Federal law requires firearms dealers to obtain a license from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), although resource limitations prevent the ATF from properly overseeing all its licensees.
Florida has no law requiring firearms dealers to obtain a state license or permit.
For information about the Florida and federal laws requiring dealers to conduct a background check on prospective firearm purchasers, see the Florida Background Checks section.
In addition, upon the retail sale or other transfer of any firearm, the transferor must deliver a written warning to the transferee stating, in block letters not less than 1/4 inch in height:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL, AND PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT AND FINE, FOR ANY ADULT TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND.”1
Florida law also requires any retail or wholesale store, shop, or sales outlet which sells firearms to conspicuously post the following warning at each purchase counter, in block letters not less than one inch in height:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE OR TO KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND MIND.”2
Licensed dealers must observe the mandatory three-day waiting period requirements (see the Florida Waiting Periods section), and must make available any records of handgun sales for inspection by any law enforcement agency during normal business hours.3 Firearms dealers are also subject to state laws governing gun sales generally.
See the Florida Private Sales section for further information. See the Florida Minimum Age to Purchase / Possess section above for laws regulating sales to minors.
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