California gun laws are among the strictest in the United States, layering state rules on top of federal ones at nearly every step of buying, owning, carrying, and storing a firearm. You need a safety certificate before you can buy, you wait 10 days after any purchase, you pass a background check for every box of ammunition, and most of the handguns sold freely in other states aren’t legal to buy new from a California dealer. Several of these rules are being challenged in federal court, so what’s enforceable can shift. Here’s what currently applies.
Who Can Buy a Firearm
You generally must be at least 21 to buy any firearm from a licensed dealer in California. Federal law allows rifle and shotgun sales to 18-year-olds, but California’s higher minimum controls most transactions. Narrow exceptions let active-duty military and certain licensed hunters buy long guns at 18. You’ll show a valid, unexpired California driver’s license or state ID; military buyers can use military ID with permanent duty station orders showing a California posting.1State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Frequently Asked Questions
Firearm Safety Certificate
Before any purchase, you need a Firearm Safety Certificate. You get one by passing a 30-question written test given by a Department of Justice certified instructor, covering safe handling, storage, and California-specific law. The fee is $25, which also covers one retake with the same instructor if you fail. The certificate is valid for five years.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Frequently Asked Questions
Who’s Prohibited
Federal law bars anyone convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, fugitives, unlawful drug users, people adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, those subject to certain domestic violence restraining orders, people convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, dishonorably discharged service members, and those who have renounced U.S. citizenship.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 – Unlawful Acts
California goes further. Under Penal Code section 29800, any felony conviction, under any state’s or federal law, prohibits firearm ownership, and a violation is itself a felony.4California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 29800 The state also prohibits possession by people convicted of certain specified misdemeanors, those subject to gun violence restraining orders, and anyone placed on an involuntary mental health hold. People who pass a federal check sometimes still fail California’s.
How Buying a Firearm Works
Every dealer sale runs through the Dealer’s Record of Sale system. The dealer submits your information to the California Department of Justice for criminal history and mental health screening. The DROS fee is $31.19 per transaction, regardless of how many firearms are in it.5New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. 11 CCR 4001 – DROS Fees
No firearm can be delivered sooner than 10 days after the application is submitted.6California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 26815 The waiting period gives the DOJ time to finish its check and acts as a cooling-off period. Bad information on the application can restart the clock or trigger an outright denial.
Handgun purchases require proof of residency on top of the ID. A recent utility bill (within three months) or a signed residential lease works, and the address must match your DROS form or your California ID.7State of California Department of Justice. Title 11, Division 5, Chapter 4 – Evidence of Residency Documentation Definitions and Requirements
Penal Code section 27535 limits you to one firearm purchase application in any 30-day period, and the statute covers all firearms, not just handguns. A federal court ruled against this limit in mid-2025, and its enforceability may change as appeals move. Confirm the current status with a dealer or the DOJ before planning multiple purchases.
Buying from an individual rather than a store doesn’t skip any of this. Private party transfers must go through a licensed California dealer with both parties present, and the buyer meets the same background check and 10-day waiting requirements as any retail sale. There is no family, friend, or online-sale exception.1State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Frequently Asked Questions
What’s Banned or Restricted
Assault Weapons
California bans assault weapons two ways. Penal Code section 30510 bans specific makes and models by name. Section 30515 is features-based: a semiautomatic centerfire rifle without a fixed magazine qualifies as an assault weapon if it has any one of a listed set of features, including a protruding pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, flash suppressor, forward pistol grip, or grenade or flare launcher.8California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30515 Parallel feature tests cover semiautomatic pistols and shotguns. Buying, selling, or transferring these firearms in California is illegal. The ban is being challenged in federal court but remains enforceable during appeals.
The Handgun Roster
California keeps a Roster of Certified Handguns. Since 2001, a handgun cannot be manufactured in California, imported for sale, or sold at retail unless it has passed state firing, safety, and drop tests.9California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Handguns Certified for Sale Newer models must also have a chamber load indicator and, for semiautomatic pistols with detachable magazines, a magazine disconnect.10California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 31910 – Unsafe Handgun The roster has shrunk as manufacturers stopped submitting new models for testing, so many handguns sold elsewhere aren’t available new here. Private party transfers and certain law enforcement exemptions are the main legal routes for off-roster handguns.
NFA Items
Items regulated under the federal National Firearms Act face additional California restrictions. Machine guns, short-barreled rifles (under 16-inch barrels), and short-barreled shotguns (under 18-inch barrels) are generally illegal for civilians to possess in California, even with a federal registration and $200 tax stamp. Suppressors are completely banned for civilian use regardless of federal approval. If you’re moving from a state that allowed these items, they can’t come with you.
Large-Capacity Magazines
Magazines holding more than 10 rounds are banned. Manufacturing, importing, selling, giving, or lending them is illegal under Penal Code section 32310, and possession has been prohibited since 2017.11California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code PEN 32310 – Large-Capacity Magazines If you currently have any, your legal options are to take them out of state, sell them to a licensed dealer, surrender them to law enforcement, or permanently modify them to hold no more than 10 rounds. The ban was upheld by the Ninth Circuit sitting en banc in Duncan v. Bonta, reversing a lower-court decision that had briefly struck it down.12Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Duncan v. Bonta Violations can be charged as misdemeanor or felony depending on circumstances.
Ammunition Rules
California runs a separate background check for every ammunition purchase, independent of any firearm check. Under Penal Code section 30370, the DOJ conducts a point-of-sale eligibility verification through the vendor.13California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code PEN 30370 – Ammunition Purchase Authorization If you already own a firearm registered in the state’s Automated Firearms System, the standard check costs $5.14State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Regulations – Ammunition Purchase Fee If you’re not in the system, a basic eligibility check costs more and takes longer. All ammunition sellers must be licensed vendors, and every transaction is recorded.
Storing a Firearm at Home
Starting January 1, 2026, California requires gun owners to securely store firearms in the home any time the firearm isn’t being carried or under the immediate control of the owner or another authorized person. Secure storage means a California DOJ-certified firearm safety device or a secure gun safe. First-time violations carry fines up to $250, a second violation up to $500, and a third or later violation is a misdemeanor.
Longer-standing criminal storage laws also apply. If you store a firearm where you know or should know a child or prohibited person could get it, and that person actually obtains it and causes death or serious bodily injury, you can face felony-level charges carrying up to three years in state prison or a year in county jail, plus fines up to $10,000. For less serious outcomes, such as minor injury or a child carrying the firearm to a public place, the charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Carrying and Transporting Firearms
Concealed Carry Permits
A concealed carry weapon license is issued by your county sheriff or, in some cities, the police chief. Applicants must complete a training course of at least 16 hours covering safety, marksmanship, and legal use of force.15California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code PEN 26165 Some jurisdictions require up to 24 hours when a community college course certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training is mandated. Renewal applicants need at least 8 hours. You also pass a background check, and the firearm you intend to carry must be registered to you with the DOJ.16California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 26150 Permit fees typically run $200 to $400 including fingerprinting and processing.
Where You Can’t Carry Even With a Permit
Penal Code section 26230 bars carrying in a long list of locations even with a valid CCW. As of early 2025, enforceable sensitive places include schools, preschools, government buildings, courthouses, colleges and universities, airports, police stations, polling places, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, playgrounds, parks, casinos, stadiums, libraries, amusement parks, zoos, and museums.17State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. 2025-DLE-06 Additional Restrictions on CCW License Holders Several other locations in the original SB 2 list, including hospitals, public transit, and places of worship, are currently blocked by a federal court injunction. The enforceable list may change as litigation moves.
Transporting Without a Permit
Without a CCW, you can still legally transport a firearm in a vehicle, but the rules are narrow. The firearm must be unloaded and in a locked container inside the vehicle, or locked in the trunk.18California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code PEN 25610 – Transportation of Concealed Firearm A locked container means a fully enclosed, secure case locked by a padlock, key lock, or combination lock. California specifically excludes glove compartments and utility compartments from that definition, so a handgun in a locked glove box does not qualify.19California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code PEN 16850
Open Carry
Openly carrying a handgun in public is generally a misdemeanor. Under Penal Code section 26350, carrying an exposed and unloaded handgun outside a vehicle in a public place within an incorporated city is illegal.20California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 26350 Separate statutes also bar loaded open carry and long gun open carry in most circumstances.
Moving to California With Firearms
If you move to California and bring firearms, state law gives you 60 days to do one of three things: file a New Resident Report of Firearm Ownership (Form BOF 4010A) with a $19 fee to the DOJ, sell or transfer the firearms through a licensed California dealer, or turn them in to a local police or sheriff’s department.21State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Firearms Information for New California Residents Missing the window can create criminal liability. Firearms that are illegal in California, such as assault weapons or unregistered short-barreled rifles, can’t be registered here. They must be sold out of state, surrendered, or otherwise disposed of before the deadline.
Gun Violence Restraining Orders
California’s red flag law lets courts issue Gun Violence Restraining Orders that temporarily bar someone from possessing firearms and ammunition. Petitioners can include law enforcement, immediate family, roommates, employers, certain coworkers, school employees, dating partners, and co-parents.22California Courts. Gun Violence Restraining Orders in California An emergency order can be issued quickly and lasts up to 21 days, during which the court schedules a full hearing. If a judge finds sufficient evidence at that hearing, a final order can last one to five years. The subject can attend, present evidence, and challenge the order. Once issued, law enforcement serves it and takes custody of the firearms and ammunition for the duration.23California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 18100
Driving or Flying With Firearms
Federal law under 18 U.S.C. section 926A provides a safe-passage protection for interstate travel. If you can legally possess a firearm in both the origin and destination states, you can transport it through states where you otherwise couldn’t, so long as the firearm is unloaded and neither the gun nor ammunition is readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In vehicles without a separate trunk, the firearm must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.24Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms The federal protection covers transit only. If California is your destination, your firearms must comply with California law the moment you arrive.
For air travel, TSA allows firearms only in checked baggage, never carry-on. The firearm must be unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-sided container, and you must declare it at the airline counter during check-in. Ammunition must be in checked baggage and securely packaged, and loaded or empty magazines must be boxed or placed inside the hard-sided case with the unloaded firearm.25Transportation Security Administration. Firearms and Ammunition TSA treats a firearm as loaded whenever both the gun and its ammunition are accessible to the passenger, even if the ammunition is in a pocket and the firearm is in a bag. Check both your airline’s policy and the firearm laws at your destination before you fly.