To buy a gun in California you need to be at least 21 years old, hold a valid Firearm Safety Certificate, present a California driver’s license or ID (plus proof of residency if you’re buying a handgun), pass a background check run through a licensed dealer, wait 10 days, and complete a safe handling demonstration before you can take the firearm home. Every purchase runs through a licensed dealer, including sales between private individuals, and every firearm must go home with an approved safety device.
Who Can Legally Buy
The default minimum age is 21 for any firearm from a licensed dealer. Two narrow exceptions let people between 18 and 20 buy a long gun (not a handgun and not a semiautomatic centerfire rifle): a valid hunting license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, or proof of an honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard, or active reserve.1California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 27510
Age alone isn’t enough. You also can’t fall into a prohibited category. The most common disqualifications:
- A felony conviction or outstanding felony warrant, which is a lifetime bar on owning or possessing any firearm.
- Certain misdemeanor convictions, including assault, battery, brandishing a weapon, and stalking, which trigger a 10-year prohibition.
- A domestic violence misdemeanor, which is a lifetime bar under federal law.
- An active protective or restraining order.
- A court finding that you’re a danger to others because of a mental disorder.
The California Department of Justice publishes the full list of prohibiting categories.2California Department of Justice. Firearms Prohibiting Categories An active Gun Violence Restraining Order will also block a purchase and show up on the background check.3California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 18100
Firearm Safety Certificate
You need a valid Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) before you can buy. It’s a 30-question true/false and multiple-choice test on safe handling and California firearms law, and you need 23 correct (75%) to pass. A DOJ-certified instructor administers it, usually at the dealership itself. The fee is $25, which covers a retake if you fail the first attempt.4State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearm Safety Certificate The certificate is good for five years.
A valid hunting license exempts you from the FSC for long-gun purchases only. It does not exempt you from the FSC when you’re buying a handgun.4State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearm Safety Certificate Active and retired law enforcement and military members have their own exemptions with separate rules.
Identification and Residency Documents
Bring a valid, unexpired California driver’s license or DMV-issued ID card. Military personnel can substitute a military ID accompanied by permanent duty station orders showing a California posting.5State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearms
If your ID reads “Federal Limits Apply” on the front, you also need proof of lawful presence in the United States. Acceptable documents include a U.S. passport or passport card, a certified U.S. birth certificate from a vital statistics office, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a valid Permanent Resident Card. If the name on that document doesn’t match the name on your ID, bring the certified paperwork that explains the change, such as a marriage certificate or a court-ordered name change.6State of California Department of Justice. Identification Requirements for Firearms and Ammunition Eligibility
Proof of Residency for Handguns
Handgun buyers need a second document showing a current residential address that matches the ID. Any of the following works: a utility bill dated within the last three months, a signed residential lease or rental agreement, a property deed or certificate of title, or a current government-issued registration, permit, or license other than your driver’s license. Vehicle registration qualifies because it’s a state-issued registration with an expiration date.7California Department of Justice. Evidence of Residency Documentation
If you’ve moved recently and your license still shows an old address, update it with the DMV first. California requires you to report an address change within 10 days.8State of California Department of Motor Vehicles. Update Information on Your Driver’s License or ID Card A mismatch between your ID and your proof of residency will hold up the transaction.
At the Dealer: Paperwork, Demo, and Fees
Every purchase goes through a licensed dealer. You fill out the Dealer’s Record of Sale (DROS), which collects your personal information and identifies the firearm. Submitting the DROS starts the DOJ background check.9State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealers
You also perform a safe handling demonstration on the specific type of firearm you’re buying, watched by a DOJ-certified instructor. Any mistake means starting over from step one.10Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 11 4256 – Safe Handling Demonstration Steps Applicability and Definitions
State-mandated fees include a $31.19 DROS fee per transaction, which covers one or more firearms transferred at the same time to the same buyer.11State of California Department of Justice. Regulations – Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) Fee Add the $25 FSC fee if you don’t already have a certificate. Dealers charge their own processing fee on top of that, so plan on at least $60 in mandatory fees before the price of the gun itself.
The 10-Day Wait and Pickup Window
Once the DROS is accepted, the mandatory 10-day waiting period starts. California counts it as ten consecutive 24-hour periods from the moment the DOJ assigns a DROS number, not ten calendar days.9State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealers The DOJ uses that window to complete the background check.
After the wait ends and the check clears, you go back to the dealer to take possession. You have 30 days from the DROS submission date to pick the firearm up. Miss that deadline and the dealer must cancel the DROS; you’ll pay the fees and start over.9State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealers
If the DOJ can’t resolve your eligibility in the standard 10 days, it can place the transaction on a temporary delay for up to 30 days from the original submission. In that case the 30-day pickup clock resets and starts running when the DOJ tells the dealer the delay is lifted.9State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Dealers
Very few people are exempt from the waiting period: licensed firearms dealers, holders of DOJ special weapons permits, peace officers with written authorization from their agency head, and Curio & Relic collectors who hold both an ATF license and a DOJ Certificate of Eligibility.5State of California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearms
Safety Device With Every Purchase
Every firearm sold or transferred in California must include or be accompanied by a firearm safety device from the DOJ’s approved roster.12California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 23635 In practice, the dealer supplies a cable lock or trigger lock at the counter. If you already own a qualifying gun safe or lock box that fits the firearm, you can sign an affidavit certifying that at the time of sale, and the dealer keeps it on file for three years.13Legal Information Institute. California Code of Regulations Title 11 4102 – Lock Box Proof of Ownership Negligent storage that lets a child access the firearm carries criminal penalties, so treat storage as part of the purchase, not an afterthought.14California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 25200
What You Can’t Buy
Some firearms are off the table regardless of how well you qualify.
California bans the sale and possession of firearms classified as assault weapons, including specifically named models like various AK and AR-15 series rifles and the UZI, plus any semiautomatic firearm with certain feature combinations. A semiautomatic centerfire rifle without a fixed magazine that also has a pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, flash suppressor, or forward pistol grip qualifies as an assault weapon, and parallel rules apply to semiautomatic pistols and shotguns.15State of California Department of Justice. Assault Weapon Characteristics If you’re eyeing a specific semiautomatic, confirm with the dealer that the exact configuration is California-legal.
Handguns must appear on the DOJ’s Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale. Manufacturers must meet specific safety testing requirements to get a model listed, and if a model isn’t on the roster, a licensed dealer can’t sell it to you. Check the current list on the DOJ’s website before you fall in love with a particular gun.16State of California Department of Justice. Handguns Certified for Sale
Magazines that hold more than 10 rounds cannot be sold or transferred in California. The law has been in prolonged federal litigation, and as of 2026 the Ninth Circuit is still reviewing it. Any firearm you buy will either ship with a 10-round magazine or no magazine at all if the standard version exceeds the limit.
Buying From a Private Seller
A private sale between two individuals still has to go through a licensed California dealer.17California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 27545 There’s no exception for friends, family, or someone you met online. Both parties bring the firearm to a dealer, who runs the DROS and background check and collects the $31.19 state fee, plus their own processing charge that commonly runs $25 to $75.11State of California Department of Justice. Regulations – Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) Fee The same 10-day waiting period applies.18California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26815 Skipping the dealer is a crime for both the buyer and the seller.
Ammunition Is a Separate Check
Every ammunition purchase triggers its own background check, done at the point of sale. As of July 1, 2025, the standard eligibility check fee is $5 per transaction.19State of California Department of Justice. Regulations – Ammunition Purchase Fee If you already have a firearm in the DOJ’s Automated Firearms System, the check usually clears in minutes. Without a firearm on record, expect a more involved review that can take several days. You must be at least 18 to buy ammunition, and you need valid ID at the counter.
Online ammunition orders have to ship to a licensed California ammunition vendor, where you pick them up in person after passing the eligibility check. Direct-to-home shipment isn’t allowed.