Can You Carry a Gun in a Bank in Florida?
If you own firearms, you may still have questions about Florida’s carry laws, even though they were relaxed two years ago. You no longer need a permit, and you do not need to take a training course to carry a concealed weapon. However, there are rules that could disqualify you, and open carry is still illegal in most cases in the State. Openly carrying a gun can get you fined or a short stint in jail. Can you carry a gun in a bank in Florida? Yes, with caveats. To ensure you are not tripped up by the current rules, our Attorneys at Leifert & Leifert are sharing an overview.
What a Concealed Weapon Is and Is Not
Concealed carry means your weapon must not be visible to anyone when you enter an approved establishment. Florida Statutes § 790.001(4)(a) defines a concealed weapon as a handgun, tear gas gun, knife, stun gun, or billie club. You cannot carry a machine gun or fully automatic weapons, nor can you conceal bombs or other explosives or anything containing poison gas.
While a concealed weapon is hidden on your person, open carry is illegal in Florida unless you are fishing, hunting, camping, or target shooting. You can openly carry on your way to or from these activities, too. Those exempt professions include members of Law Enforcement, game wardens, Corrections Officers, Military Members, forest rangers, and security guards. So what about that gun you want to carry into the Chase Bank Forest Hill, West Palm Beach office? If you meet the criteria for carrying a concealed weapon, you should be fine. If you carry it openly, you are facing a second-degree misdemeanor with a maximum jail sentence of 60 days or a fine of up to $500. If you become tangled in the legal system, a Leifert & Leifert Attorney will get the best result possible for you. You can begin with a free initial consultation and case review.
Criteria for Concealed Carry
Not just anyone can carry a concealed weapon. You must be at least 21 years old, but this age requirement does not apply to Military Service Members or Veterans honorably discharged. You must be a U.S. citizen and have legal possession of the gun. You cannot have been convicted of a felony, and if you were adjudicated delinquent for committing one when you were younger than 24, you still cannot carry a concealed weapon. You must always carry a valid ID because Law Enforcement Officers can ask you for it. Florida allows reciprocity, so if you are visiting the West Palm Beach area from another state, you can carry a concealed weapon as long as you meet the State’s criteria.
Places Where Concealed Weapons are Banned
Although the bank, Publix, and Tanger Outlets permit you to carry a concealed weapon, some establishments prefer that you do not and will post the request on the door. You are not permitted to carry weapons in places that disrupt the manners or morals of the public, such as massage parlors, houses of prostitution, illegal gambling parlors, bars and taverns, and anywhere gang activity occurs. Other places where concealed carry is not allowed in Florida include:
- Places dedicated to the legal system, such as Police and Sheriff’s stations, State Prison, County Jail, the Palm Beach County Courthouse, or any courtroom except at the Judge’s discretion
- Any government meeting
- Any polling place
- Any elementary or secondary school or administration building and any school or college event unrelated to firearms
- Any college or university unless the party is enrolled as a student, a faculty member, or employee and the weapon is non-lethal, such as a stun gun to be used for defensive reasons
- Any career center
- Inside the airport’s passenger terminal and sterile area, unless the firearm is disassembled and checked as baggage
- Any location where firearms are prohibited by federal laws
All it takes is one slip up and you could find yourself violating the laws for weapons and concealed carry. Call Leifert & Leifert now and speak with one of our skilled attorneys who can fight on your behalf if you are charged with a gun crime.
