California’s assault weapons law bans the manufacture, sale, transport, lending, and possession of firearms the state classifies as assault weapons, under Penal Code Sections 30510 through 30610. The framework began with the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 and has expanded several times to cover firearms identified either by name or by their physical features.1California Department of Justice. California Attorney General Assault Weapons Identification Guide Every civilian registration window has closed, so an unregistered assault weapon in California is contraband, and the penalties reach up to eight years in prison for commercial violations and a lifetime federal firearms ban for anyone convicted of a felony.
How California Defines an Assault Weapon
The state uses two independent tests. A firearm is an assault weapon if it meets either one.
The first is a named list under Section 30510. It catches all AK-series rifles (including Norinco, Poly Technologies, and MAADI variants), all Colt AR-15 series rifles, the UZI, the Galil, the Beretta AR-70, and dozens of other rifles, pistols, and shotguns spelled out by make and model.2California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30510 – Assault Weapons Definition If a firearm is on this list, it is an assault weapon regardless of any modifications.
The second is a features test under Section 30515. A semiautomatic centerfire rifle without a fixed magazine is an assault weapon if it has any one of the following: a pistol grip protruding beneath the action, a thumbhole stock, a folding or telescoping stock, a grenade or flare launcher, a flash suppressor, or a forward pistol grip.3California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30515 – Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles A single feature triggers the classification. Parallel feature tests apply to semiautomatic pistols and shotguns, and any semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine holding more than 10 rounds qualifies on its own.
Whether a magazine counts as “fixed” or “detachable” carries real weight here. California treats a magazine as detachable if it can be removed without disassembling the firearm’s action. That line has been the subject of many builds attempting to stay outside the definition, and the technical requirements are strict.
What the Law Prohibits
Penal Code Section 30600 makes it a felony to manufacture, distribute, transport into California, keep for sale, offer for sale, give, or lend any assault weapon or .50 BMG rifle.4California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30600 – Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles The statute reaches the entire supply chain, and crossing the state line with one of these firearms is itself a violation the moment the weapon enters California.
The words “give” and “lend” catch conduct many owners would not think of as commercial. Handing a friend an assault weapon for a weekend at the range, with no money involved, violates Section 30600 at the same felony level as selling one.
Separately, Section 30605 makes it a crime to possess an assault weapon at all, unless the firearm was registered with the Department of Justice during one of the state’s registration windows.5California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30605 – Unlawful Acts Relating to Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles
Registration Windows Have All Closed
Registration was the only path to lawful civilian possession, and the state opened a new window each time the definition expanded.
- Original named models under the 1989 Act: registration deadline was January 1, 1991. Later additions to the named list had 90-day windows.
- Features-based assault weapons under the 1999 law: registration deadline was January 1, 2001.
- Firearms with non-fixed magazines added by 2016 legislation: registration deadline was July 1, 2018, for owners who had lawfully possessed them between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2016.
- Categories added in 2020: registration deadline was January 1, 2022, for owners who had lawfully possessed them before September 1, 2020.
All of those deadlines have passed.6California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30900 – Registration Requirements There is no retroactive registration. If you missed the applicable window, the weapon is contraband in your hands.
What Registered Owners Can Do
Registration is not a general license to use the weapon. Under Section 30945, a registered owner can possess the firearm only at their home, place of business, property they own or have permission to use, a licensed shooting range, certain firearms exhibitions, and public land where the managing agency specifically permits it.7California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30945 – Possession Conditions for Registered Assault Weapons Transport between those locations must follow the state’s locked-container rules.
A registered owner also cannot transfer the weapon to another Californian. The lawful exit options are: sell to a licensed dealer holding a DOJ assault-weapons permit, remove the weapon from the state, render it permanently inoperable, or surrender it to law enforcement.8California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Assault Weapons
.50 BMG Rifles Are a Separate Category
Section 30610 treats .50 BMG rifles as their own regulatory track. A .50 BMG rifle is any centerfire rifle capable of firing a .50 BMG cartridge that is not already classified as an assault weapon or a machinegun, with exclusions for antiques and federally recognized curios or relics.9California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30530 – .50 BMG Rifle Definition
The 2004 .50 Caliber BMG Regulation Act set a registration deadline of April 30, 2006, which has long passed.8California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Assault Weapons Possessing an unregistered .50 BMG rifle is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to one year in county jail, or both.10California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30610 – Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles
Penalties
Commercial violations under Section 30600 are straight felonies. A conviction carries four, six, or eight years in state prison. There is no misdemeanor option.4California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30600 – Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles
Unlawful possession under Section 30605 is a wobbler. A misdemeanor conviction carries up to one year in county jail. A felony conviction is punishable by 16 months, two years, or three years in county jail under the realignment sentencing structure of Section 1170(h).5California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30605 – Unlawful Acts Relating to Assault Weapons and .50 BMG Rifles11California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 1170 – Sentencing
A narrow first-offender provision reduces the penalty to a fine of up to $500 plus surrender of the firearm. To qualify, you must have lawfully owned the weapon before it was reclassified as an assault weapon, have no prior convictions under this chapter, be caught within one year after the applicable registration period ended, and possess no more than two qualifying firearms.12California Legislative Information. California Code PEN 30605 – Possession of Assault Weapon Because every registration window closed more than a year ago, almost nobody currently qualifies.
A felony conviction triggers separate federal consequences that outlast any state sentence. Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g), any felon is prohibited from possessing or receiving any firearm or ammunition anywhere in the country. Violating that prohibition carries up to 10 years in federal prison, and offenders with three or more prior felony convictions for violent crimes or drug trafficking face a mandatory minimum of 15 years without parole.13United States Department of Justice. Quick Reference to Federal Firearms Laws One felony conviction for unregistered possession can permanently end your ability to lawfully own any firearm.
Who Is Exempt
Sworn peace officers employed by agencies specified in the Penal Code can possess and use assault weapons and .50 BMG rifles for law enforcement purposes, on and off duty. Sales and transfers to these officers are permitted when the officer has written authorization from their agency head identifying both the officer and the specific weapon. Members of federal law enforcement agencies are similarly exempt when authorized by their employing agency.14California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30630 – Exemptions for Peace Officers and Federal Agents The exemptions apply to authorized government use, not to off-duty civilian ownership generally.
If You Have an Unregistered Assault Weapon
The state DOJ is explicit: the only legal option is surrender. Contact your local police department or sheriff’s office to arrange it in advance rather than walking in carrying the weapon.8California Department of Justice. Frequently Asked Questions – Assault Weapons
The exit paths available to registered owners (sale to a licensed dealer, removal from the state, or permanent disabling) require lawful possession in the first place. Selling, transporting, or giving away a weapon you are not authorized to possess adds further violations. Time also works against you, since the reduced $500 fine window only runs for one year after each registration deadline closed.
Court Challenges to the Law
California’s assault weapon restrictions face active Second Amendment challenges in federal court. As of early 2026, federal appellate courts have consistently upheld bans on assault-style firearms, but several cases are still pending. The Ninth Circuit is expected to rule on the constitutionality of California’s ban, and the Supreme Court has not yet taken up an assault weapon ban case directly, though review is widely anticipated once the appellate courts issue final rulings. None of the pending litigation has suspended California’s law. The statutes remain fully enforceable while the challenges continue.