Florida’s generous gun laws have earned it the nickname, “The Gunshine State” (Adelmann, 2017). The laws allow ownership of rifles or shotguns without requiring a license or permit. However, a license and permit is required for handgun ownership, which includes a background check. Exceptions are made for law enforcement and military personnel who do not have to submit to background checks (“Florida gun laws”, 2017). The laws extend to ownership of semi-automatic weapons, which include assault weapons governed under the same rules that apply to non-semi-automatic weapons, however, machine guns are not legal to own (“Federal and Florida, 2016). Beyond the generalities of the laws, there are several details that are necessary to know in order to be in compliance of the laws. For example, minors are not permitted to own firearms, and must be under the control of a parent or legal guardian when a firearm is in their possession. In greater detail, the age that constitutes a minor varies by the type of firearm. For instance, as …show more content…
“Rifles and shotguns may be transported anywhere in a private vehicle, as long as the use of such firearms is considered to be within the constraints of the law, and the firearm is not concealed on the person” (“Florida gun laws”, 2017, para. 6). In fact, it is not permissible for any firearm to be on one’s person, while inside a vehicle whether the person has a permit or not (Lee, 2010). It is also illegal “to carry any firearm – concealed or in the open – in public [spaces]” (“Florida gun laws, 2017). Exceptions to this rule is when gun owners are engaged in activities that are practical for carrying firearms, as previously mentioned. Military personnel, law enforcement, and gun dealers are also exempt from the public carry requirement (“Florida gun laws”,