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May 04 2022

Transporting Firearm Laws

Transporting

The rules on transporting a firearm differ a bit depending on whether the gun is:

  • a handgun that can be concealed,
  • a firearm that cannot be concealed, or
  • an assault rifle.

Handguns that can be concealed

To lawfully transport a handgun in a vehicle, California residents must ensure that it is:

  1. unloaded,
  2. locked in the trunk of the vehicle or in a locked container inside the vehicle, and
  3. apparent, or not concealed inside the vehicle.

It is always a crime to transport a loaded firearm.

Gun ammo can be either stored in:

  • the locked container, or
  • some other carrying device.

Owners of guns must adhere to these rules no matter if they are:

  • the driver of the vehicle, or
  • a passenger inside the car.

Firearms that cannot be concealed

State law says that firearms that cannot be concealed must be unloaded when a person transports them.

Typically, local laws say that non-concealable firearms do not have to be in a locked container. United States federal law, though, says that some types of firearms do have to be in a locked container or in a gun rack when in a school zone. These are zones located within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a K-12 school.

Note that firearms that cannot be concealed include:

  • shotguns,
  • long guns,
  • rifles,
  • carbines, and
  • a centerfire rifle.

Assault rifles

When transporting an assault weapon, Californians must ensure that it is:

  1. unloaded, and
  2. stored in a locked container.

Further, note that assault weapons can only be transported to and from certain places. For example, a person may only transport these guns to:

  • a licensed firearms dealer for servicing or repair,
  • the gun owner’s private property,
  • someone else’s property, provided that the property owner has given the person permission to bring the gun, and
  • a firing range.

Semi-automatic rifles are examples of assault rifles.

M., D. (2022, March 27). California gun laws 2022 – your top 12 questions answered. Shouse Law Group. Retrieved May 4, 2022, from https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/defense/gun-laws/ 

Written by Whiskey Creek Solutions · Categorized: Legal Update · Tagged: firearm transportation laws in California, transporting firearms

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