California has several firearm rules that do not fit cleanly into the other sections of this guide. None of them are CCW rules in the strict sense, but...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
California has several firearm rules that do not fit cleanly into the other sections of this guide. None of them are CCW rules in the strict sense, but every one of them affects what a CCW holder can buy, sell, transfer, or possess in the state. If you train students in California, expect questions on every topic below.
This section covers the rules that govern firearm and ammunition purchases, dealer licensing, the handgun roster, lost or stolen reporting, and minor possession. Restrictions on assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and NFA items are summarized in this guide's NFA Items and Weapon Restrictions section. Home storage requirements are covered in the Storage section. Open-carry restrictions are covered in the Open Carry section.
A note on California firearm law in general: it changes often and is heavily litigated. Several provisions described here or in the cross-referenced sections have been challenged in federal court, and some have been enjoined or stayed at various points. Where a rule is the subject of active litigation, this section flags it. Confirm the current state of any contested rule before relying on it for a transaction.
California imposes a mandatory 10-day waiting period before a firearm dealer can deliver a firearm to a purchaser. This applies to every retail sale, every Private Party Transfer, and every reclaimed pawn. The waiting period exists so the California Department of Justice (DOJ) can run a firearm-eligibility background check against state and federal prohibited-person databases.
The 10 days run from the date the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) is submitted to the DOJ. If the DOJ requires a correction to the application or an additional fee, the clock can restart from that later submission. There is no walk-out-with-it exception for permit holders, prior gun owners, or any retail buyer. (Cal. Penal Code Sections 26815 and 27540. Section 27540 directs that a dealer shall not deliver a firearm within 10 days of the application to purchase.)
A handful of narrow exemptions exist, primarily for peace officers and certain replacement-firearm scenarios. Outside those, plan for the full 10-day delay.
If a CCW student asks "I just bought a new pistol, can I carry it home today?", the answer is no. They take delivery in 10 days, and only then.
Only a licensed California firearm dealer holding a valid Certificate of Eligibility (COE) is authorized to engage in retail firearm sales. (Cal. Penal Code Section 26700.) That license requires:
A federal FFL alone is not enough to sell firearms in California. A federally licensed dealer who is not on the DOJ Centralized List is prohibited from conducting retail firearm sales in the state.
Each agent or employee who handles, sells, or delivers firearms must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the DOJ pursuant to Cal. Penal Code Section 26710, and the dealer must require and keep a copy of it. (Cal. Penal Code Section 26915.) The COE is renewed annually.
The same chapter governs ammunition vendors. A valid Ammunition Vendor License is required for any person or business to sell more than 500 rounds of ammunition in any 30-day period. Firearm dealers licensed under Cal. Penal Code Sections 26700 through 26915 are automatically deemed ammunition vendors. (Cal. Penal Code Section 30342.) Any agent or employee who handles, sells, or delivers ammunition must also hold a current COE under Section 26710.
Where neither party to the transaction holds a California dealer's license, the parties must complete the sale, loan, or transfer through a licensed California firearm dealer. All private firearm transfers must go through a licensed California firearm dealer under what California calls a Private Party Transfer (PPT). (Cal. Penal Code Section 27545.)
The PPT procedure:
The dealer may charge a fee not to exceed $10 per firearm for conducting the PPT, plus the applicable state DROS fees. (Cal. Penal Code Section 28050.)
Selling or transferring a firearm without going through a dealer is punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. (Cal. Penal Code Section 27590.)
If a PPT fails because the firearm can be neither delivered to the buyer nor returned to the seller, the dealer must, at the seller's request, retain the firearm for 45 days (storage fee capped at $10), then deliver it to local law enforcement if no eligible recipient is designated. (Cal. Penal Code Sections 28050 and 28055.)
The "infrequent" transfer of firearms between immediate family members is exempt from the PPT requirement. For this purpose, "immediate family member" means parent and child, or grandparent and grandchild. Brothers and sisters are not included. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws are not included. (Cal. Penal Code Section 16720.)
"Infrequent" is defined by statute. For these purposes it means fewer than six firearm transactions per calendar year, regardless of the type of firearm. (Cal. Penal Code Section 16730.)
Even with the family exemption:
If a CCW student asks whether they can give an adult child a handgun without going through a dealer, the answer is yes, infrequently (fewer than six firearm transactions in the calendar year), with a valid FSC or an FSC exemption (a valid CCW license counts), and with the 30-day DOJ report. If they ask the same question about a brother, the answer is no without a PPT.
A retail firearm purchase requires several things at the counter on top of the 10-day wait. The exact bundle varies by transaction type. The full matrix is in the table below.
To purchase a handgun in California, you must present documentation that you are a California resident. The address on that document must match either the address on the DROS or the address on the purchaser's California driver license or ID. This handgun proof-of-residency requirement applies to retail sales, Private Party Transfers, and pawn returns. It does not apply to intrafamilial transfers. Acceptable documentation:
(Cal. Penal Code Section 26845.)
To purchase or acquire a firearm, you must hold a valid Firearm Safety Certificate or fall within one of the statutory exemptions. The FSC is issued after you score at least 75% on an objective written test on California firearm laws and safety. The test is administered by DOJ Certified Instructors, often at firearm dealers. The certificate is valid for five years. The fee is up to $25, and a replacement certificate costs $5. (Cal. Penal Code Sections 31610 to 31670.)
The FSC applies to retail sales, Private Party Transfers, and intrafamilial transfers. Pawn returns are exempt because the statute exempts the return of a firearm to its owner. (Cal. Penal Code Section 31700, subd. (a)(7).)
Section 31700 also exempts several classes of people from the FSC requirement entirely. Two matter most in a CCW class: a person holding a valid CCW license issued under Cal. Penal Code Section 26150 et seq. does not need an FSC (Section 31700, subd. (a)(9)), and a person 18 or older with a valid, unexpired hunting license is exempt for firearms other than handguns (Section 31700, subd. (c)). Peace officers, military members, licensed dealers, and other listed categories are also exempt.
Before taking delivery of any firearm, the purchaser must perform a safe handling demonstration with that specific firearm in front of a DOJ Certified Instructor. The demonstration takes place between the time the DROS is submitted and the time the firearm is delivered, and the purchaser and dealer sign an affidavit stating it was completed. (Cal. Penal Code Section 26850.) Pawn returns and intrafamilial transfers are exempt from this requirement.
Every firearm purchased in California must be accompanied by a DOJ-certified firearm safety device (typically a trigger lock, cable lock, or lockbox), or the purchaser must sign an affidavit declaring ownership of a DOJ-approved gun safe or lock box and present a receipt or other proof of purchase. (Cal. Penal Code Sections 23635 to 23690.) Pawn returns and intrafamilial transfers are exempt.
A licensed California dealer may not sell a handgun to the public unless that exact make and model appears on the DOJ's Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale in California. (Cal. Penal Code Section 32000 et seq., part of the Unsafe Handgun Act at Cal. Penal Code Section 31900 et seq.) To get on the roster, a handgun model must pass firing and drop-safety tests at a certified laboratory and meet the design criteria in Cal. Penal Code Section 31910.
One of those criteria, microstamping, has been the subject of active federal litigation (Boland v. Bonta), where a district court enjoined enforcement of the microstamping requirement and the related provision requiring three older models to be removed from the roster for each new model added. The scope and status of that injunction has shifted on appeal, so verify the current enforceability of the microstamping criterion before relying on it.
The roster does not apply to:
This is why a particular handgun may be available used through a PPT but not on the dealer floor as new retail. The roster is updated periodically. The current list lives at oag.ca.gov/firearms/certguns.
AB 1078 (Stats. 2025, Ch. 570) rewrote California's purchase-frequency limit. From January 1 through March 31, 2026, the limit was one firearm of any type per 30-day period. Effective April 1, 2026, you cannot apply to purchase firearms that would result in more than three firearms cumulatively within any 30-day period. The 30-day window is rolling and the cap counts firearms of every type together. (Cal. Penal Code Section 27535, as amended by AB 1078; DOJ Information Bulletin 2026-DLE-02.)
The exemptions in Section 27535(b) are specific. They include law enforcement agencies and full-time paid peace officers, dealer exchanges within 30 days of the dealer's purchase, the return of a firearm to its owner (which covers pawn and consignment returns), and the replacement of a firearm reported lost or stolen under Section 25250 before the replacement application. There is no general Private Party Transfer exemption: a PPT purchase counts against the three-firearm cap unless the transaction fits a listed carve-out, such as a seller who is required by state law or court order to relinquish all firearms (Section 27535(b)(8)) or an estate, probate, or trust transfer after a death (Section 27535(b)(9)). Intrafamilial transfers do not involve a dealer purchase application, so the limit does not reach them. A dealer may not deliver a firearm when the DOJ reports that the buyer's applications would exceed the cap. (Cal. Penal Code Section 27540, subd. (f).)
| Requirement | Retail Sale | Private Party Transfer | Intrafamilial Transfer | Pawn Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proof of residency (handgun) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Firearm Safety Certificate | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Safe handling demonstration | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Firearm safety device | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Handgun roster | Yes | No | No | No |
| Three-firearms-per-30-days | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| 10-day waiting period | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| DROS / background check | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
For long guns, the proof-of-residency requirement above does not apply, but the FSC, safe handling demonstration, firearm safety device, 10-day wait, and DROS still do.
The purchase rules are stricter than many CCW students expect.
A CCW license requires age 21 separately under the licensing chapter (see the Permit Basics section).
California bars minors from possessing handguns and semiautomatic centerfire rifles, and since July 1, 2023, from possessing any firearm at all. (Cal. Penal Code Section 29610.) A minor may possess a firearm only if one of these conditions is met (Cal. Penal Code Section 29615):
A minor may not possess live ammunition unless (Cal. Penal Code Sections 29650 and 29655):
These rules cover the typical junior hunter and junior shooter scenarios. They do not authorize a minor to walk around with a loaded firearm in public.
California is one of the few states that requires a point-of-sale eligibility check for every ammunition purchase. (Cal. Penal Code Sections 30352 and 30370.)
Before a licensed ammunition vendor can complete a sale, the buyer's eligibility must be verified electronically through the DOJ at the time of purchase and before the buyer takes possession. There are four ways the DOJ confirms eligibility:
Ammunition vendors must be licensed by the DOJ, and each vendor employee handling ammunition must hold a current COE under Cal. Penal Code Section 26710. (Cal. Penal Code Section 30342.) The DOJ may charge a per-transaction fee not to exceed $1.
A CCW holder is not exempt from the ammunition eligibility check. The CCW license itself does not satisfy the DOJ verification requirement at point of sale. Plan for the check, and bring valid California ID.
California requires every firearm owner or possessor to report the loss or theft of a firearm to a local law enforcement agency within five days of the time the owner knew or reasonably should have known the firearm was lost or stolen. (Cal. Penal Code Section 25250.) This requirement was enacted as part of Proposition 63 (the Safety for All Act of 2016).
The report goes to the local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the loss or theft occurred, not to the DOJ directly.
Two reasons this matters for a CCW student:
Tell your students: if a firearm goes missing, file the report the same week, and keep a copy of the police report.
When a California FFL ships a firearm to, or receives a firearm from, another FFL, the FFL must obtain a verification number from the DOJ before shipping. Both in-state and out-of-state FFL holders must obtain this approval prior to shipping firearms to any California FFL. (Cal. Penal Code Section 27555.) This is on the dealer side, not the consumer side, but it explains why out-of-state internet-purchased firearms still require an FFL transfer through a California dealer, along with the 10-day wait, FSC, safe-handling demonstration, and roster check that go with a retail handgun sale.
If you move to California and bring firearms with you, you must either report your firearms to the DOJ or sell or transfer them in compliance with California law within 60 days of bringing them into the state. (Cal. Penal Code Section 27560.)
The form is the New Resident Report of Firearm Ownership (BOF 4010A). The fee is $19 per submission, and the form may be filed online at cfars.doj.ca.gov.
The new-resident report does not legalize a firearm that is not California-legal. An out-of-state assault weapon, a large-capacity magazine, or a roster-banned handgun does not become legal in California by submitting BOF 4010A. New residents with firearms that are not California-legal must dispose of those items in accordance with California law before the 60-day deadline. (See the NFA Items and Weapon Restrictions section for the assault-weapon and large-capacity-magazine framework, and Cal. Penal Code Sections 30510 to 30680.)
Any individual may request a determination from the DOJ as to whether they are eligible to possess firearms under California law. The form is the Personal Firearms Eligibility Check (BOF 116). The fee is $20, and the application must be notarized. (Cal. Penal Code Section 30105.)
The check reviews California records only. It does not address federal disqualifications under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g). Students who are uncertain about their eligibility (prior arrest, unclear disposition on a domestic-violence misdemeanor, mental-health hold history) should run the BOF 116 well before submitting a CCW application or attempting to purchase a firearm.
It is illegal for any person to change, alter, remove, or obliterate the identification marks on a firearm, including the name of the maker, the model, the manufacturer's number, or any other distinguishing mark. (Cal. Penal Code Section 23900.) It is also illegal to buy, receive, sell, offer for sale, or possess a firearm knowing its identification marks have been changed, altered, removed, or obliterated. (Cal. Penal Code Section 23920.)
If a serial number is obscured by wear, document the original number with photographs and a dealer affidavit before refinishing.
| Statute | Subject |
|---|---|
| Cal. Penal Code Section 16720 | Definition of "immediate family member" for intrafamilial transfer exemption |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 16730 | Definition of "infrequent" (fewer than six firearm transactions per calendar year) |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 23635 to 23690 | Firearm safety device requirement at sale |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 23900 | Changing, altering, removing, or obliterating firearm identification |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 23920 | Possession or sale of a firearm with altered or obliterated identification |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 25250 | Reporting lost or stolen firearms (5-day requirement) |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26700 | Firearm dealer licensing requirements |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26710 | Certificate of Eligibility |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26815 | 10-day waiting period (dealer delivery) |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26845 | Proof of residency for handgun purchase |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26850 | Safe handling demonstration |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 26915 | Employee Certificate of Eligibility requirement for dealers |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 27505 and 27510 | Age restrictions on sale, supply, delivery, or transfer of firearms |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 27535 and 27540 | Three-firearms-per-30-days purchase limit (effective April 1, 2026, per AB 1078); dealer delivery and waiting period |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 27545 | Private Party Transfer requirement |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 27555 | FFL-to-FFL shipment verification number (CFLC) |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 27560 | New California resident firearm report |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 27590 | Penalties for unlawful firearm transfer |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 28050 and 28055 | $10 PPT fee cap and failed-PPT 45-day retention |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 28220 | DROS firearm eligibility check |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 29610 and 29615 | Minor possession of firearms (any firearm since July 1, 2023) and exceptions |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 29650 and 29655 | Minor possession of live ammunition |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 30105 | Personal Firearms Eligibility Check (BOF 116) |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 30342 | Ammunition vendor license requirement |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 30352 | Ammunition transfer recordkeeping and eligibility |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 30370 | Ammunition purchase eligibility check |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 31610 to 31670 | Firearm Safety Certificate program |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 31700 | Exemptions from the FSC requirement (including valid CCW license holders) |
| Cal. Penal Code Sections 31900 et seq. and 31910 | Unsafe Handgun Act and handgun certification criteria |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 32000 | Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale |
| Cal. Penal Code Section 32310 | Large-capacity magazine prohibition |
This page covers one part of our California concealed carry guide.
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