California requires a license to carry a concealed firearm. Carrying a concealed pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed on the...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
California requires a license to carry a concealed firearm. Carrying a concealed pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed on the person, or concealed in a vehicle under your control, is a crime under California Penal Code 25400 unless you hold a valid license. Carrying a loaded firearm in public is separately a crime under California Penal Code 25850. The license that lets a private citizen lawfully carry is the License to Carry a Pistol, Revolver, or Other Firearm Capable of Being Concealed Upon the Person, commonly called a CCW license.
As of January 1, 2024, California is a shall-issue state. After the U.S. Supreme Court decided New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022) 597 U.S. 1, which struck down "proper cause" or "good cause" discretionary licensing schemes, California enacted Senate Bill 2 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 249) to remove the old "good cause" and "good moral character" tests. Assembly Bill 1078 (Stats. 2025, Ch. 570) later amended several of these statutes again, with most changes effective January 1, 2026. Under the current framework, the issuing authority must issue or renew a license to an applicant who meets the objective requirements and is not a "disqualified person" under California Penal Code 26202.
This is one of the most heavily litigated areas of California firearm law. Several provisions described below, especially the list of "sensitive places" in California Penal Code 26230, have been challenged in federal court, and parts have been enjoined. The Ninth Circuit reversed most of the original 2023 injunction, but six sensitive-place categories remain enjoined. Verify the current enforceable status before relying on any specific rule.
A CCW license is issued by your local licensing authority:
A sheriff and a city police chief may also agree to have one process applications on behalf of the other (California Penal Code 26150, subd. (d); California Penal Code 26155, subd. (d)). A separate statute, California Penal Code 26170, governs licenses issued to certain appointed or deputized peace officers under Penal Code 830.6, and fees for those licenses may be waived.
AB 1078 restructured the two main licensing statutes. Under California Penal Code 26150 and 26155 as amended:
To receive a CCW license as a California resident under California Penal Code 26150 or 26155, an applicant must show all of the following:
The old "good cause" and "good moral character" requirements no longer apply. The licensing authority's role is to confirm the objective criteria above and to determine whether the applicant is a disqualified person.
California Penal Code 26202, subdivision (a) lists the categories that make an applicant a disqualified person who cannot receive or renew a license, unless a court rules otherwise under California Penal Code 26206. These include:
As part of the investigation, the licensing authority reviews application information, Department of Justice records, the restraining and protective order system, publicly available statements, and (for new applicants) conducts an interview and contacts character references (California Penal Code 26202, subd. (b)).
For a new license, the training course must be at least 16 hours long and must cover firearm safety, firearm handling, shooting technique, safe storage, legal transport and vehicle storage, where permit holders may carry, lawful use of a firearm, and the lawful use of lethal force in self-defense. It must include a component of at least one hour on mental health and mental health resources, a written examination, and live-fire shooting exercises demonstrating safe handling and proficiency with each firearm the applicant seeks to carry. Except for the mental-health component, the course must be taught and supervised by firearms instructors certified by the Department of Justice under Penal Code 31635 (California Penal Code 26165, subd. (a)).
A licensing authority may instead require a certified community college course of up to 24 hours, but only if required uniformly of all applicants (California Penal Code 26165, subd. (c)). For a renewal, the course must be at least eight hours and meet paragraphs (2) through (6) of subdivision (a) (California Penal Code 26165, subd. (d)).
The application runs through your local licensing authority and the Department of Justice. The agency takes the application, collects fees and fingerprints, and transmits them to the Department of Justice for the background report (California Penal Code 26185, California Penal Code 26190).
Within 90 days of receiving a completed application, the licensing authority must give written notice of its initial determination of whether the applicant is a disqualified person. If the initial determination is favorable, the applicant is directed to complete the training under Penal Code 26165 (California Penal Code 26202, subd. (d)).
The licensing authority must give written notice approving or denying the license within 120 days of receiving the completed application, or 30 days after it receives the Department of Justice background information, whichever is later (California Penal Code 26205, subd. (a)). If the license is denied, the notice must state which requirement was not satisfied, and the applicant may seek review from a court under California Penal Code 26206.
California Penal Code 26190 does not set a single statewide dollar amount. Fees are built from two parts:
The first 50 percent of the local fee may be collected when the application is filed, and the balance is collected only when the license is issued (California Penal Code 26190, subd. (b)(2)). Applicants pay fingerprint (Live Scan) and training costs separately, and a psychological assessment fee may apply in some jurisdictions (subd. (e)). Because amounts vary by jurisdiction, confirm the exact fees with your local issuing authority.
A standard CCW license issued under California Penal Code 26150 or 26155 is valid for up to two years from the date of issuance (California Penal Code 26220, subd. (a)). Shorter or longer terms apply in specific cases: a license based on place of employment or business is valid for up to 90 days (subd. (b)), licenses for certain judges and federal magistrates run up to three years (subd. (c)), and licenses for certain custodial officers run up to four years (subd. (d)).
While carrying under the license, a licensee may not consume or be under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, may not be in a place having a primary purpose of dispensing alcoholic beverages for onsite consumption, may not carry a firearm not listed on the license, may not falsely claim to be a peace officer, may not engage in an unjustified display of a deadly weapon, must carry the license, and must display the license and present the firearm for inspection to a peace officer on demand (California Penal Code 26200, subd. (a)). A licensee may not carry more than two firearms under their control at one time (California Penal Code 26200, subd. (d)). The licensing authority may also impose reasonable additional restrictions as to time, place, manner, and circumstances (California Penal Code 26200, subd. (b)).
A license must be revoked if the licensee breaches the conditions, knowingly provided inaccurate or incomplete information, becomes a disqualified person, or is reported by the Department of Justice as prohibited from possessing firearms (California Penal Code 26195).
California Penal Code 26230 lists more than two dozen locations where a licensee may not carry a firearm even with a valid CCW license. This list has been the subject of active federal litigation in May v. Bonta and the consolidated Carralero v. Bonta. A federal district court entered a preliminary injunction against numerous categories on December 20, 2023. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit then reversed that injunction in large part. The court did not stay the injunction; it reversed it, and the mandate took effect on January 23, 2025. As a result, roughly 20 of the 26 categories are now enforceable, while six remain enjoined and are not being enforced pending further appeal.
Categories currently in effect (enforceable):
Categories currently enjoined (not being enforced pending further appeal):
Because these six categories are enjoined, the default no-carry-without-a-posted-sign rule for private businesses open to the public is not currently being enforced. The litigation continues, so confirm the current enforceable status of any category with the issuing authority or a California attorney before relying on it.
The statute also includes exceptions allowing a licensee to transport and store a firearm locked in a listed lock box within a vehicle in many of these parking areas, and a travel exception for moving along a public right-of-way that touches such premises (California Penal Code 26230, subds. (b), (c), (f)).
A CCW license authorizes concealed carry, not open carry. Openly carrying an exposed, unloaded handgun in a public place or public street in an incorporated city, or in a prohibited area, is a crime under California Penal Code 26350 (generally a misdemeanor). Openly carrying an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun, such as a rifle or shotgun, in those areas is a crime under California Penal Code 26400 (generally a misdemeanor). Carrying any loaded firearm openly in public is covered by California Penal Code 25850. Between these statutes, public open carry of handguns and long guns is generally prohibited. A narrow exception exists in counties with a population under 200,000, where the licensing authority may issue a license to carry a firearm loaded and exposed, valid only within that county (California Penal Code 26150, subd. (c)(2); California Penal Code 26155, subd. (c)(2)).
California does not honor concealed carry permits or licenses issued by other states. A permit from another state does not authorize concealed or loaded public carry in California. California residents should confirm whether their California license is recognized in any state they plan to visit, because recognition depends on the other state's law.
California does, however, provide a general pathway for non-California residents to obtain a California CCW license. Under California Penal Code 26150, subdivision (b), and California Penal Code 26155, subdivision (b), a non-resident may apply to a California licensing authority, subject to additional conditions. The applicant must not be a disqualified person under California standards and under the comparable laws of their home state, must present a driver's license or identification card from their state of residence, must attest that the jurisdiction where they apply is the primary California location where they intend to travel or spend time, must complete approved training and live-fire exercises, and must identify on the application each firearm to be carried.
Carrying a concealed firearm without a license under California Penal Code 25400 is generally a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both (subd. (c)(7)). It becomes a felony when aggravating facts apply, such as a prior felony conviction, a stolen firearm the person knew or had reason to believe was stolen, active participation in a criminal street gang, or the person being prohibited from possessing firearms (California Penal Code 25400, subd. (c)(1) through (c)(4)). Certain other circumstances make the offense a wobbler that can be charged as a felony or a misdemeanor.
Carrying a loaded firearm in public without lawful authority under California Penal Code 25850 follows a similar structure: generally a misdemeanor with up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $1,000, but a felony or wobbler where aggravating facts apply, such as a prior felony, a stolen firearm, gang participation, or being a prohibited person (California Penal Code 25850, subd. (c)).
| Statute | Subject |
|---|---|
| California Penal Code 25400 | Crime of carrying a concealed firearm |
| California Penal Code 25850 | Crime of carrying a loaded firearm in public |
| California Penal Code 26150 | CCW license issuance by the sheriff |
| California Penal Code 26155 | CCW license issuance by the police chief |
| California Penal Code 26165 | Training requirement (16 hours new, 8 hours renewal) |
| California Penal Code 26170 | Licenses for appointed or deputized peace officers |
| California Penal Code 26185, 26190 | Fingerprints, Department of Justice report, and fees |
| California Penal Code 26195 | License denial and revocation |
| California Penal Code 26200 | Carry conditions and two-firearm limit |
| California Penal Code 26202 | Disqualifying categories |
| California Penal Code 26205, 26206 | Processing timeline and court review of denial |
| California Penal Code 26220 | License term (up to two years standard) |
| California Penal Code 26230 | Sensitive places where carry is prohibited |
| California Penal Code 26350, 26400 | Open carry prohibitions |
| California Penal Code 626.9 | Gun-Free School Zone Act |
This page covers one part of our California concealed carry guide.
Read the complete California guideBrowse local instructors offering state-approved training in your area. Book online, complete your training, and get one step closer to your concealed carry permit.