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Welcome to the California DOJ Bureau of Firearms

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

Attention

Beginning December 1, 2021, applicants must electronically submit a Law Enforcement Release (LER) application for the return of firearm(s), ammunition, and/or ammunition feeding device(s) via the California Firearms Application Reporting System (CFARS). Applicants that do not already have a CFARS account will be required to create an account in order to directly communicate with the Department and to check the status of an application.

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

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

"Other" Assault Weapon Registration

Penal Code section 30900, as amended, requires any person who, prior to September 1, 2020, lawfully possessed an assault weapon as defined by Penal Code Section 30515 subdivision (a) paragraphs (9), (10), and (11), and is eligible to register an assault weapon as set forth in Penal Code Section 30900, subdivision (c), to submit an application to the DOJ to register the firearm before January 1, 2022. The regulations for Other Assault Weapon Registration that contain additional information regarding registration requirements are now available on the Firearms Regulations/Rulemaking Activities webpage.

Please Note: The "Other" assault weapons registration is NOT affiliated with or an extension to previous registrations, including the "SB 23" and "Bullet Button" assault weapons registrations. Therefore, registrations submitted for assault weapons that do not meet the definition under Penal Code section 30515, subdivision (a), of paragraphs (9), (10), or (11) will be rejected.

Beginning October 1, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST, registration applications may be submitted electronically at https://oawr.doj.ca.gov or by submitting the Other Assault Weapon Registration Form (BOF 1039), available for download from the Forms and Publications webpage. All registration applications, whether submitted electronically or through the mail, must be submitted during the registration period beginning October 1, 2021 at 9:00 AM PST through December 31, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST. The registration fee is $37.19 for one firearm and an additional $5 for each additional firearm registered in a single transaction.

Please Note: Registration applications received or postmarked after December 31, 2021 will not be accepted.

UPDATE REGARDING LARGE CAPACITY MAGAZINES

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

In California, it has been illegal since 2000 to manufacture, import, keep or offer for sale, give, lend, or receive large-capacity magazines—defined as those that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. On March 29, 2019, the District Court for the Southern District of California ruled that this law was unconstitutional. Attorney General Becerra asked the judge to stay his ruling pending appeal to prevent the influx of large-capacity magazines into the state while litigation is ongoing. This request was granted. As a result, as of 5:00 p.m. on April 5, 2019, California Penal Code section 32310(a) and (b) went back into effect and they remain in effect until further action by the appellate court:

"(a) Except as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 32400) of this chapter and in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 17700) of Division 2 of Title 2, any person in this state who manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the state, 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 magazine and assembling a magazine from a combination of parts, including, but not limited to, the body, spring, follower, and floor plate or end plate, to be a fully functioning large-capacity magazine."

Firearms and Ammunition Purchaser Information

Under Penal Code section 28220(f)(4), the Department 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 have impacted the ability to increase the personnel resources in the DROS unit to address the recent sustained increase in firearms and ammunition transactions without compromising the health and safety of our employees and the community. As a result, firearms and ammunition dealers and purchasers should know that as DOJ employees continue to perform the statutorily required background checks throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, circumstances may compel that background checks are completed after the expiration of the 10-day waiting period for firearms purchases. DOJ will continue to strive to provide the best service and complete these checks in the shortest time 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 return of ammunition and ammunition feeding devices in the custody of a court or law enforcement agency. All individuals who wish to have the aforementioned items returned, must first receive approval from the DOJ. For more information regarding this process (including submission requirements and fees), please refer to the Law Enforcement Release Program webpage.

Additional Documentation Requirements for Eligibility Checks with Federal Non-Compliant California Driver License or Identification Cards

Effective July 1, 2019, new regulations will be in effect that apply 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, as specified pursuant to California Code of Regulations, title 11, section 4045.1, subdivisions (d)-(g). If the applicant presents a federal non-compliant California driver license or identification card with the notation "Federal Limits Apply" on the front, additional documentation establishing lawful presence in the United States will also be required (Cal. Code Reg., tit. 11, § 4045.1, subd. (b-c)).

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

Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program

Effective July 1, 2019, persons seeking to purchase or transfer ammunition will have to undergo an eligibility check, and be approved by the Department, prior to the sale or transfer, except as otherwise specified. Departmental approval shall occur electronically through a licensed ammunition vendor.

For more information please visit the Ammunition Purchase Authorization Program webpage

DROS Processing Advisory

Please be aware that Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms staff is prohibited by law from discussing an applicant's criminal record or mental health information over the telephone. Staff also cannot provide legal advice or offer 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 should do

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

Delayed
Undetermined
Rejected
Denied

Delayed

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

Please be patient and allow the Department enough time to gather additional information and resolve any issues. The Department will notify the firearms dealer to delay the transfer of a firearm to a purchaser if the Department is unable to determine the purchaser's eligibility within the 10-day waiting period. Many county courthouses are operating on shortened work weeks and with fewer staff, delaying the approval or denial of applications. If the record is an out-of-state or military record, you should anticipate a longer response time from our office to get the needed information. If 30 days has passed since the transaction date and the Department is still unable to determine 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.

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) form located on the Department's website: http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms. You should review the record, identify any incomplete or missing court information, 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 Information and Analysis (BCIA). If you disagree with any information in your record, you should follow the instructions in the letter for disputing inaccuracies. You 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.

Undetermined

The California Department of Justice (the Department) is authorized by Penal Code section 28220 to temporarily delay a firearm transaction for up to 30 days from the date of transaction when the Department is unable to immediately determine the purchaser's eligibility to own/possess firearms. If 30 days has passed since the transaction date and the Department is still unable to determine 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 will then be at the dealer's sole discretion whether to release to you the firearm.

Rejected

There are two common reasons why a DROS application may be rejected:
(1) you attempted to purchase more than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle in a 30-day period (California Penal Code section 27540, subdivision (g)); or,
(2) you attempted to purchase a firearm with an invalid, suspended, revoked, or expired California driver's license or California identification card (California Penal Code sections 16400 and 26815).

In the case of a 30-day handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle purchase restriction, you cannot attempt to buy more than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle in a 30-day period. If one of your transactions was a private-party transfer or pawn redemption, you need to check with the dealer to make sure 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 us by the California DMV. You must contact the DMV to make sure your California driver's license or California identification card information is current and correct.

Denied

If your DROS application is denied, you will receive a letter from the DOJ Bureau of Firearms within two weeks. The letter will explain the reason and instructions on how to get a copy of the record that resulted in the denial of your application. There will also be instructions on how to dispute and correct information in your record you believe is wrong. DOJ staff cannot discuss your record over the telephone. Therefore, it is recommended that you get a copy of your record and follow the instructions for disputing inaccuracies. You may also wish to retain an attorney for legal advice 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.g., out-of-state conviction, illegal/unlawful alien, military dishonorable discharge, out-of-state mental health record, etc.), you can appeal the denial of your application directly to the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Instant Criminal History Background Check System (NICS). When discussing your situation with NICS, you must include the NICS Transaction Number (NTN) associated with your firearm purchase as referenced in the denial letter sent to you by the DOJ Bureau of Firearms. You can appeal directly to NICS by downloading the NICS appeal brochure and following the instructions found at NICS Appeals page.

General Information

Firearms Fees, pdf
Information 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) Process

Assault Weapons, Olympic Pistols, and Destructive Devices

Assault Weapons Identification Guide, pdf - Currently Under Revision
Roster of AK and AR-15 Series Weapons, pdf
Senate Bill 23 Assault Weapon Characteristics
Exempt Olympic Pistols, pdf
Public Notice - 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 Safe Standards

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

Firearms Dealer Information and Tools

CA Firearms Dealer DROS Entry System Access
State Exemptions for Authorized Peace Officers
DROS Stats 1972 - Present, pdf
DROS Internet Process Frequently Asked Questions