◆ CALIFORNIA · CARRY LAW
California.
Information, not legal advice. Confirm with the state before you carry.
Kept in this browser only. Never sent to us.
◆ THE SHORT ANSWEREvery tile below is one of the answers further down this page, with its citation.
Concealed, no permit
No
Open, no permit
No
In a vehicle, no permit
Only in some cases
Getting a permit
Yes, shall-issue
- Magazine capacity is capped here.
- A permit is required to buy a firearm, not just to carry one.
- This state has an extreme-risk protective order law.
◆ CARRYING HERE
What California requires
The state's permit is the License to Carry a Concealed Weapon (CCW), issued by the county sheriff or city police chief.
Carrying without a permit3
Can I carry concealed here without a permit?
Permitless or "constitutional" carry. "Limited" means some adults qualify and others do not. Read the qualifier.
No
A California license is required, and California honors no other state’s permit. There is no visitor route.
Can I carry openly here without a permit?
No
Both loaded and unloaded open carry are prohibited in public.
Can I keep a loaded handgun in my car without a permit?
Only in some cases
Only unloaded AND locked in the trunk or a locked container. A glovebox or utility box does not count. Loaded, or merely out of sight, is not enough.
Permits and age3
If I want this state's permit, will they issue one?
Shall-issue means the state must issue to any qualified applicant. May-issue leaves it to an official's discretion.
Yes, shall-issue
Shall-issue on paper since SB 2 removed the old “good cause” test. The sheriff SHALL issue to a qualified applicant, but training, disqualifiers and a long list of banned places still apply, and processing times vary enormously by county.
Can I get this state's permit if I live somewhere else?
No
You must be a resident of the county, or have your principal place of work or business there and spend substantial time there.
How old do I have to be to carry here?
The floor for the least restrictive lawful route. Where permitless and permit ages differ, the qualifier says so.
21
If an officer stops you1
Do I have to tell an officer I am armed?
"Required" means you must volunteer it on contact. "On request" means only when asked.
Not required
No statewide duty, but CHECK YOUR OWN LICENSE. The sheriff or chief who issued it may impose disclosure as a condition, and some counties do exactly that. If an officer asks, answer truthfully.
Buying and owning2
Do I need a state-issued card just to own or buy a firearm here?
Illinois' FOID is the main example. Distinct from a carry permit.
Required
A Firearm Safety Certificate is needed to buy a firearm, plus a waiting period and a dealer transfer.
Is there a limit on magazine capacity here?
Only in some cases
10 rounds.
How the state governs guns2
Can a city here write its own gun rules on top of the state's?
Full preemption means state law is the only law. Partial means some cities may go further. Check locally.
Sometimes, check the city
California preempts little. Cities and counties write their own rules on top of state law, and the big ones do. Check the city.
Does this state have a red-flag law?
An extreme risk protection order lets a court order firearms surrendered temporarily.
Yes, this state has one
Gun Violence Restraining Order.
◆ RECIPROCITY
Permits California honors
If you are visiting California, this is whether your permit counts here.
Pick a state for the full answer with its citation, or find it in the grid below.
Not honored54
◆ RECIPROCITY, THE OTHER WAY
Where California permits are honored
If you live in California, this is where your permit travels.
Pick a state for the full answer with its citation, or find it in the grid below.
Honored31
Honored, with a condition1
Not honored22
◆ NFA ITEMS
Suppressors and NFA legality
Federal registration is required everywhere these are legal. A state can prohibit them regardless, and several do.
Can I possess a suppressor here?
Federal NFA registration is required everywhere it is legal. State law can prohibit it regardless.
Prohibited
Prohibited outright. Federal NFA registration is not a defense.
Can I possess a short-barreled rifle here?
Prohibited
Can I possess a short-barreled shotgun here?
Prohibited
Can I possess a machine gun here?
Federally, civilian possession is limited to pre-1986 registered transferables.
Prohibited
Can I possess an AOW here?
Prohibited
No. California bans the AOW category by name. Cane guns, wallet guns, zip guns, disguised firearms and “unconventional pistols” are each prohibited weapons, and federal registration does not save them.
Cal. Penal Code § 16590(f), (g), (k), (u), (w), (y)Read at the California Legislature ↗Checked 9 days ago
◆ SOURCES
Where this comes from
This is information, not legal advice. Gun law changes often and the penalty for getting it wrong is criminal. Confirm every answer with the state before you carry there.
- The authority
- the county sheriff or city police chief ↗
- ATF’s index
- California firearm statutes ↗ (PDF)