Starting January 1, 2029, applicants for a California firearm safety certificate must complete a qualifying training course within the prior year of at least four hours that includes live-fire exercises on a range in addition to the existing test. People who bring firearms into the state get 180 days instead of 60 to report them and, starting January 1, 2028, must certify that they hold a valid safety certificate or an exemption.
What it does: Adds a training-course requirement to the firearm safety certificate and applies the certificate to people moving firearms into California.
Permits & licensing
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 465, Statutes of 2026.
next step
Chaptered. No further legislative step scheduled.
effective
Training requirement 2029-01-01; importer certification 2028-01-01
Adds a misdemeanor conviction, on or after January 1, 2027, for altering, removing or obliterating a firearm's serial number or other identifying marks (or possessing such a firearm) to the list of offenses that bar a person from owning or possessing firearms for 10 years.
What it does: Adds a 10-year firearm prohibition for misdemeanor serial-number tampering.
Prohibited personsGhost guns / 3D printing
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 466, Statutes of 2026.
Requires the Department of Justice to check quarterly, beginning by July 1, 2027, whether ASTM International has published standards for firearm-blocking technology on 3D printers, and to issue guidance or regulations within 24 months if it has. Once those standards apply, it becomes unlawful to sell 3D printers in California that lack compliant blocking technology, with an exemption for entertainment-industry prop printers. If no standard exists by July 1, 2029, the department's duty to keep checking ends.
What it does: Would require 3D printers sold in California to include firearm-blocking technology once an industry standard exists.
Ghost guns / 3D printing
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 461, Statutes of 2026.
Authorizes local law enforcement agencies to create voluntary programs where a person can temporarily hand over a firearm for safekeeping to prevent violence, suicide or injury. Participating agencies must publish instructions for drop-off and return, check that the firearm is not reported lost, stolen or used in a crime, and confirm the owner is eligible to possess firearms before returning it.
What it does: Creates a framework for voluntary temporary gun storage with police; no new restrictions on owners.
Safe storageViolence prevention programs
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 460, Statutes of 2026.
Makes explicit that people subject to protective or restraining orders (including domestic violence and gun violence restraining orders) must relinquish ammunition as well as firearms, and revises related notice and compliance procedures. Starting January 1, 2028, courts must allow remote appearances and electronic filings for certain workplace-violence and postsecondary-school restraining orders.
What it does: Requires ammunition, not only firearms, to be surrendered under protective orders.
Domestic violenceRed flag / ERPOAmmunition
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 458, Statutes of 2026.
Would have required the Department of Justice to remove dealers that fail to meet the requirements of its centralized dealer list, allowed removal of dealers that fail to fix violations found in inspections (with a two-year bar), and required yearly inspections of the 10 dealer locations with the highest share of crime-recovered guns. It passed the Assembly but was held under submission in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the 2025-2026 session has ended.
What it does: Would have expanded state oversight and removal of licensed firearm dealers.
Dealers
last action
: In committee: Held under submission (session ended Aug. 31, 2026)
next step
None. The bill did not advance before the end of the 2025-2026 session.
From July 1, 2026, licensed dealers may not sell or transfer a semiautomatic "machinegun-convertible pistol", defined as a pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted to fully automatic fire with a rear-slide converter device. The bill also treats such a pistol fitted with a converter as a machinegun, and sets escalating penalties for dealers up to license revocation.
What it does: Bans dealer sales of handgun models readily convertible to automatic fire.
Machine-gun conversionDealers
last action
: Approved by the Governor. Chapter 572, Statutes of 2025.
next step
Dealer sales ban in effect since 2026-07-01. No further legislative step scheduled.