Buying ammo in California means passing a state-run eligibility check at a licensed vendor every single time you purchase, showing a California ID or military ID, and staying clear of banned ammunition types. The system has operated since 2019. A federal appeals panel struck it down in July 2025, but the ruling is on hold while the full Ninth Circuit rehears the case, so the rules below are what you’ll actually face at the counter.1Justia Law. Rhode v. Bonta, No. 24-542 (9th Cir. 2025)
Who Can Buy
You must be at least 21 for handgun ammunition and at least 18 for rifle or shotgun ammunition.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Frequently Asked Questions For rounds that fit both a handgun and a long gun, a vendor can sell to an 18-year-old only if the vendor reasonably believes the ammunition is for a rifle.
California bars the same people from possessing ammunition as from possessing firearms: anyone convicted of a felony, people with certain misdemeanor convictions involving firearms or domestic violence, individuals subject to qualifying restraining orders, and people with specific mental health commitments or adjudications.3California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30305 Members of criminal street gangs subject to civil injunctions are also prohibited.
Out-of-State Residents
If you live elsewhere, buying ammunition in California is effectively impossible unless you have a military ID. The eligibility check only accepts a California driver’s license, a California identification card, or a military ID.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Frequently Asked Questions An out-of-state license won’t work. Plan to bring your own supply if you’re visiting for a hunt or competition, but note the rules on bringing ammunition into the state below.
The Eligibility Check at the Counter
Every sale runs through an electronic eligibility check with the California Department of Justice. The vendor cannot hand you ammunition until the DOJ approves the transaction.4State of California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Which pathway applies depends on whether you already appear in the state’s firearm records.
Standard Check
This is the quick route, and it only works if your information matches an entry in the Automated Firearms System, the state database of registered firearm owners. The DOJ compares your name, date of birth, current address, and driver’s license number against AFS, then screens you against the prohibited persons list. A match returns an approval in about two minutes. The fee is $5.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Frequently Asked Questions An outdated address or any mismatch will kick you to the slower lane.
Basic Check
If the standard check fails or you have no firearm registered in California, you fall into the basic check. A DOJ analyst reviews records manually. The fee is $19 and it can take several days.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Frequently Asked Questions You will not walk out with ammunition the same day. New gun owners and people who have moved without updating their records commonly end up here.
Certificate of Eligibility Verification
If you hold a current Certificate of Eligibility issued by the DOJ, the vendor can verify it electronically. The fee is $5.5State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Regulations: Ammunition Purchase Fee Federal firearms licensees and some collectors already have one.
If You’re Denied
A denial usually means a records mismatch rather than an actual prohibition. The common culprits are an address change, a name that doesn’t match exactly, or no firearm on file. You can update your information in AFS at no cost through the DOJ’s Personal Information page. If you aren’t in the database at all, you can voluntarily register a firearm for $19 to get in.
What ID to Bring
Bring a valid California driver’s license, California identification card, or military ID.2State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program Frequently Asked Questions If your California license or ID reads “FEDERAL LIMITS APPLY” on the front, you also need proof of lawful presence: a valid U.S. passport, passport card, or a certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate.6California Department of Justice. Text of Proposed Regulations – Identification Requirements for Firearms and Ammunition Eligibility Checks Abbreviated or abstract birth certificates will not be accepted. If the name on your supplemental document differs from your ID, bring a certified name change document or marriage certificate.
Buying Online
You can order ammunition online, but it cannot ship to your home. Every online order must be routed to a licensed California ammunition vendor, where you pick it up in person and complete the eligibility check the same way you would for an in-store sale.7California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30312 The receiving vendor may add a handling fee on top of the DOJ fee. If you buy a firearm from the same dealer in the same transaction and the DOJ has already cleared the firearm transfer, that approval also covers the ammunition. No separate check is needed.4State of California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program
Bringing Ammunition in From Out of State
You cannot personally carry or mail ammunition you bought elsewhere into California. Any ammunition acquired out of state must first be delivered to a licensed California ammunition vendor, who runs the eligibility check and transfers it to you.8California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30314 A first violation is an infraction. Later violations can be charged as either an infraction or a misdemeanor.
Exceptions are narrow. Licensed ammunition vendors, sworn peace officers acting within their duties, federally licensed firearms importers and manufacturers, and licensed collectors with a current California COE are exempt. You can also receive ammunition from a spouse, registered domestic partner, or immediate family member without a vendor, but “immediate family” is limited to parent-child and grandparent-grandchild relationships.9California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 16720
Sharing and Private Transfers
Private sales between two individuals have to run through a licensed vendor. The seller delivers the ammunition to a vendor, who runs the eligibility check on the buyer, charges the applicable fees, and may add an administrative fee.7California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30312 Skipping that step is a misdemeanor.
Transfers between spouses, registered domestic partners, and immediate family members (parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren) do not need a vendor or a check.9California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 16720 Ammunition bought at a shooting range and used entirely before you leave is treated differently from a retail purchase. Friends sharing shells during a hunt are also allowed, as long as the rounds are consumed in the field. Once someone takes leftover rounds home, the standard transfer rules kick in.
Ammunition You Cannot Possess
Some ammunition is illegal in California no matter who you are.
- Armor-piercing handgun ammunition. Any handgun round designed primarily to penetrate metal or armor is illegal to possess. A conviction carries up to one year in county jail or a state prison sentence, a fine up to $5,000, or both.10California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30315
- Tracer and incendiary ammunition. Both are destructive devices. Tracer ammunition manufactured for use in shotguns is the exception and remains legal.11Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). California Penal Code – State Laws
- Fixed ammunition greater than.60 caliber. Rounds above that threshold are destructive devices, with narrow exceptions for shotgun ammunition and antique firearms.11Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). California Penal Code – State Laws
What the State Records About Your Purchases
Every ammunition transaction creates a record in the DOJ’s Ammunition Purchase Records File. The vendor logs your full name, residential address, phone number, date of birth, driver’s license number, and the brand, type, and quantity of ammunition, along with the date and the salesperson’s name.12California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30352 The statute requires retention but sets no purge date. For practical purposes, assume the state keeps your ammunition purchase history indefinitely.
Is the Background Check Still Required?
Yes, for now. In Rhode v. Bonta, a three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruled on July 24, 2025 that the eligibility check requirement violates the Second Amendment and entered a permanent injunction against enforcement.1Justia Law. Rhode v. Bonta, No. 24-542 (9th Cir. 2025) The injunction has not taken practical effect. The full Ninth Circuit has agreed to rehear the case en banc, with oral arguments set for the week of March 23, 2026, and the system remains fully operational in the meantime. Vendors are still running checks and the DOJ is still processing them. Expect the current process to stay in place for the foreseeable future.