Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today announced that residents in and around Osceola County can now visit the Osceola County Tax Collector’s Office to apply for or renew their concealed weapon licenses. Osceola County Tax Collector Bruce Vickers is the 51st tax collector to partner with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services since Commissioner Putnam implemented this first-of-its-kind partnership in 2014.
“By expanding our partnership with county tax collectors, we’re able to provide a more convenient way for citizens to apply for or renew their concealed weapon licenses,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam. “I thank Osceola County Tax Collector Bruce Vickers for his hard work to offer the most efficient process possible to Floridians seeking a concealed weapon license.”
The partnership allows tax collectors to receive applications, take fingerprints and photographs and send the information to the department to process the request for a concealed weapon license. Tax collector offices also offer on-site, same-day printing of renewal licenses for eligible Floridians.
The 51 tax collectors participating in both the application and renewal process for concealed weapon licenses include the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gulf, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Walton, Wakulla and Washington.
Consumers can still apply for or renew a concealed weapon license via mail or at one of the department’s eight regional offices in the following locations: Doral, Fort Walton, Jacksonville, North Port, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Consumers can also renew their licenses online. Concealed weapon licenses are valid for seven years.
To further enhance convenience, Commissioner Putnam announced in June that the fee to apply for or renew a concealed weapon license was lowered for the third time. Additionally, the department expedites concealed weapon license applications for all active military members and veterans. To date, nearly 90,000 active military members and veterans have received expedited concealed weapon licenses.
For more information on Florida concealed weapon licenses, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
Concealed Weapon License
Commissioner Adam Putnam Again Lowers Fees for Concealed Weapon License Applications and Renewals
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam announced today that the fee to apply for or renew a concealed weapon license will be reduced by $5 as of Saturday, July 1. Commissioner Putnam worked with the Florida Legislature to save Florida consumers $5 on application fees, down from $60 to $55, and renewal fees, down from $50 to $45. Active law enforcement officers, correctional officers and correctional probation officers can now obtain a new license for $55 and renew their licenses for $45.
“I’m a proud supporter of the Second Amendment and am dedicated to making our concealed weapon license application and renewal process as convenient as possible,” said Commissioner Adam H. Putnam. “By reducing the concealed weapon license fee yet again, we can put the savings back in the pockets of Floridians.”
This is the third time Commissioner Adam H. Putnam has lowered concealed weapon license fees within the last five years, which has saved individuals a total of $20 when applying for or renewing a Florida concealed weapon license. Concealed weapon licenses are valid for seven years.
First-time applicants are required to provide fingerprints to the department to complete a background check. Initial licenses typically cost $97, which includes the fingerprint processing fee. Tax collectors are authorized to charge a convenience fee when applying for or renewing licenses at a local tax collector’s office of $22 and $12, respectively.
In 2014, Commissioner Putnam helped develop a first-of-its-kind partnership that authorized tax collectors’ offices to take fingerprints, photographs and accept applications on behalf of the department. Applications are still processed by the department. Within the last year, the department has received nearly 450,000 concealed weapon applications, of which 120,000 have been received via tax collectors’ offices.
Additionally, in July 2015, Commissioner Putnam announced that the department is expediting concealed weapon license applications for all active military members and veterans. To date, nearly 81,000 active military members and veterans have received expedited concealed weapon licenses.
License holders can apply for or renew a concealed weapons license via mail, at 44 Tax Collectors’ Offices across the state or at one of the department’s eight regional offices in the following locations: Doral, Fort Walton, Jacksonville, North Port, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Licenses can also be renewed online.
Visit FreshFromFlorida.com to learn how to apply for or renew a Florida concealed weapon license.
