Can a California Resident Buy a Gun in Nevada?

Yes, a California resident can buy a gun in Nevada, but you cannot walk out of the Nevada store with it. Federal law and California’s own transfer rules require every firearm bought out of state, whether handgun, rifle, or shotgun, to be shipped to a licensed dealer in California. You complete the paperwork, background check, and a 10-day waiting period on the California side before you take the gun home.

Why You Can’t Just Drive It Home

Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3), an unlicensed person generally cannot transport into or receive in their home state any firearm they purchased in another state. Federal law does open one door: a licensed dealer in one state may sell a rifle or shotgun to a resident of another state in person, provided both states’ laws allow it.¹

California closes that door. Penal Code § 27585 bars any resident from importing or transporting into the state a firearm bought outside California unless it is first delivered to a licensed California dealer.² That applies to every firearm type. There is no legal way to buy a gun in Nevada and drive it home the same day.

How the Transfer Works

You pick and pay for the firearm at a Nevada FFL. From there, the process moves to California:

The Nevada dealer ships the firearm to a California FFL you choose.
At the California FFL, you complete a Dealer’s Record of Sale (DROS), which starts the state background check. The DROS fee is $31.19.³
You present a valid Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC). If you don’t have one, you take a 30-question written test on firearm safety and basic gun laws, need at least 75% to pass, and pay a $25 fee. Most dealers have a certified instructor on site.⁴
You wait. California imposes a mandatory 10-day waiting period from the date the DROS is submitted, and the dealer cannot release the firearm early even if the background check clears sooner.
After 10 days and a cleared check, you return to the California FFL and take possession.

An FSC is good for five years, so if you already have one from a prior purchase, you can skip the test.

The Handgun Roster Trap

If the gun you want is a handgun, check California’s Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale before you pay anything in Nevada. Only models that have passed the state’s firing, safety, and drop tests appear on the roster, and a California dealer cannot legally transfer a handgun that isn’t listed.⁵

The list has been shrinking for years because newer models must meet a microstamping requirement most manufacturers haven’t complied with. Plenty of common handguns sold openly in Las Vegas and Reno are not on it. If you buy an off-roster handgun in Nevada, you’ll pay for shipping and transfer only to find no California FFL can hand it to you.

Nevada-Legal Guns and Magazines That Won’t Clear Into California

Nevada’s firearm laws are far more permissive than California’s. Some categories of guns and accessories sold routinely in Nevada shops cannot legally enter California at all.

Assault Weapons

California bans assault weapons by name (models such as the Bushmaster Assault Rifle and Steyr AUG), by platform (AK and AR-15 variants), and by feature. A semiautomatic centerfire rifle with a detachable magazine and any one of several features, including a pistol grip, folding stock, or flash suppressor, qualifies as an assault weapon under state law.⁶ Similar feature tests apply to semiautomatic pistols and shotguns.

Importing an assault weapon into California is a felony punishable by four, six, or eight years in state prison.⁷ Some Nevada dealers know California’s feature rules; many don’t. Verify the specific gun is California-legal before you pay.

Large-Capacity Magazines

California bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.⁶ Many firearms ship from the factory with 15- or 17-round magazines. Even when the gun itself is roster-compliant and California-legal, those magazines are not. Tell the Nevada dealer to remove or swap them for 10-round magazines before shipping. If they don’t, the California FFL will refuse to release them to you.

What It All Costs

Beyond the price of the gun, budget for:

Nevada FFL shipping fee, often $30 to $50.
California FFL transfer fee for receiving and processing the shipment, typically $25 to $75.
DROS fee of $31.19.³
Firearm Safety Certificate at $25, if you don’t already hold a valid one.⁴

Transfer overhead adds roughly $100 to $180 on top of the purchase price. If a California dealer stocks the same gun at a similar price, buying locally is faster and cheaper. The Nevada route makes sense mainly when the exact firearm you want isn’t available in-state.

Penalties for Skipping the Process

Carrying a firearm you bought in Nevada across the state line yourself violates Penal Code § 27585.² If the gun is also an assault weapon or otherwise prohibited, the offense becomes a felony carrying up to eight years in state prison.⁷

Having a Nevada resident buy the gun for you is a straw purchase. Under 18 U.S.C. § 932, knowingly buying a firearm for or on behalf of another person who is prohibited from buying one, or who intends to use it in a crime, carries up to 15 years in federal prison, and up to 25 years if the firearm is used in a felony, terrorism, or drug trafficking. Both the buyer and the recipient face prosecution.⁸

If You’re Moving to California With Guns You Already Own

Different rules apply to firearms you owned before becoming a California resident. New residents may bring their firearms into the state but must report them to the Department of Justice within 60 days of establishing residency, and the firearms themselves must still be California-legal.⁹ Assault weapons and large-capacity magazines don’t get a pass because you owned them elsewhere. Once you’re a resident, any future out-of-state purchase runs through the full FFL-to-FFL process above.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 18 – 922
2
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 27585
3
California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Regulations: Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) Fee
4
California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Firearm Safety Certificate Program Frequently Asked Questions
5
California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Handguns Certified for Sale
6
California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. California Assault Weapons Information
7
California Legislative Information. California Penal Code 30600
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 18 – 932
9
California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General. Firearms Information for New California Residents