Firearm and parts laws in California

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) and in Section 30420 , or except by operation of law, it shall be unlawful for a person to purchase, sell, offer to sell, or transfer ownership of any firearm precursor part in this state that is not a federally regulated firearm precursor part.
(b) This section does not apply to either of the following: (1) The purchase of a firearm precursor part that is not a federally regulated firearm precursor part by a federally licensed firearms manufacturer or importer, or by a federal licensee authorized to serialize firearms.

(1) Sell, transfer, possess, import into the state, or manufacture any frame or receiver, including completed frames or receivers and unfinished "firearm precursor parts,"1 without complying with California's laws governing the sale, transfer, possession, importation, or manufacture of firearms, such as requirements that sales and transfers must be processed through licensed firearms dealers2 pursuant to background checks,3 age restrictions,4 Firearm Safety Certificate requirements,5 waiting periods,6 and sale records.7
(2) Knowingly or willfully cause another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of firearms, or knowingly or willfully aid, abet, promote, or facilitate the unlawful manufacture of firearms: Penal Code Section 29186 (eff. Jan. 1, 2026).
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• Comply with specified consumer notice, age verification, and identification requirements prior to sale and delivery of firearm barrels, firearm manufacturing machines, and "firearm accessories" (eff. Jan. 1, 2026). The term "firearm accessories" is defined to include products "clearly designed and intended for use in manufacturing firearms"; certain attachments or devices that are designed, intended, or function to increase a firearm's rate of fire or the speed at which a person may reload a firearm or replace the magazine; and certain attachments or devices that may render a firearm an assault weapon when inserted into, affixed onto, or used in conjunction with a firearm.

(a) No person, other than a state-licensed firearms manufacturer, shall use a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine or three-dimensional printer to manufacture a firearm. (b) It is unlawful to sell, offer to sell, or transfer a CNC milling machine or three-dimensional printer that has the sole or primary function of manufacturing firearms to any person in this state, other than a state-licensed firearms manufacturer.

(a) A civil action may be brought against a person who knowingly does either of the following: (1) Distributes or causes to be distributed, by any means including the internet, any digital firearm manufacturing code to any other person in this state who is not a federally licensed firearms manufacturer, member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard, while on duty and acting within the scope and course of employment, or any law enforcement agency or forensic laboratory.
(2) The Attorney General, county counsel, or city attorney may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to establish that a person has violated this section and may seek a civil penalty not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) for each violation

Any person, firm, or corporation who within this state possesses a silencer is guilty of a felony and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 or by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

(a) As used in this part, a "multiburst trigger activator" means either of the following: (1) A device designed or redesigned to be attached to, built into, or used in conjunction with, a semiautomatic firearm, which allows the firearm to discharge two or more shots in a burst by activating the device. (2) A manual or power-driven trigger activating device constructed and designed so that when attached to, built into, or used in conjunction with, a semiautomatic firearm it increases the rate of fire of that firearm.
(4) Any aftermarket trigger or trigger system that, if installed, allows more than one round to be fired with a single depression of the trigger.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (c), commencing on July 1, 2026, a firearms dealer licensed pursuant to Section 26700 to 26920 , shall not sell, offer for sale, exchange, give, transfer, or deliver any semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistol, as defined in Section 16885 .
(3) A private party to private party transaction conducted through a licensed firearms dealer pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050 ).

(a) (1)A firearm barrel, as defined in Section 16525 , shall not be sold or transferred unless that transaction is completed in person by a firearms dealer licensed pursuant to Section 26700 to 26915 , inclusive. (2) Commencing July 1, 2027, a firearm barrel, as defined in Section 16525 , shall not be sold or transferred unless that transaction is completed in person by a firearms dealer licensed pursuant to Section 26700 to 26915 , inclusive, and the licensed firearms dealer has conducted an eligibility check
(b) A person is authorized to purchase or otherwise acquire a firearm barrel if they meet the following criteria: (1) They are at least 18 years of age.

(a) Any person who, within this state, manufactures or causes to be manufactured, distributes, transports, or imports into the state, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives or lends any assault weapon or any .50 BMG rifle, except as provided by this chapter, is guilty of a felony

(a) A person licensed under Section 26700 to 26915 , inclusive, shall not sell, supply, deliver, or give possession or control of a firearm to any person who is under 21 years of age. (b) (1)Subdivision (a) does not apply to or affect the sale, supplying, delivery, or giving possession or control of a firearm that is not a handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part to a person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid, unexpired hunting license issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(2) for any importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector licensed under the provisions of this chapter to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce any firearm to any person other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, except that-
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(3) for any person, other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to transport into or receive in the State where he resides (or if the person is a corporation or other business entity, the State where it maintains a place of business) any firearm purchased or otherwise obtained by such person outside that State, except that this paragraph
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(5) for any person (other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector) to transfer, sell, trade, give, transport, or deliver any firearm to any person (other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector) who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not reside in (or if the person is a corporation or other business entity, does not maintain a place of business in) the State in which

(b) It shall be unlawful for any licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector to sell or deliver- (1) any firearm or ammunition to any individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than eighteen years of age, and, if the firearm, or ammunition is other than a shotgun or rifle, or ammunition for a shotgun or rifle, to any individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than twenty-one years of age;
(2) any firearm to any person in any State where the purchase or possession by such person of such firearm would be in violation of any State law or any published ordinance applicable at the place of sale, delivery or other disposition

Firearm. Any weapon, including a starter gun, which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; the frame or receiver of any such weapon; any firearm muffler or firearm silencer; or any destructive device; but the term shall not include an antique firearm.
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The term shall include a weapon parts kit that is designed to or may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.

( c ) Partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver. The terms "frame" and "receiver" shall include a partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver, including a frame or receiver parts kit, that is designed to or may readily be completed, assembled, restored, or otherwise converted to function as a frame or receiver
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The terms shall not include a forging, casting, printing, extrusion, unmachined body, or similar article that has not yet reached a stage of manufacture where it is clearly identifiable as an unfinished component part of a weapon ( e.g., unformed block of metal, liquid polymer, or other raw material). When issuing a classification, the Director may consider any associated templates, jigs, molds, equipment, tools, instructions, guides, or marketing materials that are sold, distributed, or possessed with the item or kit
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Example 1 to paragraph (c)-Frame or receiver: A frame or receiver parts kit containing a partially complete or disassembled billet or blank of a frame or receiver that is sold, distributed, or possessed with a compatible jig or template is a frame or receiver, as a person with online instructions and common hand tools may readily complete or assemble the frame or receiver parts to function as a frame or receiver.

(25) The terms "firearm silencer" and "firearm muffler" mean any device for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a portable firearm, including any combination of parts, designed or redesigned, and intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or firearm muffler, and any part intended only for use in such assembly or fabrication.

(b) Machinegun The term "machinegun" means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term shall also include the frame or receiver of any such weapon, any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting a weapon into a machinegun, and any combination of parts from which a machinegun can be assembled if such parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

432.2 Handguns Handguns, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person, are nonmailable unless mailed between the parties listed in 432 , after the filing of an affidavit or statement described in 432.22 or 432.24 , and are subject to the following:
Handgun Parts: Parts of handguns are mailable, except for handgun frames, receivers, or components regulated under 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44.
Licensed manufacturers, importers, and dealers of firearms. Signed statement on PS Form 1508, Statement by Shipper of Firearms. The mailer must be a licensed manufacturer, importer, or dealer mailing to another licensed manufacturer, importer, or firearms dealer.

The FedEx Service Guide prohibits firearm shipments. However, customers holding a Federal Firearms License (FFL) may work with their FedEx account executive to obtain approval to ship firearms with FedEx. This will require customers holding an FFL to execute a FedEx Firearms Shipping Compliance Agreement.
Shippers that do not hold an FFL are not eligible to obtain approval and are prohibited from shipping firearms with FedEx.