The California Supreme Court has maintained that most of California's restrictive gun laws are constitutional, because the state's constitution does not explicitly guarantee private citizens the right to purchase, possess, or carry firearms. Unlike most other states, California has no provision in its state constitution that explicitly guarantees an individual right to keep and bear arms. All firearm sales are recorded by the state, and have a ten-day waiting period. Private sales of firearms must be done through a licensed dealer. This roster, which requires handgun manufacturers to pay a fee and submit specific models for safety testing, has become progressively more stringent over time and is currently the subject of a federal civil rights lawsuit on the basis that it is a de facto ban on new handgun models. Handguns sold by dealers must be "California legal" by being listed on the state's Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale. A five-year Firearm Safety Certificate, obtained by paying a $25 fee, submission of applicant data to the state, and passing a written test proctored by a DOJ Certified Instructor, is required for the sale, delivery, loan, or transfer of any firearm. The gun laws of California are by American general standards some of the most restrictive in the United States. Gun laws in California regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of California in the United States.
Location of California in the United States