top of page

State of California Firearm Prohibiting Categories

Note: the california department of justice provides this information for informational purposes only. this information may not be inclusive of all firearms prohibitions as a result of subsequent clarifications or changes in law. this information is not intended to replace an individual's direct inquiry into the current statement of laws or the pursuit of legal counsel.

pursuant to penal code section 12021(c)(1), any person who has been convicted of a misdomeanor violation of any of the following offenses is prohibited from owning, possessing, or having under his or her custody or control any firearms within ten (10) years of the conviction:

  • threatening public officers, employees, school officials (71PC), and certain public officers, appointies, judges, stff, or their families with the intent and apparent ability to carry out the threat (76 PC)

  • intimidating witnesses and victims (136.1pc) and possessing a deadly weapon with the intent to intimidate a witness (136.5pc)

  • threatening witnesses, victims, and informants (140pc)

  • attempting to remove or take a firearm from the person or immediate presence of a public or peace officer (148(d)PC)

  • unauthorized possession of a weapon in a state or local public building, or at a public meeting (171(b)PC)

  • bringing into or possessing a loaded firearm within the state capitol  or legislative offices, etc. (171(c) PC)

  • bringing into or possessing a loaded firearm within the governor's mansion or residence of other constitutional officers, etc. (171(d)PC)

  • supplying, selling, or giving possession of a firearm to a person for participation in criminal street gangs (186.28PC)

  • assault (240 and 241 PC) or battery (242 and 243 PC)

  • assault with a stun gun or taser (244.5PC, ) deadly weapon, or force likely to produce great bodily injury (245pc,) or instrument by any means likely to produce great bodily injury or with a stun gun, or taser on a school employee engaged in performance of duties (245.5pc)

  • shooting at an inhabited or occupied dwelling (246pc) or discharging a firearm in a grossly negligent manner (246.3 pc)

  • shooting at an occupied aircraft, motor vehicle, or uninhabited building or dwelling house (247 pc)

  • willful infliction of corporal injury on a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or the mother or father of his or her child (273.5pc)

  • intentional and knowing violation of a court order to prevent harrassment, disturbing the peace, threats or acts of violence, or willfully violating a domestic protective / restraining order (273.6PC)

pursuant to penal code (PC) section 12021(c)(1), any person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor violation of any of the following offenses is prohibited from owning, possessing, or having under his or her custody or control any firearms within ten (10 ) years of the conviction.

  • Drawing, exhibiting, or using a deadly weapon other than a firearm, except in self defense (417(1)2)PC) and drawing or exhibiting a firearm in the presence of a peace officer (417(2)(C)

  • a person who purchases, sells, manufactures, ships, transports, distributes, or receives an imitation firearm (417.2.PC)

  • inflicting serious bodily injury by drawing or exhibiting a firearm or other deadly weapon (417.6PC)

  • threatening to commit a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury to another person (422pc)

  • possessing a firearm in a "school zone", or on the grounds of  public or private school (626.9pc)

  • stalking: person who willfully, maliciously, or repeatedly follows or harasses another person (646.9PC)

  • armed criminal action; carrying a loaded firearm with the intent to commit a felony (12023 PC)

  • possessing a deadly weapon with the intent to assault another (12024 PC)

  • driver or owner of a motorvehicle who knowingly permits a firearm to be discharged in or from that vehicle (12034pc)

  • criminal possession of a firearm in public while masked (12040pc)

  • prohibited transfers, deliveries, or sales of firearms (12072pc)

  • unauthorized possession, trainsportation, manufacture, or sale of a machine gun (fully-automatic weapon) (12220PC)

  • possession of ammunition designed to penetrate metal or armor (12320PC)

  • carrying a concealed or loaded firearm, other deadly weapon, or wearing a peace-officer uniform while picketing (12590pc)

  • bring or sending contraband into or possession within a juvenile facility or youth authority institution (871.5 and 1001.5WC)

  • firearms prohibitions as specified (8100, 8103, 8101WIC)

  1. a person convicted of a felony, or any offense in section 12021.1 of the penal code (pc)

  2. a person who is a fugitive from justice (federal brady act, 18 usc 922(n) and 178.11

  3. a person under indictment or court information: includes any court, in which a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one (1) year may be prosecuted.

  4. a person addicted to the use of narcotics pursuant to section 12021PC

  5. person denied firearm possession as a condition of probation pursuant to section 12021(d) PC

  6. Juveniles adjudged wards of the juvenile court because they committed a 707(b) welfare and institutions code (WIC) offense, an offense described in section 1203.073(b) PC , or any offense enumerated in section 12021(c)(1) PPC are prohibited until they reach age 30.

  7. a person subject to a protective /restraining order as defined in section 6218 of the family code, or a temporary restraining order or injunction issued pursuant to section 12021 (g)(1) PC and 527.6 or 527.8 of the civil code of procedure.

  8. a person found by a court to be mentally incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, or to be a mentally disordered sex offender pursuant to 8103 WIC

  9. person placed on a conservatorship because they are gravely disabled as a result of a mental disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism pursuant to 8103 WIC

  10. a person who communicates a threat to a licensed psychotherapist, against a reasonably indentifiable victim, and the psychotherapist reports to law enforcement, is subject to firearms prohibition for six (6) months pursuant to 8100(b)(1) WIC.

  11. a person taken into custody as a danger to self or others under 5150 WIC, assessed under 5151 WIC, and admitted to a mental health facility under 5151, 5152, or certified under 5250, 5260, and 5270.15 WIC is prohibited from possessing or purchasing , or attempting to purchase firearms for five (5) years.

  12. a person who is a voluntary patient in a mental facility who is determined to be a danger to self or others is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm between admission and discharge.

bottom of page