Senate BillChaptered/SignedPenal
SB 948: Firearms: safety certificates.
What SB 948 does, verified September 27, 2026
This bill amends existing firearm safety certificate laws in California. It requires personal firearm importers to obtain a valid safety certificate and submit a report to the Department of Justice within 60 days of bringing a firearm into the state. The bill also prohibits individuals from bringing firearms into the state without a valid safety certificate, except in certain circumstances. Starting July 1, 2028, applicants for firearm safety certificates must complete a training course of at least 8 hours that includes instruction on firearm safety and handling, as well as live-fire shooting exercises. The Department of Justice will promulgate regulations to implement these provisions. Additionally, the bill creates a new crime for violating the safety certificate requirements, making it a misdemeanor.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 465, Statutes of 2026. (2026-09-26)Alert me
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| Sep. 26, 2026 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 465, Statutes of 2026. |
| Sep. 26, 2026 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Aug. 30, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 28. Noes 12.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 24, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 56. Noes 19. Page 6419.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textEnrolled version, August 27, 2026 · 2,559 words
| Enrolled August 27, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 25, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 24, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly August 13, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly July 02, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate May 14, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate March 18, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 948
| Introduced by Senator Arreguín (Coauthor: Senator Richardson) |
February 02, 2026 |
An act to amend Sections 27560, 28235, and 31615 of, and to add Section 31640.5 to, the Penal Code, relating to firearms.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 948, Arreguín. Firearms: safety certificates.
Existing law requires any person who purchases or receives a firearm to possess a firearm safety certificate. Existing law also prohibits a person from selling or transferring a firearm to any person who does not possess a firearm safety certificate. A violation of either of these provisions is punishable as a misdemeanor. Existing law requires a personal firearm importer, within 60 days of bringing any firearm into this state, to, among other things, submit a report including information concerning that individual and a description of the firearm in question to the Department of Justice. Existing law requires that a personal firearm importer be found to have complied with these provisions if certain requirements are satisfied.
This bill would extend the above-described time period to within 180 days and would also require, commencing January 1, 2028, that personal firearm importer to certify under penalty of perjury that they have obtained a valid firearm safety certificate, or an exemption to the certificate requirement, as specified, and would make a failure to provide specified information in the report an infraction. The bill would prohibit a person from bringing a firearm into this state without obtaining a valid firearm safety certificate within 180 days, except as specified, and make a violation of this provision an infraction. The bill would remove the requirement that a personal firearm importer be found to have complied with these provisions if certain requirements are satisfied. By creating a new crime, and expanding the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law requires any costs incurred by the department to implement the above-described provisions regarding personal firearm importers to be absorbed by the department within its existing budget and fees allocated in the Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account.
This bill would authorize the appropriation of additional funds for implementation of the above-described provisions if the department determines that sufficient funding is not available to implement these provisions.
Existing law requires an applicant for a firearm safety certificate to pass a test developed by the department covering specified subjects, including, among others, the laws applicable to carrying and handling firearms and the responsibilities of ownership of firearms.
This bill would require an applicant for a firearm safety certificate, on or after January 1, 2029, to complete within the prior year a training course no less than 4 hours in length that, among other things, includes instruction on firearm safety and handling and live-fire shooting exercises on a firing range. The bill would authorize the Department of Justice to promulgate regulations and provide additional information for the implementation of these provisions.
This bill would provide that the provisions of this bill are severable.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 27560 of the Penal Code is amended to read:27560.
(a) (1) Within 180 days after bringing any firearm into this state, a personal firearm importer, as defined in Section 17000, shall do one of the following:(A) Submit to the Department of Justice, in a form and manner prescribed by the department, a report including information concerning that individual and a description of the firearm in question. The department may request photographs of the firearm to determine if the firearm is a generally prohibited weapon, assault weapon, or machinegun, or is otherwise prohibited. A person shall not furnish a fictitious name or address, knowingly furnish any incorrect information, or knowingly omit any information required to be provided in this report. Commencing January 1, 2028, a personal firearm importer shall also certify to the department under penalty of perjury that they have obtained a valid firearm safety certificate pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 31615 or that they qualify for an exemption to the firearm safety certificate requirement pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 31610) or Article 3 (commencing with Section 31700) of Chapter 4 of Division 10. The personal firearm importer shall provide their firearm safety certificate number or specify the exemption in the report if an exemption is applicable. The department may require that the individual also include a copy of the firearm safety certificate, or documentation establishing that the individual qualifies for an exemption to this requirement, within the report. Notwithstanding Section 27590, the failure to include a firearm safety certificate number or specify the exemption within the report shall be deemed to be a violation of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 31615, and shall be punished pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 31615.
(B) Sell or transfer the firearm in accordance with the provisions of Section 27545 or in accordance with the provisions of an exemption from Section 27545.
(C) Sell or transfer the firearm to a dealer licensed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2 (commencing with Section 26800) of Chapter 2.
(D) Sell or transfer the firearm to a sheriff or police department.
(2) The department shall establish a fee for submission of the form described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and an additional fee for each additional firearm. This fee shall not exceed the reasonable and actual costs of processing the form submitted pursuant to that paragraph. The department may annually review and adjust this fee to fully fund, but not exceed, these costs.
(3) Upon receipt of the report submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) and the required fee, the department shall examine its records, as well as those records that it is authorized to request from the State Department of State Hospitals pursuant to Section 8104 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and records available to the department in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, to determine if the purchaser is prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm.
(b) (1) The provisions of this section are cumulative and shall not be construed as restricting the application of any other law.
(2) However, an act or omission punishable in different ways by this article and different provisions of the Penal Code shall not be punished under more than one provision.
(c) The department shall conduct a public education and notification program regarding this section to ensure a high degree of publicity of the provisions of this section.
(d) As part of the public education and notification program described in this section, the department shall do all of the following:
(1) Work in conjunction with the Department of Motor Vehicles to ensure that any person who is subject to this section is advised of the provisions of this section, and provided with blank copies of the report described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), at the time when that person applies for a California driver’s license or registers a motor vehicle in accordance with the Vehicle Code.
(2) Make the reports referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) available to dealers licensed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2 (commencing with Section 26800) of Chapter 2.
(3) Make the reports referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) available to law enforcement agencies.
(4) Make persons subject to the provisions of this section aware of all of the following:
(A) The report referred to in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) may be completed at either a law enforcement agency or the licensed premises of a dealer licensed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 26700) and Article 2 (commencing with Section 26800) of Chapter 2.
(B) It is advisable to do so for the sake of accuracy and completeness of the report.
(C) Before transporting a firearm to a law enforcement agency to comply with subdivision (a), the person should give notice to the law enforcement agency that the person is doing so.
(D) In any event, the handgun should be transported unloaded and in a locked container and a firearm that is not a handgun should be transported unloaded.
(e) Any costs incurred by the department to implement this section shall be absorbed by the department within its existing budget and the fees in the Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account allocated for implementation of subdivisions (c) and (d) of this section pursuant to Section 28235.
(f) Notwithstanding subdivision (e), if the department determines there is insufficient funding for implementation of subdivision (a), as amended by Senate Bill 948 of the 2025–26 Regular Session, the Legislature may appropriate additional funds for the purpose of implementing subdivision (a).
SEC. 2.
Section 28235 of the Penal Code is amended to read:28235.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 28233, moneys received by the department pursuant to this article shall be deposited in the Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account of the General Fund, which is hereby created, to be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for expenditure by the department to offset the costs incurred pursuant to any of the following:(a) This article.
(b) Section 18910.
(c) Section 27555.
(d) Subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 27560.
(e) Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 28010).
(f) Article 6 (commencing with Section 28450).
(g) Section 31110.
(h) Section 31115.
(i) Section 31640.5.
(j) Subdivision (a) of Section 32020.
(k) Section 32670.
(l) Section 33320.
(m) Section 33700.
SEC. 3.
Section 31615 of the Penal Code is amended to read:31615.
(a) A person shall not do any of the following:(1) Purchase or receive any firearm, except an antique firearm, without a valid firearm safety certificate, except that in the case of a handgun, an unexpired handgun safety certificate may be used.
(2) Sell, deliver, loan, or transfer any firearm, except an antique firearm, to any person who does not have a valid firearm safety certificate, except that in the case of a handgun, an unexpired handgun safety certificate may be used.
(3) Bring any firearm, except an antique firearm, into this state without obtaining a valid firearm safety certificate within 180 days of bringing that firearm into this state if the person is required to report the importation of the firearm to the department pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 27560.
(b) (1) Any person who violates paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) Any person who violates paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) is guilty of an infraction.
(c) The provisions of this section are cumulative, and shall not be construed as restricting the application of any other law. However, an act or omission punishable in different ways by different provisions of this code shall not be punished under more than one provision.
(d) Paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) shall not apply to a person if evidence of that violation arises only as the result of the person applying for a firearm safety certificate, or submitting records or other communications to the department to comply with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 27560, after the expiration of the 180-day period in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of this section.
SEC. 4.
Section 31640.5 is added to the Penal Code, to read:31640.5.
(a) An applicant for a firearm safety certificate on or after January 1, 2029, shall have completed a training course within the prior year that meets all of the following conditions:(1) The training shall be no less than four hours in length, including live-fire shooting exercises.
(2) The training shall include instruction on topics that may be covered on the firearm safety certificate test and information provided in the firearm safety certificate study guide published by the Department of Justice pursuant to Sections 31640 and 31641. The instruction shall, at a minimum, ensure trainees understand all of the following:
(A) The responsibilities of firearm ownership and fundamentals of firearm safety.
(B) California laws governing safe firearm storage and the importance of secure storage to prevent unauthorized access and use of firearms.
(C) Safe firearm handling and fundamentals of shooting firearms.
(D) California laws related to the private sale and transfer of firearms, prohibited firearm transfers, and straw purchases.
(E) California laws requiring individuals who become prohibited from possessing firearms to sell, transfer, or store their firearms with a licensed dealer or law enforcement agency, and verify relinquishment compliance.
(F) State laws pertaining to self-defense, use-of-force guidelines, and techniques for conflict resolution.
(G) Laws applicable to carrying and handling firearms and legal methods to transport firearms and secure firearms in vehicles.
(3) The training shall be taught and supervised by instructors certified by the Department of Justice pursuant to regulations developed by the department. Instructors certified by the department to provide the course of training described in Section 26165 shall automatically be deemed to be certified to provide the training required under this section. The department may adopt regulations authorizing additional categories of instructors to provide the training required under this section, and may authorize instructors certified to provide this training to also administer firearm safety certificate tests and issue firearm safety certificates.
(4) The live-fire shooting exercises shall take place on a firing range and shall include a demonstration by the applicant of safe handling of firearms and basic firearm shooting proficiency.
(b) The training course requirement shall not apply to individuals with valid concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits or who have completed a training course for an initial or renewal CCW license pursuant to Section 26165 within the previous three years.
(c) The Department of Justice may promulgate regulations and provide additional information for the implementation of this section.
(d) The Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account may be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for any costs associated with this section’s implementation and ongoing expenses.
SEC. 5.
The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of this act or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.SEC. 6.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.Text of SB 948 as enrolled, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions