California Gun Laws and What They Require

Buying a Gun in California

To buy a gun in California you need a Firearm Safety Certificate, a licensed dealer and a 10-day wait. Every sale, including private-party sales and gun show sales, goes through a licensed dealer. Dealers may not sell any firearm to a person under 21, with exemptions that allow some long gun sales to people 18 and older (California DOJ).

Buying a gun in California, step by step

1. 1 First Get a Firearm Safety Certificate Present it, or proof of an exemption, before the sale can be submitted.
2. 2 At the dealer Submit the Dealer Record of Sale The dealer sends your information to the state for a background check.
3. 3 10 days Wait The dealer cannot release the gun until the waiting period ends.
4. 4 Pickup Take possession If you do not pick it up in time, the whole process starts over.

Source: California Department of Justice, Firearms FAQs.

Concealed Carry in California

California issues concealed carry licenses, called CCW permits, through your county sheriff or city police chief, and the law now says a license “shall” be issued to a qualified applicant. You must be at least 21, live or work in the county, not be disqualified and finish a course of at least 16 hours that includes 1 hour on mental health (Penal Code 26150; Penal Code 26165). Our 2nd Amendment explainer covers the 2022 Supreme Court ruling, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, that changed how states may limit carry permits.

Can You Open Carry in California

No, for almost everyone. Banned for all firearms in incorporated cities and in prohibited areas of counties (Penal Code 25850, 26350 and 26400). A narrow exception: sheriffs in counties under 200,000 people may issue a license to carry openly in that county (Penal Code 26150). See how every state handles it in our open carry states guide.

Where Permit Holders Cannot Carry a Gun in California

Even with a license, you may not carry in 29 kinds of places listed in Penal Code 26230, most recently amended by AB 1078, effective January 1, 2026 (Penal Code 26230). The list includes:

• Schools and preschools
• State and local government buildings
• Courthouses
• Hospitals
• Public transit paid for with public funds
• Bars and places that sell alcohol to drink on site
• Parks, playgrounds and athletic facilities
• Public libraries
• Churches, synagogues, mosques and other places of worship
• Polling places
• Private businesses open to the public, unless the owner posts a sign allowing guns

California Magazine and Assault Weapon Bans

California’s ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds is in effect, and the challenge to it is waiting on the U.S. Supreme Court. A full panel of the Ninth Circuit upheld the ban on March 20, 2025 (Ninth Circuit). The challengers asked the Supreme Court to review it. The Court considered the petition at 23 private conferences between November 21, 2025 and June 29, 2026 without acting, and the last filing came on August 3, 2026 (Supreme Court docket 25-198).

The separate challenge to the assault weapons ban, Miller v. Bonta, is still before the Ninth Circuit. The court held it while the magazine case was decided, then took it back up for decision in 2025, according to the Duke Center for Firearms Law. We could not confirm a ruling since; check the case before relying on it.

California gun law cases to watch

As of September 30, 2026

• Magazine ban, Duncan v. Bonta In litigation, docket 25-198

  Petition pending at the Supreme Court after 23 conferences; supplemental brief filed August 3, 2026. (source)

• Assault weapons ban, Miller v. Bonta In litigation

  Resubmitted for decision at the Ninth Circuit in 2025 after the magazine ruling, per the Duke Center for Firearms Law (June 2025). (source)

• Places permit holders cannot carry Law, AB 1078, 2026

  Penal Code 26230 lists 29 kinds of places; last amended effective January 1, 2026. (source)

Gun Violence Restraining Orders in California

A gun violence restraining order lets a court temporarily take guns and ammunition from someone found to be a danger. In 2024, courts issued these orders against 1,727 people. Police asked for 99% of them, often based on what family members or others reported. A longer-term order can last up to 5 years (California DOJ, March 2026).

If you are worried about someone with a gun

Open the one closest to yours. In an emergency, call 911.

A family member has guns and has made threats

1. Call your local police or sheriff and describe the threats. Most orders are requested by law enforcement.
2. Family and household members can also ask a court for the order directly.
3. Write down what was said or done, when, and who saw it.

A coworker or student has made threats

1. Report it to police. Employers, coworkers and school staff can also petition the court.
2. Save messages, emails or posts that show the threat.

California Gun Law Questions

What You Can Do

1. If you own a gun, store it locked. Under California law, leaving a loaded gun where you know a child could get it can be a crime (California DOJ).
2. Learn the no-carry list before you carry, and check for signs at businesses.
3. Know how to ask for a gun violence restraining order if someone close to you is a danger.
4. Compare other states in our Texas gun laws guide and our open carry states map.