How To Get A Firearm Registered In Your Name That You Already Own

Bureau of Firearms Logo

Welcome to the California DOJ Bureau of Firearms

The Agency of Firearms serves the people of California through teaching, regulation, and enforcement actions regarding the manufacture, sales, ownership, safe training, and transfer of firearms. Bureau of Firearms staff volition be leaders in providing firearms expertise and information to law enforcement, legislators, and the full general public in a comprehensive program to promote legitimate and responsible firearms possession and use by California residents.

Attending

Get-go Dec 1, 2021, applicants must electronically submit a Constabulary Enforcement Release (LER) application for the return of firearm(south), armament, and/or ammunition feeding device(south) via the California Firearms Application Reporting System (CFARS). Applicants that practise not already have a CFARS account will be required to create an account in social club to straight communicate with the Department and to cheque the status of an application.

The Department will no longer have paper LER application (BOF 119) submissions. Paper applications received via US mail, UPS, FedEx., etc., postmarked after November 30, 2021, volition be returned unprocessed with instructions on how to submit the awarding via CFARS.

For additional data regarding the Police force Enforcement Release process, delight refer to Information on the Law Enforcement Release Program webpage. For more information virtually CFARS, please visit the Firearms Reporting & Law Enforcement Release Application webpage.

"Other" Assault Weapon Registration

Penal Code section 30900, as amended, required whatever person who, prior to September 1, 2020, lawfully possessed an assault weapon equally defined past Penal Code section 30515 subdivision (a) paragraphs (ix), (10), and (11), and was eligible to annals an assault weapon as set forth in Penal Code section 30900, subdivision (c), to submit an awarding to the DOJ to register the firearm earlier January ane, 2022. The regulations for the Other Assault Weapon Registration are bachelor on the Firearms Regulations/Rulemaking Activities webpage. For more information regarding "Other" Assail Weapons, visit the "Other" Assault Weapon Information page.

Registration is at present closed. Any applications, whether submitted electronically or through the mail, should have been submitted during the registration menses beginning October 1, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST through December 31, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST. Registration applications received or postmarked afterward December 31, 2021 volition not exist accepted.

Please Note: The "Other" set on weapons registration is NOT affiliated with or an extension to previous registrations, including the "SB 23" and "Bullet Button" assault weapons registrations.

UPDATE REGARDING LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES

On August 14, 2020, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the district courtroom determination in Duncan v. Becerra. The appellate ruling does not lift the stay that California Attorney Full general Xavier Becerra secured at the start of the appeal. The stay remains in place until the appellate process is final. This allows California'southward nearly twenty-year-old prohibition on the acquisition of new large-capacity ammunition magazines to remain in outcome pending further appellate proceedings.

In California, it has been illegal since 2000 to industry, import, keep or offer for auction, give, lend, or receive large-chapters magazines—defined as those that tin agree more than ten rounds of armament. On March 29, 2019, the Commune Court for the Southern District of California ruled that this police was unconstitutional. Attorney General Becerra asked the judge to stay his ruling pending entreatment to prevent the influx of big-capacity magazines into the land while litigation is ongoing. This request was granted. Equally a result, every bit of five:00 p.m. on April five, 2019, California Penal Code section 32310(a) and (b) went back into result and they remain in effect until further activeness by the appellate courtroom:

"(a) Except as provided in Article two (commencing with Section 32400) of this chapter and in Affiliate 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Sectionalisation 2 of Title ii, any person in this state who manufactures or causes to exist manufactured, imports into the country, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives, lends, buys, or receives any large-capacity magazine is punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170."

"(b) For purposes of this section, 'manufacturing' includes both fabricating a mag and assembling a magazine from a combination of parts, including, simply not limited to, the trunk, spring, follower, and floor plate or cease plate, to be a fully functioning large-capacity magazine."

Firearms and Armament Purchaser Data

Under Penal Code section 28220(f)(four), the Section of Justice (DOJ) has up to 30 days to complete background checks on firearms purchasers. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, DOJ typically completed these checks within Penal Code Section 26815(a)'s 10-day waiting period. COVID-19 protective measures take impacted the ability to increase the personnel resources in the DROS unit to accost the recent sustained increase in firearms and ammunition transactions without compromising the health and condom of our employees and the community. Equally a result, firearms and armament dealers and purchasers should know that as DOJ employees continue to perform the statutorily required background checks throughout the COVID-nineteen pandemic, circumstances may hogtie that background checks are completed after the expiration of the ten-24-hour interval waiting menstruation for firearms purchases. DOJ will keep to strive to provide the best service and consummate these checks in the shortest fourth dimension possible.

Law Enforcement Release (LER)

Pursuant to Senate Bill 746 (Stats. 2018, ch. 780), effective July 1, 2020, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is required to regulate the render of ammunition and ammunition feeding devices in the custody of a courtroom or constabulary enforcement agency. All individuals who wish to accept the same items returned, must beginning receive approval from the DOJ. For more information regarding this process (including submission requirements and fees), delight refer to the Law Enforcement Release Program webpage.

Boosted Documentation Requirements for Eligibility Checks with Federal Not-Compliant California Driver License or Identification Cards

Effective July ane, 2019, new regulations will be in effect that use to all eligibility checks. A copy of the applicant's California driver license, identification card, or out-of-state driver license, if applicable, shall be submitted with the application/report, every bit specified pursuant to California Lawmaking of Regulations, title xi, section 4045.one, subdivisions (d)-(g). If the applicant presents a federal not-compliant California commuter license or identification card with the note "Federal Limits Apply" on the front, additional documentation establishing lawful presence in the U.s.a. will also be required (Cal. Code Reg., tit. xi, § 4045.i, subd. (b-c)).

For more than information, delight refer to the Additional Documentation Requirements for Eligibility Checks with Federal Non-Compliant California Driver License or Identification Cards, pdf.

Ammunition Purchase Authorization Programme

Effective July 1, 2019, persons seeking to purchase or transfer ammunition will take to undergo an eligibility check, and be canonical by the Department, prior to the auction or transfer, except equally otherwise specified. Departmental approving shall occur electronically through a licensed armament vendor.

For more information delight visit the Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program webpage

DROS Processing Informational

Please be aware that Department of Justice Agency of Firearms staff is prohibited past constabulary from discussing an applicant'due south criminal record or mental health information over the phone. Staff besides cannot provide legal advice or offering information relating to the various legal steps needed to restore firearms rights. (California Penal Code section 11105 and Welfare and Institutions Code section 8103, subdivision (e)(3).)

What you lot should do

If your DROS application is Delayed, Undetermined, Rejected, or Denied

Delayed
Undetermined
Rejected
Denied

Delayed

A DROS application can exist delayed for many reasons. Most often it is because the background check found a tape matching your personal descriptors (such as your name, date of birth, etc.) and more time is needed to verify that the tape is yours and to obtain missing data needed to determine your eligibility to own or possess firearms.

Please be patient and permit the Department enough fourth dimension to gather additional information and resolve any issues. The Section will notify the firearms dealer to delay the transfer of a firearm to a purchaser if the Section is unable to make up one's mind the purchaser's eligibility inside the ten-twenty-four hour period waiting period. Many county courthouses are operating on shortened piece of work weeks and with fewer staff, delaying the approval or deprival of applications. If the tape is an out-of-state or armed services record, you should anticipate a longer response fourth dimension from our office to get the needed information. If 30 days has passed since the transaction appointment and the Department is still unable to determine the purchaser's eligibility to ain/possess firearms or whether the firearm involved in the sale/transfer is stolen, the Department volition notify the dealer.

If you believe there is a discrepancy in your eligibility to own/possess firearms, you lot tin obtain a copy of your California record past completing the Request for Live Scan (BOF 8016RR) form located on the Department'southward website: http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms. You should review the record, place whatever incomplete or missing court information, and then follow upwards with the court where your case was held and request the court submit corrected information to the DOJ'southward Agency of Criminal Data and Analysis (BCIA). If yous disagree with any data in your record, you should follow the instructions in the letter for disputing inaccuracies. Y'all may wish to obtain an attorney for legal advice and who can all-time represent your interests on how to restore your rights to purchase firearms.

Undetermined

The California Department of Justice (the Department) is authorized by Penal Code section 28220 to temporarily delay a firearm transaction for up to xxx days from the date of transaction when the Department is unable to immediately determine the purchaser's eligibility to own/possess firearms. If thirty days has passed since the transaction date and the Section is even so unable to decide the purchaser's eligibility to own/possess firearms or whether the firearm involved in the sale/transfer is stolen, the Department will notify the dealer. It volition and so be at the dealer's sole discretion whether to release to you the firearm.

If you believe there is a discrepancy in your eligibility to own/possess firearms, you can obtain a copy of your California record by completing the Request for Live Scan (BOF 8016RR) class located on the Section'due south website: http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms. Yous should review the record, place any incomplete or missing court data, and then follow up with the court where your case was held and request the court submit corrected information to the DOJ's Bureau of Criminal Data and Analysis (BCIA). If y'all disagree with whatever information in your record, yous should follow the instructions in the letter for disputing inaccuracies. Y'all may wish to obtain an attorney for legal advice and who can best represent your interests on how to restore your rights to buy firearms.

Rejected

At that place are ii common reasons why a DROS application may be rejected:
(1) you lot attempted to buy more than than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle in a 30-day menstruation (California Penal Code section 27540, subdivision (yard)); or,
(2) you attempted to buy a firearm with an invalid, suspended, revoked, or expired California driver'south license or California identification card (California Penal Code sections 16400 and 26815).

In the example of a thirty-twenty-four hours handgun or semiautomatic centerfire burglarize buy brake, you cannot attempt to buy more than i handgun or semiautomatic centerfire burglarize in a xxx-twenty-four hour period period. If one of your transactions was a private-party transfer or pawn redemption, you lot need to check with the dealer to make certain the correct transaction type was selected when the transaction was submitted to DOJ.

In the case of a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) rejection, your application was rejected based on information provided to the states by the California DMV. Y'all must contact the DMV to brand sure your California driver's license or California identification card information is current and right.

Denied

If your DROS application is denied, y'all volition receive a alphabetic character from the DOJ Bureau of Firearms within two weeks. The letter of the alphabet will explicate the reason and instructions on how to become a copy of the record that resulted in the denial of your awarding. There will also be instructions on how to dispute and correct data in your tape yous believe is wrong. DOJ staff cannot discuss your record over the telephone. Therefore, it is recommended that yous go a re-create of your tape and follow the instructions for disputing inaccuracies. You may as well wish to retain an chaser for legal communication and who can best represent your interests on how to restore your rights to buy firearms.

If your DROS application was denied based on a Federal Brady prohibition (e.chiliad., out-of-land conviction, illegal/unlawful alien, military dishonorable discharge, out-of-land mental health record, etc.), you can appeal the denial of your application directly to the Federal Agency of Investigation National Instant Criminal History Background Check Arrangement (NICS). When discussing your situation with NICS, you must include the NICS Transaction Number (NTN) associated with your firearm buy every bit referenced in the denial alphabetic character sent to you by the DOJ Bureau of Firearms. You can appeal direct to NICS by downloading the NICS appeal brochure and following the instructions found at NICS Appeals page.

Full general Information

Firearms Fees, pdf
Data Bulletins (Including Firearm Legislation)
Forms and Publications
Firearm Safety
Transporting Firearms in California
Firearms Information for New California Residents
Law Enforcement Release Information
Unique Serial Number Application (USNA) Procedure

Assault Weapons, Olympic Pistols, and Subversive Devices

Assault Weapons Identification Guide, pdf - Currently Nether Revision
Roster of AK and AR-15 Series Weapons, pdf
Senate Bill 23 Assault Weapon Characteristics
Exempt Olympic Pistols, pdf
Public Find - Zastava SKS Carbines are Considered Destructive Devices

Handgun and Laboratory Certification

Laboratories Certified to Test Handguns
Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale

Safety Devices, Laboratory Certification, and Gun Condom Standards

Roster of Approved Firearms Condom Devices
Laboratories Certified to Examination Firearms Safety Devices
Gun Safe Standards

Firearms Dealer Information and Tools

CA Firearms Dealer DROS Entry System Access
Land Exemptions for Authorized Peace Officers
DROS Stats 1972 - Present, pdf
DROS Net Procedure Frequently Asked Questions

Dorsum To Superlative