CALIFORNIA FIREARM SAFETY 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Penalties for illegal firearm transfers - ✔✔Violations can result in a $250,000 fine
and 10 years in federal prison.
✔✔Felony conviction for illegal purchase - ✔✔An illegal firearm purchase can result in a
felony conviction sentence of 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000.
✔✔Buying a gun for prohibited person - ✔✔It is a crime to buy a gun for someone who
is prohibited by law from owning one.
✔✔Storage location considerations - ✔✔Choose a storage place that is not easily
accessible to children.
✔✔Storage among valuables - ✔✔Do not store firearms among valuables unless locked
in a secure container.
✔✔Self-defense firearms storage - ✔✔Consider storing firearms not possessed for self-
defense in a safe and secure manner away from the home.
✔✔Firearms Ownership Responsibility - ✔✔As the owner of a firearm, it is your
responsibility to understand and comply with all federal, state and local laws regarding
firearms ownership.
✔✔California Firearms Dealers - ✔✔Only licensed California firearms dealers are
authorized to engage in retail sales of firearms.
✔✔Dealers' Record of Sale (DROS) - ✔✔Purchasers must provide personal identifier
information for the Dealers' Record of Sale (DROS) document that the firearms dealer
must submit to the DOJ.
✔✔Mandatory Waiting Period - ✔✔There is a mandatory 10-day waiting period before
the firearms dealer can deliver the firearm to the purchaser.
✔✔Firearms Eligibility Background Check - ✔✔During the 10-day waiting period, the
DOJ conducts a firearms eligibility background check to ensure the purchaser is not
prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms.
✔✔Minimum Age for Firearm Purchase - ✔✔Generally, all firearms purchasers must be
at least 21 years of age to purchase either a handgun or a long gun.
, ✔✔California Residency Requirement - ✔✔Purchasers must be California residents
with a valid driver's license or identification card issued by the California Department of
Motor Vehicles.
✔✔Private Party Transfers - ✔✔It is illegal for any person who is not a California
licensed firearms dealer to sell or transfer a firearm to another non-licensed person
unless the sale is completed through a licensed California firearms dealer.
✔✔Conducting Private Party Transfers - ✔✔Private party transfers can be conducted at
any licensed California firearms dealership that sells firearms.
✔✔DROS Completion Requirement - ✔✔The buyer and seller must complete the
required DROS document in person at the licensed firearms dealership.
✔✔Fee for Private Party Transfer - ✔✔The firearms dealer may charge a fee not to
exceed $10 per firearm for conducting the private party transfer.
✔✔Immediate Family Transfer Exemption - ✔✔The infrequent transfer of firearms
between immediate family members is exempt from the law requiring private party
transfers to be conducted through a licensed firearms dealer.
✔✔Definition of Immediate Family - ✔✔For purposes of this exemption, 'immediate
family' means parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild.
✔✔FSC Requirement for Transferee - ✔✔The transferee must comply with the FSC
requirement prior to taking possession of the firearm.
✔✔Transaction Reporting Requirement - ✔✔Within 30 days of the transfer, the
transferee must submit a report of the transaction to the DOJ.
✔✔Firearm Ownership Record - ✔✔The required report form (Firearm Ownership
Record BOF 4542A) can be downloaded from the DOJ's website.
✔✔Pawned Firearm Reclaiming - ✔✔The reclaiming of a pawned firearm is subject to
the DROS and 10-day waiting period requirements.
✔✔Proof-of-Residency Requirement - ✔✔To purchase a handgun in California you
must present documentation indicating that you are a California resident.
✔✔Acceptable Proof-of-Residency Documents - ✔✔Acceptable documentation includes
a utility bill from within the last three months, a signed residential lease, a property deed
or military permanent duty station orders indicating assignment within California.
WITH ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Penalties for illegal firearm transfers - ✔✔Violations can result in a $250,000 fine
and 10 years in federal prison.
✔✔Felony conviction for illegal purchase - ✔✔An illegal firearm purchase can result in a
felony conviction sentence of 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000.
✔✔Buying a gun for prohibited person - ✔✔It is a crime to buy a gun for someone who
is prohibited by law from owning one.
✔✔Storage location considerations - ✔✔Choose a storage place that is not easily
accessible to children.
✔✔Storage among valuables - ✔✔Do not store firearms among valuables unless locked
in a secure container.
✔✔Self-defense firearms storage - ✔✔Consider storing firearms not possessed for self-
defense in a safe and secure manner away from the home.
✔✔Firearms Ownership Responsibility - ✔✔As the owner of a firearm, it is your
responsibility to understand and comply with all federal, state and local laws regarding
firearms ownership.
✔✔California Firearms Dealers - ✔✔Only licensed California firearms dealers are
authorized to engage in retail sales of firearms.
✔✔Dealers' Record of Sale (DROS) - ✔✔Purchasers must provide personal identifier
information for the Dealers' Record of Sale (DROS) document that the firearms dealer
must submit to the DOJ.
✔✔Mandatory Waiting Period - ✔✔There is a mandatory 10-day waiting period before
the firearms dealer can deliver the firearm to the purchaser.
✔✔Firearms Eligibility Background Check - ✔✔During the 10-day waiting period, the
DOJ conducts a firearms eligibility background check to ensure the purchaser is not
prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms.
✔✔Minimum Age for Firearm Purchase - ✔✔Generally, all firearms purchasers must be
at least 21 years of age to purchase either a handgun or a long gun.
, ✔✔California Residency Requirement - ✔✔Purchasers must be California residents
with a valid driver's license or identification card issued by the California Department of
Motor Vehicles.
✔✔Private Party Transfers - ✔✔It is illegal for any person who is not a California
licensed firearms dealer to sell or transfer a firearm to another non-licensed person
unless the sale is completed through a licensed California firearms dealer.
✔✔Conducting Private Party Transfers - ✔✔Private party transfers can be conducted at
any licensed California firearms dealership that sells firearms.
✔✔DROS Completion Requirement - ✔✔The buyer and seller must complete the
required DROS document in person at the licensed firearms dealership.
✔✔Fee for Private Party Transfer - ✔✔The firearms dealer may charge a fee not to
exceed $10 per firearm for conducting the private party transfer.
✔✔Immediate Family Transfer Exemption - ✔✔The infrequent transfer of firearms
between immediate family members is exempt from the law requiring private party
transfers to be conducted through a licensed firearms dealer.
✔✔Definition of Immediate Family - ✔✔For purposes of this exemption, 'immediate
family' means parent and child, and grandparent and grandchild.
✔✔FSC Requirement for Transferee - ✔✔The transferee must comply with the FSC
requirement prior to taking possession of the firearm.
✔✔Transaction Reporting Requirement - ✔✔Within 30 days of the transfer, the
transferee must submit a report of the transaction to the DOJ.
✔✔Firearm Ownership Record - ✔✔The required report form (Firearm Ownership
Record BOF 4542A) can be downloaded from the DOJ's website.
✔✔Pawned Firearm Reclaiming - ✔✔The reclaiming of a pawned firearm is subject to
the DROS and 10-day waiting period requirements.
✔✔Proof-of-Residency Requirement - ✔✔To purchase a handgun in California you
must present documentation indicating that you are a California resident.
✔✔Acceptable Proof-of-Residency Documents - ✔✔Acceptable documentation includes
a utility bill from within the last three months, a signed residential lease, a property deed
or military permanent duty station orders indicating assignment within California.
