Don't mail it!!!

[B2Tall]

I've touched on this subject in other threads so I figured I'd give it its own thread:

If you're a Florida resident and you're applying for a Florida CCW, do not mail your application. Find your nearest office here - Office Regions - Division of Licensing, FDACS, call and make an appointment, go to the office and file your application electronically. It doesn't cost a penny more other than the gas you'll burn getting there. Even if you have to drive an hour to get there (like I did) it's well worth the trip.

Over the last year I've been helping out a dealer friend of mine at various gun shows here in Florida and as a result I've spoken to countless CCW holders. Only once have I heard of anyone getting their CCW in less than 90 days after they mailed the application (it was 60 days for this particular person). I've heard many, many tales of frustration concerning the mail-in process......4 months, 5 months, etc. On the other hand, I don't believe I've ever spoken to anyone who had to wait more than 14 days after applying in person at a licensing office. The people there will answer any questions you may have on the spot. Oddly enough for state employees, the folks I dealt with at the West Palm Beach office were so nice and helpful (to all the applicants, not just me) that I wrote a complimentary letter to their boss.

Remember - call first for an appointment. You may have to wait a week or so to get in but it's well worth it.

[Tucker's Mom]

My friend lives in Cedar Key. Well, he sort of a friend but actually my husband best of best friend. I told him the same thing you just said above but despite that, he decided to mail his, perhaps to annoy me? Naah...being an attorney and an engineer, he was just too busy to go in. He got his license within 14 days. Luck of the Irish? I don't know. Maybe it was because that was 2 or 3 years ago now, it wasn't as tight as it is now to get a license.

[radiomathteacher]

Here is what happened to me. When I scheduled my NRA course in early April I called the Tampa office to schedule a walk-in appointment, but the next available one wasn't until May 18th. I took the NRA class on April 4th and I mailed my completed application in on the next day (yes, of course I cancelled my appointment). I received the CCW on May 25th, which is only one week after the scheduled appointment and 6 weeks after I mailed it so I figured I did okay. I have also heard from friends that if you go to the appointment, the CCW only takes 2 weeks. That means that if I kept the appointment, I wouldn't have gotten the CCW until June 1st.

Yes, I'm a newbie and I really enjoy the spirited conversations on this site.

[B2Tall]

Here is what happened to me. When I scheduled my NRA course in early April I called the Tampa office to schedule a walk-in appointment, but the next available one wasn't until May 18th. I took the NRA class on April 4th and I mailed my completed application in on the next day (yes, of course I cancelled my appointment). I received the CCW on May 25th, which is only one week after the scheduled appointment and 6 weeks after I mailed it so I figured I did okay. I have also heard from friends that if you go to the appointment, the CCW only takes 2 weeks. That means that if I kept the appointment, I wouldn't have gotten the CCW until June 1st.

Yes, I'm a newbie and I really enjoy the spirited conversations on this site.

A 6 week wait for an appointment is crazy. Tampa must have a serious backlog. Most people I've spoken to get in to the office in a week or week and a half, making it about a 3 week process to get your CCW in your hand. You're lucky your application was in order otherwise they send it back and you have to redo it and get put on the bottom of the stack when you send it back in. The biggest problem seems to be with the manually inked fingerprints (they do it electronically at the office). If just one of your fingerprints is deemed unacceptable then it's back to square one - that is once they get around to sending your app back to you. I've heard other stories from people who's apps were rejected because of a supposedly illegible word, a question that was accidentally skipped, even a check that wasn't deemed to be properly made out to "Pay to the order of:...". Of course they didn't know there was a problem until a couple of months later when the rejected app comes back in the mail. Going in person eliminates those possibilities.

You and Tucker's Mom's friend are the lucky exceptions. Good for you and welcome to the boards.

[radiomathteacher]

I guess I did get lucky. I also just want to add that I got my fingerprints electronically done at the Hernando County Sheriffs office, so it may have saved any problem with a fingerprint rejection, but I suppose overall, the better way to get the CCW app done is probably in person at the office.

[eagleeyes]

i mailed mine out may 6th mailed it in with a personal check which they said would take two weeks longer........still waiting.......
meanwhile a tenant of mine is going to get his done at wpb office and they told him within i think he said two weeks he will get his ........now i have someone else to go to a range with we are going to the gun show later this month together so that will be fun he's a really nice guy too and excellent tenant i hope he stays a long long time

[PestControl02]

I just showed up at the Miami-Dade office, I was there submitting armed guard paperwork and figured it wouldnt hurt to try... they were kind enough to squeeze me in and less than an hour later- I was processed and out the door. The girls there were friendly and efficient.
The CWP arrived before the guard licenses did..lol
Probably a better idea to make an appointment though.

[avmech]

Wife did hers at the WPB office. Couple of days between the call and the appointment, about a week for the permit to show up. This is about 2 years ago, smack in the middle of the hype.

[rdp357]

Don't know what the processing time is now but when I mailed my paperwork (about a year and a half ago) I had my permet in 3 weeks. At that time it was a 2 month wait for the appointment.

[stimpee]

My wife called tampa office last week for an appointment and they were out into Mid October.

So, she got fingerprints at local Sheriff office and we are mailing it in this week.

I did mine at Tampa office in February and received my license 12 days after my appointment.