Florida Court Strikes Down Concealed Carry Age Limits for 18-20 Year Olds
Florida's First District Court of Appeal has ruled the concealed carry age limit for 18-20 year olds unconstitutional.
Why it matters: This ruling directly impacts legal professionals advising on firearm regulations and compliance in Florida. It signals potential challenges to age-based restrictions nationwide, affecting litigation and counsel strategies for corporations and law firms.
- On June 17, 2026, Florida's First District Court of Appeal struck down concealed carry age limits for 18-20 year olds.
- Florida Attorney General conceded the law banning concealed carry for this age group is unconstitutional.
- In October 2025, Broward Circuit Judge Frank Ledee ruled similar age restrictions violate the Second Amendment rights of 18-20 year olds.
- The appellate court also overturned Florida's ban on openly carrying firearms in September 2025, though the under-21 purchase ban remains upheld by the Eleventh Circuit.
On June 17, 2026, a three-judge panel of the Florida First District Court of Appeal ruled unconstitutional the state's law prohibiting individuals aged 18 to 20 from obtaining concealed carry permits. This ruling overturns a key firearm regulation imposing age restrictions in Florida.
The Florida Attorney General conceded during the case that the concealed carry age restriction is unconstitutional. This marks a shift in the state's legal approach and aligns with a prior ruling from October 2025. Broward Circuit Judge Frank Ledee then found that barring 18- to 20-year-olds from carrying concealed firearms violates their Second Amendment rights. Judge Ledee said, "Florida's prohibition on the concealed carry of firearms strips a class of legal adults of their ability to exercise the very right the Constitution guarantees." Local10
This decision is part of a broader trend of judicial rulings challenging Florida’s firearm laws. In September 2025, the same appellate court struck down the state’s ban on openly carrying firearms. However, Florida’s ban on firearm purchases under 21 remains in effect, following the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals' March 2023 decision to uphold it. These mixed rulings illustrate the ongoing complexity surrounding Florida’s age-based firearm regulations. Courthouse News Duke Law
For legal professionals, these rulings underscore significant compliance and litigation risks for clients handling firearm regulations. In-house counsel and law firms must monitor evolving constitutional debates affecting age restrictions, as these decisions could inform challenges in other states.
By the numbers:
- June 17, 2026 — date of the Florida First District Court's ruling
- October 2025 — Broward Circuit Judge Frank Ledee's decision on concealed carry age limits
- March 2023 — Eleventh Circuit upheld Florida’s firearm purchase ban for under-21s
Yes, but: Despite these rulings, Florida's ban on firearm purchases under age 21 remains intact, maintaining some age-based gun control.
What's next: More legal challenges are expected as states revisit age-related firearm restrictions in light of constitutional arguments.