 2nd dwgree misdemeanor of armed trespass..

sorry to hear about your cousin..
 

divemedic

New member
As far as transporting in a car, there are no restrictions with CCW, but without one you must have the firearm "securely encased" which essentially means any closed container (glove box, console, snapped in a holster that is not on your person, etc.)
 

FireMax

New member
I have a GA license and when I travel to Florida, I carry concealed and don't need to change my "observance of the law" too much. I will get my book out shortly and read you what the lawyers state about Ga --> Fl conceal carry.
 

GeekWithAGun

New member
Thanks everyone for your kind replies. ISC - Yeah, that's him. He was the oldest one of us, my grandmothers first grandkid, so I can't wait to get down there and see her too.

It seems like I'll be good to go down there. It'll be my first trip carrying across state lines, so I just wanted to make sure I did everything right. Thanks again for the responses, and if anyone here can think of a particularly unusual law (or maybe local ordinances in the Jacksonville area) that may cause any trouble, please feel free to let me know.
 
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