To buy a gun in California from a licensed dealer, you need to be at least 21, hold a California ID, pass the Firearm Safety Certificate test, choose a firearm that’s legal to sell in the state, submit paperwork through the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) system with a $37.19 state fee, clear both state and federal background checks, and wait a full 10 days before picking it up. At pickup you complete a safe handling demonstration and leave with an approved safety device. Every step is required, and skipping one voids the transaction.
Are You Eligible to Buy
You must be 21 or older to buy any firearm from a licensed dealer, including handguns, semiautomatic centerfire rifles, frames, receivers, and precursor parts. Two narrow exceptions let buyers aged 18 to 20 purchase certain long guns: holders of a valid California hunting license can buy long guns that aren’t semiautomatic centerfire rifles, and honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, Air National Guard, or active reserves can do the same.1California Legislative Information. California Penal Code PEN 27510
You also need to be a California resident with a valid California Driver’s License or California ID. No out-of-state ID works. If you’ve moved recently and haven’t updated your license, you can’t complete a purchase yet.
Several categories of people are barred from buying or possessing a firearm, and the background check will catch them. A felony conviction under any jurisdiction’s law is a lifetime bar.2California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 29800 Convictions for roughly 49 specified misdemeanors carry a 10-year ban, and a misdemeanor conviction for willfully inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, cohabitant, or dating partner on or after January 1, 2019 is a lifetime ban.3California Department of Justice. Firearms Prohibiting Categories Federal law adds prohibitions for fugitives, unlawful users of controlled substances, people dishonorably discharged from the military, and anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, among others.4Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Identify Prohibited Persons
An involuntary 72-hour mental health hold triggers a five-year prohibition under Welfare and Institutions Code section 8103.5Justia Law. California Welfare and Institutions Code 8100-8108 – Chapter 3 Firearms Active restraining orders and domestic violence protective orders bar purchase and possession for as long as they remain in effect, and typically require you to surrender any firearms you already own.
Pass the Firearm Safety Certificate Test
Before a dealer can start your transaction, you need a valid Firearm Safety Certificate. It’s a 30-question, multiple-choice written test on California firearm laws and safe handling, administered at most licensed dealerships.6California Department of Justice. Firearms Safety Certificate Study Guide You need 23 correct answers to pass. The $25 fee covers two attempts with the same DOJ Certified Instructor. Once issued, the certificate is good for five years.7California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearm Safety Certificate
A handful of buyers are exempt, including active and honorably retired peace officers and concealed carry permit holders.8Justia Law. California Penal Code Article 3 – Exceptions To Handgun Safety Certificate Requirement If you’re not exempt, take the test before you go shopping. Without an FSC, no dealer can begin your paperwork.
Choose a California-Legal Firearm
Not every gun on the U.S. market can be sold here. Three rules narrow your options.
The Handgun Roster
Every handgun sold by a licensed dealer must appear on the state’s Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale. To be listed, a model must pass DOJ-certified firing, safety, and drop tests, and semi-automatic pistols must include a chamber load indicator and a magazine disconnect mechanism.9California Department of Justice. Handguns Certified for Sale The roster is limited compared to the national handgun market, so check it before you settle on a specific model.
Assault Weapons and Magazine Limits
Firearms classified as “assault weapons” cannot be sold or transferred. The classification covers specific listed makes and models, plus any semi-automatic centerfire rifle or pistol with certain features. For a rifle with a detachable magazine, any one of the following triggers the classification: a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action, a thumbhole stock, a folding or telescoping stock, a flash suppressor, a forward pistol grip, or a grenade or flare launcher.10California Legislative Information. California Penal Code PEN 30515 Similar feature-based tests apply to semi-automatic centerfire pistols and shotguns.11California Department of Justice. Assault Weapon Characteristics
Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds are prohibited to buy, sell, or possess, regardless of when they were made. Long guns aren’t on the handgun roster, but the assault weapon rules and magazine limit still apply.
How Many You Can Buy
Effective April 1, 2026, under AB 1078, you cannot purchase more than three firearms cumulatively within any 30-day period. The limit applies to all firearms, plus completed frames, receivers, and precursor parts.12California Department of Justice. Information Bulletin 2026-DLE-02 – New and Amended Firearms Laws The DROS system tracks your history, so the dealer will see immediately if you’ve hit the cap.
At the Dealer Counter: Paperwork, Fees, and the 10-Day Wait
Once you’re eligible, hold a valid FSC, and have picked a legal firearm, the dealer walks you through both federal and state paperwork.
You’ll fill out ATF Form 4473, the federal Firearms Transaction Record, answering a series of eligibility questions under penalty of perjury.13Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Firearms Transaction Record – ATF Form 4473 Lying on it is a federal felony. The dealer then enters your information into California’s DROS system, which triggers the state background check.
Bring your California Driver’s License or ID. For a handgun purchase, you also need a second document proving current California residence, such as a utility bill, vehicle registration, or residential lease.14California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealer
The state charges $37.19 for DROS processing: a $31.19 DROS fee, a $1.00 Firearms Safety Act fee, and a $5.00 Safety and Enforcement fee.14California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealer The dealer adds the gun’s price and sales tax.
The background check runs through both state and federal databases. California doesn’t rely on the FBI’s NICS system alone; the DOJ runs its own check against state mental health records, restraining order databases, and criminal history systems. Even if the check clears quickly, a mandatory 10-day waiting period applies. It starts when the DROS is submitted, not when the check comes back approved.15Legal Information Institute. Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 11, 4230 – Delivery of Firearms Following DROS Submission and Suspension
Picking Up Your Gun
When you come back after the 10 days, you must complete a safe handling demonstration with the dealer. It’s a hands-on demo showing you can safely operate the specific type of firearm you’re buying. The dealer cannot release the gun until the waiting period has elapsed and the DOJ has approved the transaction.15Legal Information Institute. Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 11, 4230 – Delivery of Firearms Following DROS Submission and Suspension
You have 30 days from the DROS submission date to pick up the firearm. Miss that window and the DROS expires; you start over with a new submission, a new fee, and a new 10-day wait.16California Department of Justice. Curio and Relic Long Guns and 30-Day Firearms Delivery
Every firearm sold by a licensed dealer must leave the store with an approved Firearm Safety Device, such as a cable or trigger lock, from the DOJ’s roster of approved devices.17California Department of Justice. Firearm Safety Devices – Frequently Asked Questions Dealers usually include a lock with the purchase or sell one at the counter. If you own a DOJ-approved gun safe, you may be able to present proof of that instead. Confirm with the dealer beforehand.
Buying Online or From a Private Party
You can order a firearm online or from an out-of-state seller, but it cannot ship to your home. Federal law requires shipment to a licensed dealer (FFL) in California, who then runs the transaction the same as a walk-in purchase: 4473, DROS, background check, 10-day wait, safe handling demo.18Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide The receiving dealer charges a transfer fee, typically $25 to $75, on top of the $37.19 state fee. Call the FFL before you order to confirm the fee and that they’ll accept the shipment. Also confirm the specific firearm is legal here. An out-of-state retailer will happily sell you something a California dealer cannot legally release.
Private sales work the same way. California doesn’t allow firearm transfers between individuals without a licensed dealer. Buyer and seller must appear together at a dealership, and the buyer goes through the full DROS process, background check, and 10-day wait. You still need a valid FSC and, for handguns, proof of residency.19California Department of Justice. Firearms Information for New California Residents The dealer can charge up to $10 per firearm for processing a private party transfer, on top of the $37.19 state fee.20California Department of Justice. Requirement for Dealers to Conduct Private Party Transfers Completing a private sale outside a dealer is a crime for both parties.
Don’t Forget Ammunition
California requires a separate background check every time you buy ammunition, and this catches many first-time buyers off guard. Under Proposition 63, ammunition sales must go through a licensed vendor, who runs a point-of-sale eligibility check through the DOJ. The standard check fee is $1; a more extensive “basic” check for buyers not already in the DOJ’s system costs $19. Ammunition ordered online cannot ship to your home. It must go to a licensed vendor in California for in-person transfer.
Your first trip to the range will include an eligibility check at the ammo counter. If your information doesn’t match DOJ records or you’ve moved recently, the check can be delayed or denied even if your firearm purchase cleared without a problem.
One Federal Line You Can’t Cross
Buying a firearm for someone else who is the actual intended owner is a straw purchase, and it’s a federal crime. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 932, added by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, a straw purchase conviction can bring up to 25 years in federal prison.21Federal Register. Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Conforming Regulations Trafficking a firearm to someone you know is prohibited from possessing it carries up to 15 years.22Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 933 – Trafficking in Firearms Question 21.a on ATF Form 4473 asks directly whether you’re the actual buyer. Answering untruthfully is a separate federal felony, even if the person you’re buying for is legally eligible. Dealers are trained to spot straw purchase indicators, and this is a common origin of federal prosecutions.