Buying A Firearm In California

Frequently Asked Questions

1.What is the minimum legal age to purchase a firearm in California?

2. What is the waiting period for firearm purchases in California?

3. What is the DROS process?

4. Who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms in California?

5. What are the additional requirements necessary for purchasing a handgun?

A. How does one obtain a Handgun Safety Certificate?

B. What documents are necessary to show evidence of residency?

C. What is the Safe Handling Demonstration?

6. Why do I have to buy a gunlock or trigger lock with the purchase of my gun?

7. What if the gun I am purchasing comes with a gunlock, trigger lock or other safety device?

8. Is there a limit to the number of firearms that a person can purchase at one time?

9. What does the expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban mean for California Dealers or Gun Owners?

10. I am selling my gun to a friend, how do I do it?

11. Why are some models of handguns not legal for sale in California?

Buying A Firearm In California

1. What is the minimum legal age to purchase a firearm in California?

(a). 18 years of age for rifles or shotguns
(b). 21 years of age for handguns

Federal Law prohibits the sale of shotguns that are transferred with a pistol-grip only to persons under 21 years old (FFL Newsletter, August 1998)

2. What is the waiting period for firearm purchases in California?

(a). 10 days, calculated as ten, consecutive, 24-hour periods commencing with the initiation of the DROS process.

3. What is the DROS process?

(a). DROS stands for Dealer Record of Sale. It is the system used by the California Dept. of Justice wherein background checks are conducted for purchasers of firearms. It is also the method in which handgun sales registration information is obtained.

4. Who is prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms in California?

(a). Persons convicted of felonies or certain misdemeanors, persons addicted to narcotics, persons adjudicated to be mentally defective, persons who are under the restrictions of a temporary restraining order (domestic violence) are amongst the persons who may not purchase or possess firearms. A very specific list of felony and misdemeanor offenses that prohibit firearms ownership is available for review at any licensed dealer.

5. What are the additional requirements necessary for purchasing a handgun?

(a). Handgun purchasers must possess a Handgun Safety Certificate (or qualifying exemption), provide evidence of residency and perform a Safe Handling Demonstration.

A. How does one obtain a Handgun Safety Certificate?

(a). By successfully passing the written HSC test. The test consists of 30 questions; passing scores are 23 answers correct or more. The cost of the taking test and receiving the card is $25. Study booklets are available in any Turner’s Outdoorsman location for .50. The test may be taken during normal store hours. The HSC is valid for 5 years from date of issuance.

B. What documents are necessary to show evidence of residency?

(a). Utility bills from within the last 90 days, property deeds, permanent military station orders, lease or rental agreements or government issued permits, licenses or registrations are acceptable proofs of residency that meet the CA DOJ requirements. (NOTE- alien residents, immigrant aliens and non-immigrant aliens must provide residency that also meets Federal guidelines.)

C. What is the Safe Handling Demonstration?

(a). The Safe Handling Demonstration is a set of firearm handling skills that must be performed by the purchaser with the gun they are purchasing or with a gun of the same model as the one that is being purchased. The skills include checking that the handgun is empty, unlocking it, loading it with a dummy round, unloading it and relocking it. This demonstration is performed at the time of DROS.

6. Why do I have to buy a gunlock or trigger lock with the purchase of my gun?

(a). California law requires that all firearms sold, be transferred with a trigger lock, cable lock, qualifying gun cabinet or lock box, or gun safe. These devices may include those approved trigger locks that come with the majority of new firearms or one that was purchased within the last 30 days, provided that it is accompanied by a receipt.

State law dictates that persons who already own a safe or lock box can sign an affidavit attesting to ownership of those devices. However Federal law now requires that a trigger lock accompany any handgun transfer without consideration of CA law. Effectively this means that safe affidavits are no longer acceptable since the Federal law went into effect.

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7. What if the gun I am purchasing comes with a gunlock, trigger lock or other safety device?

(a). If the device that comes with your gun is on the “approved” list than you will not need to purchase another gunlock or cable.

8. Is there a limit to the number of firearms that a person can purchase at one time?

(a). California law limits the purchase of handguns to no more than one handgun transferred from a dealer to an individual within any 30-day period. Note- Firearms transferred between individuals, that are transacted through dealers, (known as Private Party Transfers), are exempt from the one-handgun-a-month restriction.
b. California law does not limit the number of long guns (rifles or shotguns) purchased by one person or within any specific time period.

9. What does the expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban mean for California Dealers or Gun Owners?

(a). For the most part, the expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban does nothing to change California’s restrictions on the sale or possession of California designated “assault weapons” or high capacity magazines. As in other areas of firearms law, CA law supersedes Federal law.

10. I am selling my gun to a friend, how do I do it?

(a). Sales conducted between unlicensed individuals are called Private Party Transfers. PPT’s must be brokered through licensed dealers. Both parties must be present at the time of the sale. The purchaser bears the cost of the transaction ($30) and must meet all of the qualifications as outlined above. The firearms will remain at Turner’s Outdoorsman during the 10-day waiting period.

11. Why are some models of handguns not legal for sale in California?

(a). CA law dictates that only those guns deemed “not unsafe” may be sold. In order to be listed, handguns must be submitted to the state for testing. Not all manufacturers have submitted each of their models for testing by the state.