How do I get my gun rights back after a felony?

Restoration of firearm authority in Florida runs through the Board of Executive Clemency and is distinct from restoration of other civil rights. A person whose voting rights were restored may still be prohibited from possessing firearms.

The process: an application to the Office of Executive Clemency after a waiting period following completion of sentence, a review of the person's full history and conduct since, and a discretionary decision by the Board. Grants are not common.

Federal law is a separate layer. A state restoration does not necessarily resolve the federal prohibition, and the interaction is technical enough that it warrants specific advice rather than inference.

Until restoration is actually granted, the prohibition stands. Possessing a firearm in the belief that rights were restored — because voting rights came back, or because time passed, or because a record was sealed — is a serious and common mistake. Sealing does not restore firearm eligibility.

If you obtain restoration, get the documentation and read exactly what it covers.