- A Florida Class G license lets a licensed security officer carry a firearm on duty.
- You need a qualifying Chapter 493 license (usually Class D), a 28-hour firearms course taught by a Class K instructor that includes 144 rounds of range fire, and about $164.75 in state fees.
- You can be licensed at 18, but you must be 21 to carry concealed on duty.
- The license renews every two years, with 4 hours of requalification every year.
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The Florida Class G Statewide Firearm License is what allows a licensed security officer to carry a firearm while working. If you want to work armed security or executive protection in Florida, you need it. The process is straightforward: hold a qualifying license (usually the Class D), complete a 28-hour firearms course with a Class K instructor, pass the range qualification, and submit your application and fingerprints to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
This guide comes from Praetorian Executive Protection LLC, a Florida Class B licensed security agency (License B3600136) based in Cocoa. We hire armed operators for executive protection, residential, and event details across Florida, so these are the requirements we check on every application.
What does a Florida Class G license allow you to do?
A Class G license authorizes armed work under Chapter 493 of the Florida Statutes. It is not a personal carry permit and it does not stand on its own. Under FDACS rules, only holders of a Class C, CC, D, M, MA, or MB license may bear firearms on duty, and they must also hold a Class G.
For security officers and executive protection agents, the pairing is almost always Class D + Class G. The Class D makes you a licensed security officer. The Class G makes you an armed one.
What are the Class G license requirements?
FDACS lists the following eligibility requirements:
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Age: Chapter 493 sets the minimum age for licensure at 18. However, a Class D licensee must be 21 or older to carry a concealed firearm on duty. Since executive protection is almost always concealed work, plan on being 21.
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Citizenship: You must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent legal resident alien, with documentation.
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Qualifying license: You must hold, or be applying for, a qualifying Chapter 493 license such as the Class D.
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Training: Proof of completing the initial 28-hour firearms course taught by a licensed Class K firearms instructor.
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Background: Fingerprints submitted electronically for a state and federal criminal history check.
What does the 28-hour Class G course cover?
The initial course combines classroom and range training on the use of firearms in licensed security duties. FDACS breaks it down roughly as follows:
Inside the 28-Hour Course
Legal Aspects
Florida use-of-force law, Chapter 493 authority, and the legal limits on armed security officers.
Operational Safety
Safe handling, storage, and the mechanical operation of firearms.
Range Qualification
Stance, grip, sighting, and live fire, with 8 hours of in-person range training.
Class K Instruction
Every hour must be taught by a licensed Class K firearms instructor.
For initial licensure, students fire 144 rounds: 48 rounds of practice fire plus two cycles of 48 rounds for the qualification itself. Choose a school that runs real range time with honest scoring. A course that rushes the range portion will not prepare you for the requalification you will face every year.
How much does a Class G license cost?
State fees for a new Class G license total about $164.75:
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License fee: $112.00
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Fingerprint processing fee: $42.00
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Fingerprint retention fee: $10.75
The 28-hour course is paid separately to the training school, and prices vary across Florida. Budget for range ammunition and your electronic fingerprint appointment as well. Some agencies reimburse licensing costs for operators they hire, so ask before you pay out of pocket.
How long does it take to get a Class G license?
A realistic timeline from the first day of class:
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Days 1 to 4: Complete the 28-hour course and range qualification.
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Week 1 to 2: Get fingerprinted electronically and submit your application to FDACS.
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Several weeks: FDACS processes your background check and application.
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License issued: Most applicants should plan on one to two months total.
If you also need a Class D, take it first or alongside the Class G. The Class D requires its own 40-hour course. Our guide on how to become an executive protection agent in Florida covers the full licensing path.
How do you keep a Class G license active?
Class G licenses renew every two years. In each year of the license period, you must complete at least 4 hours of firearms requalification training with a Class K instructor and pass the qualification course of fire.
Miss your requalification and you cannot work armed. Professional agencies track these dates for their operators, but the responsibility is yours. Put the date on your calendar the day your license arrives.
- Pairs with a qualifying license, almost always the Class D
- 28-hour course with a Class K instructor, 144 rounds for initial qualification
- About $164.75 in state fees, plus the school's course fee
- Licensed at 18, but 21 to carry concealed on duty
- Renews every two years, with 4 hours of requalification every year
Is a Class G enough to work executive protection?
A Class G is necessary for armed protective work, but it is the floor, not the ceiling. Agencies hiring for executive protection look for judgment, discretion, planning ability, and a verifiable track record. Marksmanship on a qualification target is only one part of the job.
What separates armed EP operators from armed guards:
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Advance work: Planning routes, venues, and contingencies before the principal ever arrives.
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Low-profile carry: Operating armed in boardrooms, restaurants, and private residences without drawing attention.
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Decision-making under pressure: Knowing when a firearm is the wrong answer, which is almost always.
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Working inside a licensed agency: Armed contract work in Florida runs through Class B agencies that carry the insurance and oversight clients require.
Founder Christopher Smith brings 30+ years across the United States Marine Corps, law enforcement, and corporate executive protection, including operating as the site security lead for the executive personal security detail for Jeff Bezos and the Amazon Board of Directors at Kennedy Space Center. That standard shapes how Praetorian evaluates armed candidates: the license gets you an interview, and your judgment gets you the job.
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Frequently Asked Questions
State fees total about $164.75: a $112 license fee, a $42 fingerprint processing fee, and a $10.75 fingerprint retention fee. The 28-hour course is paid separately to the training school, and you will also pay for range ammunition and your fingerprint appointment.
The course itself takes 28 hours, usually spread across three to four days. After you submit your application and fingerprints to FDACS, processing typically takes several weeks. Most applicants should plan on one to two months from the first day of class to a license in hand.
A Class G license does not stand alone. Only holders of a Class C, CC, D, M, MA, or MB license may carry a firearm on duty, and they must also hold a Class G. For security and executive protection work, that qualifying license is almost always the Class D Security Officer License.
Chapter 493 sets the minimum age for licensure at 18. However, a Class D licensee must be 21 or older to carry a concealed firearm on duty. Because executive protection work is almost always concealed, most EP agencies, including Praetorian, expect armed operators to be at least 21.
Class G licenses renew every two years. In each year of the license period you must also complete at least 4 hours of firearms requalification training with a Class K instructor and pass the qualification course of fire.
No. A concealed weapon or firearm license (CWL) is a personal carry permit. A Class G license authorizes armed work as a licensed security officer under Chapter 493. Armed security and executive protection work requires the Class G, regardless of whether you also hold a personal CWL.
Licensing requirements and fees change. Always confirm current requirements with FDACS before you apply. Licensed and ready to work? Apply to join Praetorian. Looking for armed protection? Schedule a confidential consultation.
Author: Christopher Smith, Founder, Praetorian Executive Protection. USMC combat veteran (1999 to 2012), state law enforcement including DEA T3 task forces, and site security lead for Jeff Bezos and the Amazon Board of Directors at Kennedy Space Center.
