California Firearms Laws Summary - 2016 - Introduction - Persons Ineligible to Possess Firearms

Oct 3, 2026

Uploaded by Aria

California Firearms Laws Summary 2016 provides a general overview of California laws governing firearm possession and use for people other than law enforcement or armed forces members. The introduction emphasizes the owner’s responsibility to comply with federal, state, and local requirements and notes that the summary is not personal legal advice. The report includes guidance on who is prohibited from possessing firearms, outlining lifetime, 10-year, 5-year, juvenile, and miscellaneous prohibitions, with references to relevant Penal Code and Welfare & Institutions Code sections.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Persons Ineligible to Possess Firearms

Lifetime Prohibitions

10-Year Prohibitions

5-Year Prohibitions

Juvenile Prohibitions

Miscellaneous Prohibitions

Personal Firearms Eligibility Check

California Firearms Laws Summary 2016 California Department of Justice Kamala D. Harris Attorney General [http://oag.ca.gov](http://oag.ca.gov) Table of Contents California Firearms Laws Summary 2016 Introduction ........................................ 1 Persons Ineligible to Possess Firearms ..................... 1 Sales and Transfers of Firearms .......................... 3 Prohibited Firearms Transfers and Straw Purchases ............ 5 Reporting Requirements for New California Residents .......... 6 Shipment of Firearms ................................. 6 Carrying Firearms Aboard Common Carriers ................. 7 Firearms in the Home, Business or at the Campsite ............ 7 Transportation of Firearms .............................. 7 Use of Lethal Force in Self-Defense ........................ 8 Carrying a Concealed Weapon Without a License ............ 10 Loaded Firearms in Public ............................. 10 Openly Carrying an Unloaded Handgun ....................11 Punishment for Carrying Unregistered Handgun ............. 11 Miscellaneous Prohibited Acts .......................... 12 New Firearms/Weapons Laws .......................... 14 California Firearms Laws Summary 2016 INTRODUCTION As the owner of a firearm, it is your responsibility to understand and comply with all federal, state and local laws regarding firearms ownership . Many of the laws described below pertain to the possession, use and storage of firearms in the home and merit careful review . The California Firearms Laws Summary 2016 provides a general summary of California laws that govern common possession and use of firearms by persons other than law enforcement officers or members of the armed forces . It is not designed to provide individual guidance for specific situations, nor does it address federal or local laws . The legality of any specific act of possession or use will ultimately be determined by applicable federal and state statutory and case law . Persons having specific questions are encouraged to seek legal advice from an attorney, or consult their local law enforcement agency, local prosecutor or law library . The California Department of Justice (DOJ) and all other public entities are immune from any liability arising from the drafting, publication, dissemination, or reliance upon this information . PERSONS INELIGIBLE TO POSSESS FIREARMS The following persons are prohibited from possessing firearms (Pen . Code, §§ 29800-29825, 29900; Welf . & Inst . Code, §§ 8100, 8103): Lifetime Prohibitions • Any person convicted of any felony or any offense enumerated in Penal Code section 29905 . • Any person convicted of an offense enumerated in Penal Code section 23515 . • Any person with two or more convictions for violating Penal Code section 417, subdivision (a)(2) . • Any person adjudicated to be a mentally disordered sex offender . (Welf . & Inst . Code, § 8103, subd . (a)(1) .) • Any person found by a court to be mentally incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity of any crime, unless the court has made a finding of restoration of competence or sanity . (Welf . & Inst . Code, § 8103, subds . (b)(1), (c)(1), and (d)(1) .) 10-Year Prohibitions • Any person convicted of a misdemeanor violation of the following: Penal Code sections 71, 76, 136 . 5, 140, 148, subdivision (d), 171b, 171c, 171d, 186 .28, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244 . 5, 245, 245 . 5, 246, 246 . 3, 247, 273 . 5, 273 . 6, 417, 417 . 1, 417 .2, 417 . 6, 422, 626 . 9, 646 . 9, 830 . 95, subdivision (a), 17500, 17510, subdivision (a), 25300, 25800, 27510, 27590, subdivision (c), 30315, or 32625, and Welfare and Institutions Code sections 871 . 5, 1001 . 5, 8100, 8101, or 8103 . 5-Year Prohibitions • Any person taken into custody as a danger to self or others, assessed, and admitted to a mental health facility under Welfare and Institutions Code sections 515

FAQs

Who is prohibited from possessing firearms under the California summary?

The summary lists several categories of prohibited persons, including individuals with specified felony or enumerated offenses, certain mental health adjudications, and people denied firearms under probation or other legal conditions.

What kinds of time-limited firearm prohibitions are described?

It distinguishes 10-year and 5-year prohibitions, including misdemeanor-based convictions and custody or certification related to mental health risk under specified Welfare and Institutions Code sections.

How can someone check personal eligibility to possess firearms?

The summary states that a person may obtain a determination from the DOJ by submitting the personal firearms eligibility check application, which reviews California records only, using the DOJ website forms.

Oct 3, 2026

Uploaded by Aria