California Assembly Bill 210: CCW Training, Fees, and Renewal

To get a concealed carry weapon license in California, you must apply to your county sheriff or city police chief, avoid the statutory disqualifiers, complete a 16-hour DOJ-certified training course, pass a written exam and live-fire qualification, pay local and Department of Justice fees, and — if the licensing authority requires it — sit for a psychological evaluation. The California CCW permit requirements were rewritten by Senate Bill 2 and Assembly Bill 210 effective January 1, 2024, with additional renewal rules from AB 1078 taking effect January 1, 2026.¹

Existing permit holders are not grandfathered. When your current license comes up for renewal, you must meet the updated standards in full.

Who Is Disqualified

SB 2 eliminated the old “good cause” requirement and replaced it with a defined list of disqualifiers. You cannot receive or renew a CCW license, absent a contrary court order, if any of the following apply to you:²

The licensing authority or a psychological assessment finds you reasonably likely to pose a danger to yourself, others, or the community.
You have been convicted of contempt of court under Penal Code section 166 or a comparable federal or out-of-state law.
You have been subject to a domestic violence restraining order, civil harassment order, gun violence restraining order, or similar protective order within the past five years, unless that order was vacated or expired more than five years before you applied.
You were convicted within the past ten years of a hate crime or an offense listed in Penal Code section 29805.
You have engaged in unlawful or reckless use, display, or brandishing of a firearm at any point.
Within the past ten years, you were charged with a violent felony, serious felony, or certain firearm offenses that were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Within the past five years, you were incarcerated, on probation, or on parole for a drug- or alcohol-related offense.
You are currently abusing controlled substances or alcohol.
Within the past ten years, you have experienced the loss or theft of multiple firearms due to negligent storage or handling.

The criteria are now spelled out on the page, though the “danger to self or others” category still involves a judgment call by the licensing authority.

The Training Course

First-time applicants must complete a course of at least 16 hours taught by an instructor certified by the California Department of Justice. Verify certification before you pay, because training from an uncertified instructor does not count.

The curriculum must cover firearm safety and handling, safe storage, legal methods for transporting firearms and securing them in vehicles, where you may and may not carry, the legal standards for using lethal force in self-defense, and at least one hour on mental health awareness and available resources.³ The mental health hour does not have to be taught by the firearms instructor and may be delivered by a qualified mental health professional or in a format prescribed by regulation.

The course ends with two evaluations. You must pass a written exam on the topics above and complete a live-fire qualification on the range with each firearm you want listed on your permit.

Psychological Assessment

The licensing authority has discretion to require a psychological evaluation for first-time applicants. Not every county or city uses that option; if yours does, you are referred to a licensed psychologist selected by the agency. The statute names psychologists specifically, so a psychiatrist referral is not part of this process.⁴

You can be charged the actual cost of the assessment. The statute caps it at the licensing authority’s reasonable costs rather than a set dollar figure, so the amount varies by jurisdiction. Some local agencies have quoted fees around $150, but that is not a statewide cap.

For renewals, an assessment is only required if there is compelling evidence of a public safety concern. Routine renewal does not trigger another evaluation.

Fees

California does not set a single statewide application fee. You pay two components: a Department of Justice processing fee for the background check, and a local fee charged by the sheriff or police chief to cover the costs of processing, issuing, and enforcing the license. The local fee cannot exceed the agency’s actual reasonable costs and may be collected in two installments — half when you submit your application, and the balance when the license is issued.⁴

Training course fees and any psychological assessment charge are separate from these application fees. Contact your local licensing authority for its current fee schedule.

Permit Duration and Renewal

A standard CCW license is valid for up to two years from the date of issuance.⁵ Employment-based licenses run up to 90 days, judges and full-time California court commissioners can hold three-year licenses, and reserve peace officer licenses run up to four years and expire automatically if the appointment ends.

The Eight-Hour Refresher

Renewal applicants must complete a refresher course of at least eight hours covering the same curriculum topics as the initial course: firearm safety, carry laws, use-of-force standards, and the mental health component. You must pass the written exam again and requalify on the range with every firearm listed on your permit. Certified instructors renewing their own permits are exempt from the training course requirement.

The 90-Day Renewal Window

Starting January 1, 2026, you must submit your renewal application within 90 days of your permit’s expiration date. Miss that window and you cannot renew at all; you restart the entire process as a first-time applicant, including the full 16-hour course. The rule comes from AB 1078, codified at Penal Code section 26225(e). You may apply as early as 90 days before expiration, so start the process the moment your renewal window opens.⁶

Where You Still Cannot Carry

Penal Code section 26230 identifies 26 categories of sensitive places where a licensed CCW holder is prohibited from carrying. Six of those categories are currently blocked by a federal court injunction, leaving 20 in force as of early 2025.⁷

Enforceable Restrictions

You cannot carry, even with a valid permit, in:⁸

K–12 school zones, preschools, and childcare facilities, including their parking areas.
State and local government buildings, the State Capitol, and buildings controlled by executive or legislative branch officers.
Any building designated for court proceedings, including parking areas.
Jails, prisons, and other detention and correctional facilities.
Bars and restaurants where alcohol is sold for on-premises consumption.
Playgrounds and youth centers, including adjacent streets and sidewalks.
Public parks, athletic facilities, and adjacent sidewalks, with an exception if you must pass through the area to reach your home, workplace, or vehicle.
Property controlled by the Department of Parks and Recreation or the Department of Fish and Wildlife, except areas designated for hunting.
Community colleges, public and private universities, and their parking areas.
Within 100 feet of a polling place and inside any vote center.
Casinos and gambling establishments.
Stadiums, arenas, and convention centers.
Libraries, museums, amusement parks, and zoos.
Airports and passenger terminals.
Nuclear energy facilities.

Categories Currently Blocked by Federal Courts

Six additional categories are enjoined, meaning the state cannot enforce them for now:⁹ hospitals, nursing homes, medical offices, urgent care centers, and similar facilities; public transit including buses, trains, stations, and parking areas; permitted public gatherings and special events, including adjacent sidewalks within 1,000 feet; places of worship, unless the operator posts a sign permitting concealed carry; banks, credit unions, and their parking areas; and privately owned businesses open to the public, unless the operator posts a sign permitting concealed carry.

The Ninth Circuit affirmed this preliminary injunction in September 2024. The litigation is ongoing, so the enforceability of these six categories may change. Check the California Department of Justice firearms page before carrying anywhere that falls into a gray area.

What a California CCW Does Not Do

Unlike some other states’ permits, a California CCW does not exempt you from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System when you buy a firearm from a dealer. The ATF’s Brady Permit Chart lists California as a non-qualifying state for that exemption.¹⁰ California law independently requires a background check before every dealer transfer, so you go through a background check and the standard waiting period on each purchase, permit or no permit.

Your California CCW also does not give you reciprocity elsewhere. California does not honor out-of-state permits, and most other states do not honor California’s. If you plan to travel armed across state lines, research the laws of every state you will enter. Federal law provides limited protection for transporting an unloaded, locked firearm through states where you could not otherwise carry, but only if the firearm is inaccessible from the passenger compartment and you are traveling between two places where you can legally possess it.¹¹

1
State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Regulations: Carry Concealed Weapons Licenses
2
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26202
3
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26165
4
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26190
5
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26220
6
San Diego County Sheriff. Renewing Your CCW
7
State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. 2025-DLE-06 Additional Restrictions on CCW License Holders
8
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 26230
9
Justia Law. May et al. v. Bonta et al., No. 23-4356 (9th Cir. 2024)
10
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Brady Permit Chart
11
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 926A – Interstate Transportation of Firearms