Rifles and Shotguns
Handguns
* Police record all purchases from dealers. * Residents moving into California have 60 days to register their handguns. PurchaseAll firearms sales including private and gun show sales, transfers or loans, must go through a California licensed firearms dealer. An application for sale or transfer must be made with a licensed California gun dealer before any firearm may be sold or transferred.The purchaser must present the dealer with a valid California Driver's License or a California I.D. Card and supply their thumbprint. The purchaser of a handgun must also provide additional proof of California residence. The dealer sends a copy of the application to the Ca. Dept. of Justice and the local police chief. The CA DOJ will conduct a background check on each buyer at a fee. There is a 10-day waiting period before delivery of any firearm. Dealers must keep a register of all firearm transfers. Possession of the firearm from the dealer must be done within 30 days or the entire purchase process must be repeated. The waiting period and dealer application do not apply to:
No person shall make an application to purchase more than one pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person within a 30-day period and no delivery shall be made to any person who has made an application to purchase more than one pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person within any 30-day period. No person shall purchase or transfer a handgun to someone without a Handgun Safety Certificate (HRC). To receive a handgun safety certificate, a person must pass a written test that includes but is not limited to laws applicable to the ownership, use, handling, and carrying of firearms, particularly handguns. A CA DOJ certified instructor must administer the Handgun Safety Certificate test. The HRC is valid for five years. To receive a handgun from a dealer, a person must have or buy an approved firearms safety device. A list of firearms safety devices certified for sale can be found at California Department of Justice, Firearms Division. Possession:
Carrying And Transportation In Vehicles:It is unlawful to carry a loaded rifle, shotgun, or handgun in any public place or on any public street in an incorporated area or an area where firing a firearm is prohibited. Exceptions include:
Carrying a handgun concealed is prohibited without a license. The law states "Firearms carried openly in belt holsters are not concealed within the meaning of this section." Carrying a handgun concealed within a vehicle is prohibited without a license. A handgun carried in a glove compartment or under the seat of a vehicle is considered to be concealed. A handgun placed in the trunk of an automobile, or locked in a container in the vehicle other than the utility or glove compartment or while in a locked container carried directly to or from a vehicle is deemed not to be "concealed." A locked container means a fully enclosed secure container locked by a key lock or similar locking device. Exceptions to this prohibition are:
More InformationThe California gun laws are complex and can not be fully explained within this section. For detailed information and clarifications of the current gun laws visit, NRAILA and the California Department of Justice, Firearms Division. |