California - State law restricts gun-trafficking by limiting the number of handguns that can be purchased at one time. No more than one handgun may be purchased by a person within a 30-day period. This restriction on bulk-buying of handguns helps prevent gun traffickers from buying handguns at gun stores and reselling them on the street to criminals.

California - State law restricts the sale of all semiautomatic assault weapons that have specific military features such as pistol grips or folding stocks. The state also restricts a list of assault weapons and their copies such as the AK47 and Uzi. People who owned such assault weapons prior to the law are required to register the weapons and may not sell or give them to anyone else in the state. See also: Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines

California - No state requirement that gun dealers or manufacturers provide police with sample bullets/cartridges or digital images of bullets/cartridges prior to the sale of a handgun, ballistic fingerprinting, which would assist police in tracing bullets at crime scenes to the guns that fired them.

California - State law allows police chiefs and state sheriffs to prohibit people from carrying concealed weapons (CCW) in public. Police chiefs and state sheriffs may issue" permits that allow people to carry concealed weapons if police believe it is in the interest of public safety. Anyone so approved by local law enforcement must undergo safety training in the legal and safe use of the weapon and there are limits in where they may carry such weapons.

California - State law holds gun owners responsible if they leave a gun easily accessible to a child under 18 years old and the child uses the gun to injure or threaten someone or the gun is taken to school. Gun stores are required to post warnings about the law to educate gun owners about their responsibility to safely secure their weapons.

California - State law requires every gun to be sold with a state-approved child-safety lock to make it easier for gun owners to lock up their weapons. The locks must be of sufficient quality to meet state approval. The state contracts with independent laboratories to test gun locks to make sure the locks will work and cannot be easily removed by unauthorized people. But the law does NOT require gun owners to actually use the safety locks to secure their weapons - the law only says they must be sold with guns. California also prohibits the sale of any gun lock that has not been certified as effective by the state. See also: Safety Standards.

California - There is no state law mandating that all new handguns be sold with 'personalized' handgun technology that would only allow the authorized user to operate the firearm. Childproof handguns play an important role in helping to prevent unintentional shootings among children and to deter suicides among minors.

California - The state requires all firearm dealers to obtain a state license to sell firearms. State law mandates licensed firearm dealers to record and retain all sales records on premises. The dealer is required to report those sales records to the state and the state must retain those records in a database. Law enforcement officials are permitted to conduct random inspections to compare a dealer's inventory with the dealer's sales records in order to identify any off-the-books transactions or other discrepancies. State law mandates that a firearm dealer take steps to ensure his/her inventory is protected and secured. (Examples: Locked inventory, product placement requirements, employee screening, install alarm systems, etc.). Licensed dealers must report to law enforcement any firearm that is stolen from their inventory.

California - State law allows cities and local governments to take legal action to hold gun manufacturers accountable if they act irresponsibly in the way they design, market or distribute weapons. In addition, in 2002 the legislature repealed a state law that had given separate legal immunity to the gun industry in certain cases.

California - State law requires people buying guns at gun shows (or anywhere else) to undergo the same criminal background check as is required for sales that occur at federally-licensed gun stores. The state requires gun show sellers to use an authorized federal gun dealer at the gun show to send background check information to the state Department of Justice. All sales at gun shows are also subject to the state's 10-day waiting period. See also: Secondary Sales and Waiting Period.

California - There is no state law forcing employers or businesses to allow guns on their privately held property.

California - There is no state law forcing colleges/universities to allow guns on campus.

California - State law restricts the sale of large capacity, rapid-fire ammunition magazines in excess of 10 rounds. This restriction applies to all firearms.

State law makes it illegal to sell handguns to juveniles under the age of 21 by unlicensed sellers. Under federal law, only federally licensed dealers are prohibited from selling or delivering handguns or ammunition for handguns to any person under the age of 21. A strong state law is needed to stop unlicensed persons from selling handguns to those under the age of 21.

California - State law requires handgun buyers to obtain a "handgun safety certificate" (like a license) prior to purchasing a handgun. The handgun buyer must pass a written safety test and a hands-on safety demonstration and provide fingerprints and proof of residency. The certificate is also required for anyone who wishes to be "loaned" a handgun outside of the presence of the owner.

California - State law allows cities to enact local gun laws to regulate firearms that are stronger than state law or that fill loopholes in state law and many state laws began as city or county ordinances. But local governments are restricted in "licensing" or "registering" firearms.

Many of California's gun laws began as local ordinances. In addition, some local jurisdictions have restricted the sale of ultra-compact handguns, restricted the sale of 50-caliber sniper rifles, required gun dealers to keep records on ammunition sales, restricted where gun dealers operate, and prohibited gun shows on local government property.

California - State law requires that, starting in 2009, all new semi-automatic handgun models sold in the state be fitted with microstamping technology. Microstamping engraves on each fired bullet casing microscopic identifying markings that are specific to that firearm alone. This technology provides law enforcement with another investigative tool to better solve gun crimes and apprehend armed criminals.

California - State law authorizes law enforcement to keep a record of every handgun sold or transferred in the state, but the state does not keep any records on the sale of rifles or shotguns. The handgun sale records are maintained by state law enforcement for use in gun tracing and related criminal investigations. People who move into California with guns must provide a record to state law enforcement. Also see: Registration.

California - State law only requires registration of assault weapons. No state requirement that other firearms be registered. Police do not known how many guns are in the state or where they are. The lack of registration makes it difficult for police to trace guns used in crime, identify illegal gun traffickers or hold gun owners accountable for the illegal use of their weapons. State law enforcement has kept records on handgun transfers (not rifles or shotguns) since 1990, but there is no way of knowing whether the buyers still have those handguns - there is no requirement for reporting of lost or stolen guns. The state does compare the existing handgun sale records with recent criminal convictions to identify gun owners who are no longer allowed to possess handguns. Also see: Record Keeping.

California - State law does not require firearm owners to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement. This requirement would help to keep illegal guns off the streets by removing the excuse used by gun traffickers that "lose" their firearms.

California - State law requires handguns to meet basic safety standards including a drop-safety test and a firing performance test. All firearms must be sold with a state-certified locking device. State law also requires new handgun models introduced in 2006 to have either a loaded-chamber indicator or a magazine safety disconnect, and by 2007 newly introduced handgun models must have both devices. But the state does not require handguns to have a built-in "childproof" or "personalized" locking device to prevent unintentional or unauthorized use of the weapon. And state law does not provide independent authority for the State Attorney General to establish gun safety standards.

California - State law restricts the sale of Saturday night specials or "junk" handguns. Handguns must meet two basic safety tests: a drop-safety test and a firing-performance test to prevent accidents. The drop-safety test ensures that handguns won't go off if dropped. The firing-performance test makes sure that handguns won't break apart with repeated use. But there is no restriction on the sale of small, snub-nosed handguns if they meet the two safety tests. In 2002, California strengthened the law to allow the state Department of Justice to "spot-check" handguns on sale in gun stores to make sure they met the standard and to increase DOJ oversight of the safety test procedures. Also see: Safety Standards.

California - The state does not allow the use of deadly force as a first resort in public.

California - State law requires universal background checks on all firearms. People buying or obtaining ownership of any firearm must go through a criminal background check prior to every purchase. The background check is required for all gun transfers including those at gun shows.

California - State law requires a 10-day waiting period for all gun sales. This 10-day period is used by law enforcement to run a criminal background check to make sure the gun buyer is not prohibited from acquiring firearms. The 10-days also serves as a "cooling off" period to help prevent crimes of passion.