TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The state of Florida has officially granted more than 1 million people permission to carry a concealed weapon.
A Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services spokeswoman says Florida had 1,000,645 active permits as of Wednesday morning.
Officials say Florida has the largest number of concealed weapon permit holders in the nation. The number of people applying for concealed weapon permits has risen sharply over the last four years.
Four out of five people with a permit are male. Roughly 10 percent of those with a valid permit are not state residents.
Anyone who is 21 years and older and is legal resident or citizen of the U.S. can apply for a permit. Convicted felons who have not had their rights restored and those judged mentally incompetent are ineligible.
