California Concealed Carry Weapon Restrictions

California is a licensed-carry state. A person may not carry a concealed firearm or carry a loaded firearm in public without a license to carry (CCW) issued under Penal Code 26150 or 26155. Even with a valid license, California layers on a long list of restrictions covering who may possess a firearm, where firearms may be carried, what may be bought, and how. Many of these restrictions are the subject of active federal litigation, so the practical scope of some rules has shifted during the appeals process. Where a rule is being litigated, this guide flags it and tells you to verify the current status before relying on it.

Carrying Without a License Is Itself Restricted

• Carrying a concealed firearm (Penal Code 25400). It is a crime to carry a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, whether on your person or concealed in a vehicle you control. A violation is generally a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both. It becomes a felony when an aggravating circumstance applies, including 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 within a class prohibited from possessing firearms (Penal Code 25400, subd. (c)). A firearm carried openly in a belt holster is not "concealed" for purposes of this section.
• Carrying a loaded firearm in public (Penal Code 25850). It is a crime to carry a loaded firearm on your person or in a vehicle in any public place or public street in an incorporated city, or in a prohibited area of an unincorporated county. The default offense is a misdemeanor (up to one year in county jail and/or a $1,000 fine), and it rises to a felony under the same kinds of aggravators listed above (Penal Code 25850, subd. (c)).
• Open carry of a handgun. Openly carrying an exposed and unloaded handgun in public is generally prohibited and is a misdemeanor (Penal Code 26350). Openly carrying a loaded handgun in public is covered by the loaded-carry statute (Penal Code 25850).
• Open carry of a long gun. Openly carrying an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun (a rifle or shotgun) in an incorporated city, or in a public place or public street in a prohibited area of an unincorporated county, is a misdemeanor (Penal Code 26400).

A valid CCW license is the principal exception to the concealed-carry and loaded-carry prohibitions, but it does not authorize open carry and does not override the location restrictions described below.

Prohibited Persons - Who Cannot Possess Firearms

California law prohibits certain categories of persons from possessing firearms. These prohibitions apply to all firearm possession, including concealed carry, and are independent of any federal disability (Penal Code 29800-29825, 29900; Welfare and Institutions Code 8100, 8103).

Lifetime Prohibitions

• Persons convicted of a felony, or of any violent offense including murder, mayhem, rape, attempted murder, arson, robbery, or kidnapping, or any other violent felony enumerated in Penal Code 29905
• Persons convicted of a misdemeanor involving assault on a person with a firearm or machinegun, or who have an outstanding warrant for a misdemeanor offense enumerated in Penal Code 23515, 29800, or 29805
• Persons convicted of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or significant other (Penal Code 273.5) on or after January 1, 2019 (Penal Code 29805)
• Persons with two or more convictions for drawing or exhibiting a firearm in a rude, angry, or threatening manner (Penal Code 417, subd. (a)(2))
• Persons adjudicated to be a danger to others because of a mental disorder, or a mentally disordered sex offender (Welfare and Institutions Code 8103, subd. (a)(1))
• Persons found mentally incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity, unless the court has found restoration of competence or sanity (Welfare and Institutions Code 8103, subds. (b)(1), (c)(1), (d)(1))

10-Year Prohibitions

Any person convicted of, or who has an outstanding warrant for, a misdemeanor violation of specified statutes, including Penal Code 71, 76, 136.1, 136.5, 140, 148(d), 148.5(f), 171b, 171c(a)(1), 171d, 186.28, 240, 241, 242, 243, 243.4, 244.5, 245, 245.5, 246.3, 247, 273.5, 273.6, 417, 417.6, 422, 422.6, 626.9, 646.9, 830.95, 17500, 17510, 25300, 25800, 26100(b) or (d), 27510, 27590(c), 30315, or 32625, and Welfare and Institutions Code 871.5, 1001.5, 8100, 8101, or 8103 (Penal Code 29805).

5-Year Prohibitions

• Persons taken into custody as a danger to self or others and admitted to a mental health facility under Welfare and Institutions Code 5150, 5151, or 5152, or certified under 5250, 5260, or 5270.15 (a person certified under 5250, 5260, or 5270.15 may face a lifetime bar under federal law)
• Any person who communicates a threat against a reasonably identifiable victim to a licensed psychotherapist that is then reported to law enforcement (Welfare and Institutions Code 8100, subd. (b))
• Persons who own or possess a firearm or ammunition with knowledge that they are prohibited from doing so by a gun violence restraining order (Penal Code 18205)

Juvenile Prohibitions

• Juveniles adjudged wards of the juvenile court are prohibited until age 30 if they committed an offense listed in Welfare and Institutions Code 707, subd. (b) (Penal Code 29820)

Other Prohibitions

• Persons denied firearm possession as a condition of probation (Penal Code 29900, subd. (c))
• Voluntary patients in a mental health facility, or persons under a gravely disabled conservatorship, found to be a danger to self or others (Welfare and Institutions Code 8103, subd. (e))
• Persons addicted to the use of narcotics (Penal Code 29800, subd. (a))
• Persons subject to a protective order as defined in Family Code 6218, Penal Code 136.2 or 646.91, Welfare and Institutions Code 15657.03, or a temporary restraining order under Code of Civil Procedure 527.6, 527.8, or 527.85 (Penal Code 29825)
• Persons with an outstanding warrant (felony or specified misdemeanor) who have knowledge of the warrant (Penal Code 29800 and 29805)

Prohibited Locations - Where Firearms Are Restricted

Even with a valid CCW license, firearms are restricted in many locations. The two principal categories are the long-standing criminal "gun-free" statutes and the SB 2 sensitive-places list that applies specifically to licensees.

Schools and School Zones (Penal Code 626.9)

The Gun-Free School Zone Act of 1995 makes it a crime to possess a firearm in a place the person knows, or reasonably should know, is a school zone, which means in or on the grounds of a public or private school providing instruction in kindergarten through grade 12, or within 1,000 feet of those grounds. A violation on school grounds is a felony punishable by two, three, or five years (Penal Code 626.9, subd. (f)(1)). The statute contains exceptions, including for a person holding a valid CCW license who is within the 1,000-foot zone but not within a building, real property, or parking area under the control of the school, and not on a street or sidewalk immediately adjacent to school property. Separate provisions restrict firearms on the campuses of public or private universities and colleges unless written permission is obtained (Penal Code 626.9, subds. (h), (i)).

Government Buildings, the Capitol, and Courts

• It is a public offense, punishable by up to one year in county jail or by state prison, to bring or possess a firearm in any state or local public building or at any meeting required to be open to the public, absent written permission from the official in charge of building security (Penal Code 171b).
• It is unlawful to bring or possess a loaded firearm in the State Capitol, legislative offices, hearing rooms, the Governor's office or residences, or the residences of constitutional officers and legislators (Penal Code 171c, 171d, 171e).
• Buildings designated for court proceedings and property under the control of a courthouse are restricted under the sensitive-places statute (Penal Code 26230, subd. (a)(4)).

Airports and Passenger Vessel Terminals (Penal Code 171.5)

It is unlawful to knowingly possess a firearm in any building, real property, or parking area under the control of an airport (subject to limited exceptions). It is also unlawful to possess specified weapons within the sterile area of an airport or a passenger vessel terminal, the screened area past security. A violation is punishable by up to six months in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both (Penal Code 171.5). An unloaded firearm being transported in a hard-sided locked container in accordance with federal TSA rules is treated separately, so long as the person is not within a sterile area.

SB 2 Sensitive Places for Licensees (Penal Code 26230)

Effective January 1, 2024, SB 2 added Penal Code 26230, which lists more than two dozen categories of "sensitive places" where a CCW licensee may not carry, including preschools and childcare facilities, government and court buildings, jails and detention facilities, hospitals and medical offices, public transit and transit property, places where liquor is sold for on-site consumption, permitted public gatherings and special events, playgrounds and youth centers, parks and athletic facilities, college and university grounds, gambling establishments, stadiums and arenas, public libraries, airports and passenger vessel terminals, amusement parks, zoos and museums, and nuclear facilities. SB 2 also created a default rule barring carry onto private property open to the public unless the operator posts a sign allowing it.

Litigation status (important): Penal Code 26230 has been heavily litigated in May v. Bonta and related cases. Federal courts have at various points enjoined or stayed enforcement of many of its sensitive-place categories and the default private-property rule, and the matter has moved up and down through the Ninth Circuit. As a result, which categories are currently enforceable is contested and has changed over time. Do not assume any particular subdivision of 26230 is either flatly in force or void. Verify the current enforcement status before carrying near any listed location, and when in doubt, treat the location as off-limits.

Age Restrictions

• You generally must be at least 21 years of age to purchase any firearm from a dealer (Penal Code 27510)
• As of January 1, 2020, you must be at least 21 to purchase a semiautomatic centerfire rifle, unless a law enforcement or military exemption applies
• It is unlawful for a minor to possess a handgun except in narrow circumstances, such as while accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and engaged in lawful recreational, sporting, ranching, or hunting activity (Penal Code 29610, 29615)
• It is unlawful for a minor to possess live ammunition unless the minor has written consent of a parent or legal guardian, is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, or is actively engaged in a lawful recreational sport or agricultural or hunting activity (Penal Code 29650, 29655)

Firearm Purchase and Acquisition Restrictions

• 10-day waiting period. A dealer may not deliver a firearm until 10 days after the Dealer Record of Sale is submitted, during which the Department of Justice runs an eligibility background check (Penal Code 26815, 27540).
• Dealer-routed transfers (universal background checks). Where neither party to a sale, loan, or transfer holds a dealer's license, the transaction must be completed through a licensed firearms dealer (Penal Code 27545). A licensed dealer conducting a private party transfer may charge a fee not to exceed $10 per firearm (Penal Code 28050).
• One firearm per 30 days. A person may not apply to purchase more than one handgun or one semiautomatic centerfire rifle within any 30-day period. Exemptions include pawn returns, intra-familial transfers, and private party transfers (Penal Code 27535, 27540).
• Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC). To purchase or acquire a firearm you must hold a valid FSC, obtained by scoring at least 75% on a written test on firearm law and safety. An FSC is valid for five years and costs up to $25 (Penal Code 31610-31670).
• Safe handling demonstration. Before taking possession of a firearm you must perform a safe handling demonstration in front of a DOJ Certified Instructor (Penal Code 26850).
• Firearm safety device. A firearm purchased in California must be accompanied by an approved firearm safety device, or the buyer must show ownership of an approved lock box or gun safe (Penal Code 23635-23690).
• Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale (Unsafe Handgun Act). A dealer may sell to the public only a handgun make and model that has passed safety and functionality testing and appears on the DOJ Roster (Penal Code 31900 et seq.; 32000 et seq.). Private party transfers, intra-familial transfers, curio and relic handguns, certain single-action revolvers, and pawn returns are exempt. Litigation status: the microstamping requirement that had effectively frozen new additions to the Roster was struck down in Boland v. Bonta, and the Roster scheme remains in active litigation, so its current contours should be verified.

Ammunition Purchase Restrictions

A person seeking to purchase or transfer ammunition must undergo an eligibility check and be approved by the DOJ before the sale or transfer, processed electronically through a licensed ammunition vendor (Penal Code 30352, 30370). Litigation status: California's ammunition background-check requirement has been challenged in Rhode v. Bonta. The requirement has been enjoined and then stayed at points during the appeals, so whether the check is currently being enforced is contested and should be verified.

Magazines, Assault Weapons, and Other Hardware Bans

• Large-capacity magazines (Penal Code 32310). Manufacturing, importing, selling, giving, lending, buying, or receiving a magazine able to hold more than 10 rounds is an offense, and possession is an infraction or misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $100 per magazine. Litigation status: this ban is the subject of long-running litigation in Duncan v. Bonta. Enforcement has been enjoined and reinstated at different stages, so verify the current status.
• Assault weapons (Penal Code 30515, 30605, 30900). California defines an "assault weapon" to include a semiautomatic centerfire rifle or semiautomatic pistol that lacks a fixed magazine and has certain features (Penal Code 30515). Possession of an unregistered assault weapon is an offense (Penal Code 30605), and registration of certain previously lawful weapons was required by deadline (Penal Code 30900). Litigation status: the assault weapon scheme is being litigated in Miller v. Bonta. Verify current status before relying on any part of it.

Prohibited Acts

• Obliterating or altering firearm identification marks (make, model, serial number, or other distinguishing mark) is unlawful (Penal Code 23900), as is buying, selling, or possessing a firearm knowing its identification has been obliterated or altered (Penal Code 23920).
• Straw purchases. Buying a firearm for a person prohibited from possessing one, or for someone who does not want their name on the transaction, violates both California and federal law.

New California Residents

A new California resident who brings a firearm into the state must report ownership to the DOJ, or sell or transfer the firearm in accordance with California law, within 60 days. A New Resident Report of Firearm Ownership (BOF 4010A) must be submitted with a $19 fee (Penal Code 27560).

Federal Context

State eligibility does not override federal firearm law. Federal restrictions apply independently and can be more severe.

Federal prohibited persons (18 U.S.C. 922(g)). Federal law bars firearm possession by, among others, felons, fugitives, unlawful users of controlled substances, persons adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution, persons subject to qualifying domestic violence restraining orders (922(g)(8)), and persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (922(g)(9)). Being under indictment for a felony is addressed separately at 18 U.S.C. 922(n) (which bars receiving or shipping a firearm), not at 922(g).

Lautenberg Amendment (18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9)). A misdemeanor crime of domestic violence triggers a federal lifetime firearm-possession bar that is independent of state law and applies even if the state conviction did not involve a firearm and no firearm penalty was imposed. United States v. Rahimi (2024) upheld the related domestic-violence restraining-order disability at 922(g)(8) under the Bruen historical-tradition framework.

Firearms aboard aircraft (49 U.S.C. 46505). Carrying a concealed dangerous weapon that is or would be accessible in flight, or placing a loaded firearm aboard an aircraft, is a federal crime punishable by a fine and imprisonment for up to 10 years. This is the controlling federal aircraft provision, not the general firearm-use statute at 18 U.S.C. 924.

LEOSA (18 U.S.C. 926B and 926C). The federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act allows qualified active (926B) and retired (926C) law enforcement officers who meet the statutory conditions to carry concealed across state lines. LEOSA is a federal authority, not a California exemption, and it does not displace facility-specific federal or state restrictions.

National Firearms Act transfer tax (Pub. L. 119-21). For NFA items, the transfer and making tax is $200 for a machinegun or destructive device and $0 for all other NFA items (such as suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns). The change is effective for calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after July 4, 2025, with the first qualifying quarter starting January 1, 2026. General ATF pages may still display the older $200 figure, but the statutory change controls. NFA registration and California's own restrictions on these items still apply.