How buying a gun in Crestview works
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Florida law allows.
Florida has no purchase permit and no registry. You must be 21 to buy any firearm from a dealer, and handgun buyers must be Florida residents under federal law. The dealer runs the check through FDLE when you pick up. State law sets a waiting period of three business days, or until the check clears if that takes longer, on all firearms; Concealed Weapon License holders, trade-ins and long-gun buyers with a hunter safety card are exempt. A few counties add up to five days.
Dealers in these communities all work for Crestview-area buyers:
- Niceville
- Baker
- Laurel Hill
- Holt
- Milligan
- Fort Walton Beach
- Destin
- DeFuniak Springs
Carrying a gun in Okaloosa County
Since July 1, 2023, anyone eligible for a Florida Concealed Weapon License may carry a concealed handgun without one, provided they carry ID and show it to an officer who asks. A 2025 appeals ruling also ended enforcement of the open carry ban. The optional license is issued by the FDACS Division of Licensing, and many Okaloosa County Tax Collector offices take applications; it gives reciprocity in other states and skips the wait. Schools, courthouses and polling places remain off limits.
Hunting near Crestview
Florida's deer seasons run by zone, and the dates are far apart. For 2026-27 the FWC lists general gun season in Zone A as Sept. 19 to Oct. 18 and Nov. 21 to Jan. 3, Zone B as Dec. 5 to Feb. 21, Zone C as Nov. 7 to Jan. 24, and Zone D as Nov. 26-29 plus Dec. 12 to Feb. 21. Centerfire rifles, shotguns, handguns and muzzleloaders are legal for deer; rimfires are not. Antler rules follow the deer management unit around Okaloosa County.
Okaloosa County is in Zone D. Eglin Air Force Base opens large parts of its range to permit hunting for deer, hogs and turkey, and Blackwater River State Forest is next door.
Eglin's outdoor recreation permit opens one of the largest public hunting areas in Florida, and many military families use it.
Public shooting ranges near Crestview
These public ranges are run by or with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, several on wildlife management areas and national forests. Fees, hours and supervision differ; check each range page before you go.
Source: FWC-managed public shooting ranges list, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.