How Do I Register My Ar15 In California

June 5, 2021 update: On June four, 2021, a federal judge overturned California'southward ban on assault weapons on the grounds that it violates the constitutional right to comport arms nether the Second Subpoena. But assault weapons remain illegal in California while the state appeals the ruling.

You can register an unregistered gun in California by completing and submitting a Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Application. This voluntarily declares that you are the owner of the firearm. However, this form cannot exist used to register an attack weapon.

A FOR Application is not required for almost firearms. They volition take been registered past the dealer during the sale. Nevertheless, at that place are reasons to register a firearm on your own. A registered gun that is lost or stolen may exist returned to the person listed on the form. If the gun is unregistered, it will not be returned.

Submitting a FOR Awarding could as well atomic number 82 to legal trouble. Yous could be accused of possession of an assault weapon. The person who sold or gave y'all the weapon could also be charged with illegally transferring a firearm. The class tin exist used as testify.

man holding revolver

Yous can annals an unregistered gun in California by filling out and submitting a Firearm Ownership Written report (FOR) Application.

What is the Firearm Ownership Report Awarding?

The Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Application is a legal form. It goes to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The form is besides known every bit the BOF 4542A. By filling out and submitting the form, you voluntarily register a firearm. You are alleged its legal possessor.

To fill out the form, you lot demand to provide information about yourself, including:

your personal and contact information,
where you lot were born,
citizenship status and identification information, including a copy of your driver's license or ID carte,
Handgun Safety Certificate number, and
any aliases you lot are known by.

You volition as well take to provide information most the firearm yous are declaring:

whether it is a handgun or a long gun, and what blazon information technology is,
serial number,
make and model,
quotient,
origin,
butt length,
color, and
when and how you caused information technology.

There is space for declaring ownership of 3 firearms on each awarding class. If y'all desire to declare ownership of more 3, you can attach additional copies of the form.

You lot will have to pay a $19 processing fee for each FOR Application.

The class can be mailed to:

Section of Justice
Agency of Firearms – FOR
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

This course cannot be used to register an assault weapon. Assault weapons generally cannot be registered in California anymore.

Practise I take to file this application?

No, at that place is no legal requirement that a firearm has to exist registered unless:

the firearm is an assault weapon, or
you are moving into California and own a firearm.

Handguns that were legally bought in California are already registered. They were registered by the dealer. Yous are the registered possessor of these firearms. Your information was collected during the background bank check.

Long guns that were legally bought in 2014 or later on in California are besides registered. Those bought legally before and so may not be.

Firearm owners moving to California have to annals their firearms within threescore days. They utilise a dissimilar form – the New Resident Firearm Buying Grade.

What are the benefits?

Submitting a FOR Application makes you lot the official owner of the firearm.

If the firearm is lost or stolen, and then found, it will be returned to you. If the gun is not registered, in that location will be no official owner. It will not be returned to you if information technology is not registered.

How can I check to run into if my firearms are registered?

Yous can request a list of firearms registered in your proper name. Yous can get it by submitting an Automated Firearms Organization Records Request Form.

The form has to be:

signed,
notarized, and
accompanied past a copy of your driver'due south license or photo ID.

Yous can mail service the course to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms
AFS Private Denizen Request
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

What about attack weapons?

Assail weapons cannot exist registered in California, anymore.

State constabulary set buying and registration periods for assail weapons. This included Browning Auto Guns (BMG). All of those registration windows have passed.^ane

Can I arrive legal problem for filing the form?

Aye.

If yous claim ownership of an assault weapon, or any illegal weapon for that matter, you could face charges of illegal possession of a firearm. Set on weapons are illegal to possess in California. Simply those that were registered during the registration windows are exempt. If yous fill up out a FOR Application listing an assault weapon and send it to the DOJ, it can be used as evidence confronting yous.

Illegal possession of an assail weapon is a wobbler in California. It tin be prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor.

If prosecuted as a misdemeanor, a conviction carries up to:

i year in jail, and/or
$1,000 in fines.²

If pursued as a felony, the potential jail time is 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years.^three

A FOR Awarding can likewise be used every bit show of theillegal sale of a firearm. California police force requires that all gun sales be completed through a licensed dealer.^iv The FOR Awarding asks how you lot obtained the weapon. The answer may exist used equally show that you got the gun illegally. The person who sold or transferred the gun could be charged with a offense.

Illegally selling a firearm is a misdemeanor. The penalties can include up to:

6 months in jail, and/or
$i,000 in fines.

Legal References: