A Florida appeals court ruled Wednesday that the state’s ban on concealed carry by adults aged 18 to 20 violates the Second Amendment.
The three-judge panel of the Fourth District Court of Appeal in Broward County unanimously overturned a law passed in 1987, which prohibited concealed firearm carrying for individuals under age 21.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier celebrated the decision, stating: “In another win for the unalienable rights of Floridians, the 4th DCA agreed with our position that Florida’s law banning adults under 21 from conceal carrying a firearm is unconstitutional. We will not seek further review and will work with @FDACS to implement the court’s order.”
Under Gov. Ron DeSantis, a two-term Republican, Florida has enacted several changes to expand gun rights in recent years. In 2023, Mr. DeSantis signed legislation eliminating the permit requirement for concealed weapon carrying. Law-abiding Floridians have been able to openly carry firearms since 2025, following an earlier appeals court ruling that found a ban on open carry unconstitutional.
The state’s gun restrictions include a 2018 law enacted after the Parkland high school shooting, which raised the minimum age for gun purchases from 18 to 21 and mandated a three-day waiting period for buyers. The Florida House has repeatedly tried to roll back the age restriction for long guns with DeSantis’s support, but the State Senate has not approved such measures.
The case originated from an 18-year-old’s arrest in 2024 for carrying a concealed firearm and improper display of a weapon. Although the individual initially moved to dismiss the charge, the trial court ruled the age restrictions were constitutional. The defendant pleaded no contest to the charges and appealed.
The appellate ruling cited U.S. Supreme Court decisions including N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen and a 2024 federal appeals court decision that struck down Minnesota’s concealed carry age restrictions.
Judge Levine wrote: “Eighteen- to 20-year-olds can defend the country without restriction but can only utilize their Second Amendment right to self-defense with severe restrictions. This burden on law-abiding individuals aged 18 to 20 is facially unconstitutional.”
Thomas Cottone, public defender for Eubanks, noted the ruling was “even better than I had hoped,” adding it would aid in upcoming legal motions related to firearm possession cases involving nonviolent offenses.