Derringers are legal to own in California, and the state treats them like any other handgun. That’s the easy part. The hard part is getting one: California’s handgun roster keeps most new derringer models off dealer shelves, so buyers typically end up going through a private party transfer or buying a vintage model that qualifies as a curio. Carrying one in public requires a concealed carry license, and the same age, background check, and safety certificate rules that apply to any pistol apply here.
Who Can Own One
If you can legally possess a pistol or revolver in California, you can possess a derringer. You must be 18 to possess a handgun and 21 to buy one.
State law imposes a lifetime firearm ban on anyone convicted of a felony, certain violent misdemeanors, or a domestic violence offense involving corporal injury to a spouse or partner, as well as anyone a court has found to be a danger to others because of a mental disorder.{1State of California – Department of Justice. Overview of Key California Firearms Laws} Federal law adds fugitives from justice, people dishonorably discharged from the military, anyone who has renounced U.S. citizenship, and anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Possession by someone in any of these categories is a felony under Penal Code 29800, punishable by up to three years and a fine up to $10,000.{2California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 29800}
The Roster Problem
California maintains a roster of handguns certified for sale, and dealers cannot sell a new handgun that isn’t on it. To be added, a model must pass firing, safety, and drop tests, and newer additions must include features like microstamping.{3California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 32000} The roster has been shrinking for years. A search of the Department of Justice’s certified handgun database currently shows no derringers listed.{4State of California – Department of Justice. Handguns Certified for Sale}
That is not the end of the road. The roster requirement only governs new sales through dealers. Four exemptions matter for derringer buyers:
- Private party transfers. You can buy an off-roster handgun from another California resident, with a licensed dealer processing the paperwork.
- Curio or relic firearms. Any derringer manufactured at least 50 years ago automatically qualifies and is exempt from the roster.{}5Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Curios and Relics
- Intrafamilial transfers. A parent, grandparent, spouse, registered domestic partner, or adult child or grandchild can transfer a handgun to you regardless of roster status.
- Returns from pawn or consignment.
For most buyers, the realistic route is a private party transfer or a vintage derringer. Expect to pay more than you would in another state, because off-roster handguns command a premium in California.
How the Purchase Works
Every handgun transaction in California, including private party transfers, goes through a licensed firearms dealer. The dealer submits a Dealer Record of Sale (DROS), which runs a background check through the Department of Justice. The DROS fee is $31.19 for one or more firearms transferred at the same time to the same buyer.{6New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. California Code of Regulations 4001 – DROS Fees}
Once DROS is submitted, a 10-day waiting period begins before you can take possession.{7California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 26815} You must be at least 21.{8California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 27505}
You also need a valid Firearm Safety Certificate. That means passing a 30-question written test on firearm safety and California gun law with at least a 75%, administered by a DOJ-certified instructor. The test fee is $25 and includes one retake.{9State of California – Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Firearm Safety Certificate} The certificate is good for five years.{10State of California – Department of Justice. Firearm Safety Certificate Program FAQs}
Carrying a Derringer in Public
The small size that makes derringers convenient to hide creates no legal exception. California bans both open and concealed carry of handguns in public without a permit.
Open Carry
Carrying a loaded handgun on your person or in a vehicle in any public place within an incorporated city is a crime under Penal Code 25850.{11California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 25850} Carrying an unloaded handgun openly in the same areas is separately prohibited under Penal Code 26350.{12California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 26350} Both are misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both, and either can escalate to a felony if you have prior convictions, the firearm is stolen, or you’re otherwise prohibited from owning firearms.
Concealed Carry Permits
The only legal way to carry a derringer concealed in public is with a Concealed Carry Weapon license. California rewrote its CCW rules after the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, replacing the old “good cause” and “good moral character” standards with objective criteria.{13State of California – Department of Justice. Initial Statement of Reasons – CCW Licensing Regulations} The issuing sheriff or police chief must grant a license to an applicant who:
- Is not disqualified under Penal Code 26202, which covers recent convictions, active restraining orders, unlawful brandishing or use of firearms, and substance abuse history.{}14California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 26202
- Is at least 21.
- Lives in the county or has their principal place of work there.
- Has completed an approved firearms training course.{}15California Legislative Information. California Code Penal Code 26150
Sensitive Locations
A CCW license doesn’t cover everywhere. Carrying is still prohibited within 1,000 feet of any K-12 school, and in courthouses, local government buildings, buildings controlled by state executive or legislative officers, and airports.{16California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 626.9}{17California Department of Justice. Information Bulletin 2025-DLE-06 – Additional Restrictions on CCW License Holders} Federal law separately bars firearms in post offices and on other federal property. Violating a location restriction can bring criminal charges even with a valid permit.
Storing a Derringer
California imposes criminal liability for unsafe storage. Under Penal Code 25100, if you keep a firearm where you know or should know a child or prohibited person could get to it, and that person does, penalties scale with the harm: first-degree charges if the person causes death or great bodily injury, second-degree if they cause lesser injury or carry the firearm to a public place, and third-degree for negligent storage even without an incident.
Derringers deserve extra attention here. Their size makes them easy for a child to pick up and pocket. A locked container or gun safe removes the risk.
Penalties Worth Knowing
Two violations come up most often with handgun owners.
Carrying a concealed firearm without a license is a misdemeanor under Penal Code 25400, with up to one year in county jail and a $1,000 fine. It becomes a felony carrying 16 months, two, or three years in county jail when aggravating factors apply, including a prior felony, a stolen firearm you knew was stolen, active gang participation, or being otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms.{18California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 25400}
Carrying a loaded firearm in public runs on a nearly identical structure under Penal Code 25850. One trap catches people off guard: it can also be charged as a wobbler if the handgun isn’t registered to you with the Department of Justice, even without any other aggravating fact.{11California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 25850}
Antique and Smooth-Bore Derringers
Two edge cases fall outside the ordinary handgun rules.
Antique derringers manufactured before 1899 are generally exempt from both federal and California firearm regulations, so they can be acquired without a background check or DROS. Derringers made at least 50 years ago but after 1898 qualify as curios or relics, which gets them off the roster but does not exempt them from the background check and registration process.{5Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Curios and Relics}
Some derringers, particularly .410 shotshell models, have smooth bores rather than rifled barrels. A smooth-bore derringer may be classified as an “Any Other Weapon” under the federal National Firearms Act. The federal transfer tax for AOWs dropped to $0 on January 1, 2026, but the registration requirement on the National Firearms Registry remains, and California’s own restrictions on short-barreled shotguns can apply independently of the federal classification.