PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Frequently Asked Questions - Assault Weapon Registration

1. What is considered an assault weapon under California law?
2. What is the Kasler v. Lockyer California Supreme Court decision and what does it do?
3. What are AK and AR-15 series weapons and how are they controlled?
4. How is the 2000 assault weapons law (SB 23) affected by the Kasler v. Lockyer decision?
5. Can assault weapons still be registered?
6. Where can I get registration forms?
7. I already paid the $14.00 Dealer's Record Of Sale (DROS) fee and went through a DOJ clearance check when I purchased the firearm. Does that satisfy the registration requirement?
8. I have a registered assault weapon. If I travel outside of California with the firearm, can I bring the firearm back into California?
9. I am a firearms dealer. If I remove the characteristic(s) that make a firearm an assault weapon, can I sell it?
10. Are there any restrictions for the use of registered assault weapons?
11. Can I pawn a registered assault weapon?
12. Can I take a registered assault weapon to a gunsmith for repairs?
13. Can I inherit and keep a registered assault weapon?
14. If I registered my SB 23 assault weapon and now I remove the characteristic(s) that make it an assault weapon, can I cancel the registration?
15. I want to keep my assault weapon defined by characteristics (PC section 12276.1, SB 23). What am I required to do?
16. I do not want to keep my assault weapon. What do I do?
17. If I did not register my assault weapon by the registration deadline, is there any way I can legally keep it?

1. What is considered an assault weapon under California law?
   There are three categories of assault weapons under California law. The first category is firearms listed on the original Roberti-Roos assault weapons list (Penal Code section 12276, subds (a), (b), and (c)). The second category of assault weapons is AK and AR-15 series weapons (Penal Code sections 12276 (e) and (f)). The third category of assault weapons is defined by specific generic characteristics (PC section 12276.1, SB 23). In addition to California law, assault weapons are regulated by federal law. For information on federal laws relative to assault weapons, please contact the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
   
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2. What is the Kasler v. Lockyer California Supreme Court decision and what does it do?
   This court decision upholds the constitutionality of the Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989. As a result, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is obligated to enforce the statute with respect to identification of AK and AR-15 series weapons. On August 16, 2000, the California Supreme Court denied a request for rehearing in the above-entitled case, and the case is now final.
   
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3. What are AK and AR-15 series weapons and how are they controlled?
   Any firearm which is a variation, with minor differences, of the AK or AR-15 type (i.e., series weapon), regardless of manufacturer, is an assault weapon under the original Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989. AK and AR-15 series weapons could no longer be purchased as of August 16, 2000. For more information, refer to Information Bulletin 2000-04.
   
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4. How is the 2000 assault weapons law (SB 23) affected by the Kasler v. Lockyer decision?
   The 2000 assault weapons law (SB 23) identified assault weapons by specific characteristics. Those weapons so defined must have been lawfully possessed on or before December 31, 1999 and registered on or before December 31, 2000. Penal Code section 12276, subdivisions (e) and (f), reaffirmed by the Kasler v. Lockyer decision, make AK and AR-15 series weapons unlawful for sale after August 16, 2000, even if their assault weapon characteristics are removed. Persons owning these weapons on this date were required to register them with the DOJ on or before January 23, 2001.
   
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5. May assault weapons still be registered?
   The assault weapon registration period has ended. The DOJ is no longer accepting assault weapon registration forms.
   
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6. Where can I get registration forms?
   If you are party to a criminal case involving possession of an assault weapon prior to January 1, 2002, and if you qualify to register that assault weapon in order to reduce the offense to an infraction, you may obtain an Assault Weapon Registration Form from the Department of Justice. The form includes instructions.
   
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7. I already paid the $14.00 Dealer's Record Of Sale (DROS) fee and went through a DOJ clearance check when I purchased the firearm. Does that satisfy the registration requirement?
   No. Under California law, no rifle or shotgun purchaser information may be retained by the DOJ. The DROS fee only covers the cost to determine whether or not a purchaser is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm at the time of the transaction. Additionally, once eligibility has been verified, the DOJ is required by law to destroy all DROS information pertaining to long guns. The $20.00 application fee for an assault weapon registration covers the costs of processing the application, conducting an eligibility background check, and creating and maintaining the database of registered assault weapons.
   
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8. I have a registered assault weapon. If I travel outside of California with the firearm, can I bring the firearm back into California?
   Yes, as a long as it is transported in accordance with Penal Code sections 12285 and 12026.1. These sections of law may be accessed on the DOJ Firearms Division Website's Online Dangerous Weapons Control Laws.
   
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9. I am a firearms dealer. If I remove the characteristic(s) that make a firearm an assault weapon, can I sell it?
   Yes, but only if the firearm is an assault weapon that is defined as such only by its characteristics, and only if you have registered it as an assault weapon with the DOJ. (Penal Code section 12276.1, SB 23 - This section of law may be accessed on the DOJ Firearms Division Website's Online Dangerous Weapons Control Laws). THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ORIGINAL ROBERTI-ROOS ASSAULT WEAPONS OR AK and AR-15 SERIES WEAPONS.
   
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10. Are there any restrictions for the use of registered assault weapons?
    Yes. A person who has a registered assault weapon may possess it only under certain conditions as specified in Penal Code section 12285. This section of law may be accessed on the DOJ Firearms Division Website's Online Dangerous Weapons Control Laws.
    
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11. Can I pawn a registered assault weapon?
    No. Pawning assault weapons is not permitted.
    
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12. Can I take a registered assault weapon to a gunsmith for repairs?
    Yes. However, you cannot leave it with the gunsmith unless he or she holds a California Assault Weapons permit. Otherwise, you must remain with the firearm while it is being repaired. If the assault weapon must be shipped to the manufacturer for repairs, a firearms dealer with an assault weapons permit must handle the shipping.
    
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13. Can I inherit and keep a registered assault weapon?
    No. Pursuant to California Penal Code section 12285(b), any person who obtains title to a registered assault weapon by bequest or intestate succession shall, within 90 days, render the weapon permanently inoperable, sell the weapon to a licensed gun dealer who has a permit from the Department of Justice to purchase assault weapons, obtain a permit from the Department of Justice to possess assault weapons, or remove the weapon from this state.
    
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14. If I registered my SB 23 assault weapon and now I remove the characteristic(s) that make it an assault weapon, can I cancel the registration?
    Yes. If the defining characteristics establishing a firearm as an SB 23 assault weapon are removed, it is no longer an assault weapon and the registration may be canceled. However, once the registration is canceled, you can never replace the characteristic(s) that make it an assault weapon, or you will be in possession of an illegal weapon.
    
    THIS APPLIES ONLY TO FIREARMS DEFINED AS ASSAULT WEAPONS BY CHARACTERISTICS (Penal Code section 12276.1, SB 23). THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ORIGINAL ROBERTI-ROOS ASSAULT WEAPONS OR AK and AR-15 SERIES WEAPONS IN THAT REMOVAL OF THEIR CHARACTERISTICS DOES NOT NEGATE THE REQUIREMENT TO REGISTER THE ASSAULT WEAPON.
    
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15. I want to keep my assault weapon defined by characteristics (PC section 12276.1, SB 23). What am I required to do?
    If you are still in possession of an unregistered assault weapon, you may not keep it. Your only option is to relinquish it to a law enforcement agency.
    
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16. I do not want to keep my assault weapon. What do I do?
    If you have an unregistered assault weapon, you must relinquish it to law enforcement. If you have a registered assault weapon that you no longer want to keep, you have four options:
    
    1. Sell the weapon to a licensed gun dealer who has an assault weapons permit; or
    2. Make arrangements with your local police or sheriff's office to relinquish your assault weapon. CALL FIRST. DO NOT GO TO THE POLICE OR SHERIFF'S OFFICE WITHOUT FIRST MAKING ARRANGEMENTS; or
    3. Permanently remove the weapon from this state; or
    4. Destroy the weapon.
    
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17. If I did not register my assault weapon by the registration deadline, is there any way I can legally keep it?
    No. If you did not register your assault weapon prior to the registration deadline, you must relinquish that assault weapon to a law enforcement agency. Failure to relinquish your unregistered assault weapon could result in arrest and a felony conviction. The only exception applies to persons who have been arrested for possession of an unregistered assault weapon. Such a person may be eligible, through December 31, 2001, to have the charge reduced to an infraction if he or she meets the specific conditions described in Penal Code section 12280(c). One of these conditions requires that the person register the assault weapon with the DOJ. The DOJ is accepting registration forms from these persons if they provide the DOJ with documentation substantiating their arrest. However, this option is only available for assault weapons as defined by characteristics that are not Roberti-Roos assault weapons or AK or AR-15 series weapons.
    
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