Do I Have To Register My Rifle In California

June 5, 2021 update: On June 4, 2021, a federal judge overturned California's ban on assault weapons on the grounds that it violates the ramble right to bear arms under the Second Amendment. Just attack weapons remain illegal in California while the state appeals the ruling.

You can annals an unregistered gun in California past completing and submitting a Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Application. This voluntarily declares that you are the possessor of the firearm. However, this class cannot be used to annals an assault weapon.

A FOR Awarding is not required for well-nigh firearms. They will have been registered by the dealer during the sale. However, there are reasons to register a firearm on your own. A registered gun that is lost or stolen may be returned to the person listed on the course. If the gun is unregistered, it will not be returned.

Submitting a FOR Application could likewise lead to legal trouble. Y'all could exist defendant of possession of an assault weapon. The person who sold or gave you lot the weapon could likewise exist charged with illegally transferring a firearm. The form tin be used as evidence.

man holding revolver

You can register an unregistered gun in California by filling out and submitting a Firearm Ownership Study (FOR) Awarding.

What is the Firearm Ownership Study Awarding?

The Firearm Buying Written report (FOR) Application is a legal form. It goes to the California Section of Justice (DOJ). The form is too known as the BOF 4542A. By filling out and submitting the form, you voluntarily register a firearm. You are declared its legal owner.

To fill out the course, you lot need to provide data nearly yourself, including:

your personal and contact data,
where y'all were born,
citizenship condition and identification information, including a copy of your commuter's license or ID carte du jour,
Handgun Condom Certificate number, and
whatsoever aliases you are known by.

You lot will also have to provide information virtually the firearm you are declaring:

whether it is a handgun or a long gun, and what type it is,
serial number,
brand and model,
caliber,
origin,
barrel length,
color, and
when and how yous acquired information technology.

There is infinite for declaring buying of three firearms on each awarding form. If you want to declare ownership of more than than 3, y'all can attach boosted copies of the form.

Y'all will have to pay a $19 processing fee for each FOR Application.

The class can be mailed to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms – FOR
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

This form cannot be used to annals an assault weapon. Assault weapons mostly cannot be registered in California anymore.

Do I have to file this application?

No, there is no legal requirement that a firearm has to be registered unless:

the firearm is an assail weapon, or
you are moving into California and ain a firearm.

Handguns that were legally bought in California are already registered. They were registered by the dealer. You lot are the registered owner of these firearms. Your information was nerveless during the background check.

Long guns that were legally bought in 2014 or later in California are also registered. Those bought legally before so may not be.

Firearm owners moving to California have to register their firearms within 60 days. They employ a different form – the New Resident Firearm Ownership Form.

What are the benefits?

Submitting a FOR Application makes you the official owner of the firearm.

If the firearm is lost or stolen, and and then institute, it will exist returned to you. If the gun is not registered, in that location will exist no official owner. It will not be returned to you if it is not registered.

How tin I check to see if my firearms are registered?

You can request a listing of firearms registered in your proper name. You tin get information technology by submitting an Automatic Firearms System Records Request Form.

The form has to be:

signed,
notarized, and
accompanied by a copy of your driver'southward license or photo ID.

You can mail the form to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms
AFS Private Citizen Request
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

What almost set on weapons?

Assault weapons cannot be registered in California, anymore.

Country law set up ownership and registration periods for assault weapons. This included Browning Machine Guns (BMG). All of those registration windows have passed.^ane

Can I become in legal trouble for filing the form?

Yep.

If y'all claim ownership of an assault weapon, or whatsoever illegal weapon for that matter, you lot could face up charges of illegal possession of a firearm. Attack weapons are illegal to possess in California. Only those that were registered during the registration windows are exempt. If you fill up out a FOR Application listing an assail weapon and send it to the DOJ, it can be used as prove against you.

Illegal possession of an set on weapon is a wobbler in California. It can be prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor.

If prosecuted as a misdemeanor, a conviction carries up to:

ane year in jail, and/or
$1,000 in fines.²

If pursued as a felony, the potential jail time is 16 months, 2 years, or iii years.³

A FOR Application can also be used equally prove of theillegal auction of a firearm. California law requires that all gun sales be completed through a licensed dealer.⁴ The FOR Application asks how you lot obtained the weapon. The reply may be used as evidence that you got the gun illegally. The person who sold or transferred the gun could be charged with a crime.

Illegally selling a firearm is a misdemeanor. The penalties can include up to:

six months in jail, and/or
$1,000 in fines.

Legal References: