California Concealed Carry Weapon Reciprocity Map

All about California, Permits, and Conceal Carrying a Weapon Below.

California CCW Reciprocity State Info

California Reciprocity. California does not recognize any concealed carry permits issued by other states. With the exception for non resident Active Duty military members permanently stationed within California. State law generally restricts non residents from obtaining a California CCW permit.

California Concealed Weapons Permits are honored in These States:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

No Permit Needed States

The following states have permitless carry which allows anyone that can legally possess a firearm carry conceal: Alaska, Arizona, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia. Some restrictions may apply. Check each state for its own restrictions.

No Permit Carry Needed, With Restrictions

**California Conceal Carry Permits not Honored in these states:**

NOT Honored by These States: Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virgin Islands, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, American Samoa and N. Mariana Islands.

Hand guns must be carried in accordance with State Laws

California Conceal Carry Permit Information

California CCW Application Fee

Initial fee paid to Sheriff’s Department of $12.63 plus application fee below. The remainder $50.51 to be submitted at time of issuance.
California CCW standard license fee is $93 (Two-year)
California CCW judicial license fee is $115 (Three year)
Reserve Peace Officer $137 (Four year)

California CCW renewal fee:

Standard license $73.52 (Two year)
Judicial license $95.52 (Three year)
Reserve Peace Officer $117.52 (Four year)
Fees are subject to change as allowed by law. Processing fees are non-refundable regardless of the decision made on the application. CCW Firearm instructors will conduct the inspection, qualifying and approving of all firearms on your CCW.

Residents & Non Residents

The state of California will issue conceal carry permits to residents only.

Valid for How Long

California’s concealed carry Standard permit is valid for 2 years.
California’s concealed carry Judicial permit is valid for 3 years.

Shall Issue State

The state of California is a MAY issue state. The sheriff may issue a license for a person to carry a firearm concealed upon the person “upon proof of all of the following:”

The applicant is of good moral character
Good cause exists for issuance of the license
The applicant is a resident of the county or a city within the county, or the applicant’s principal place of employment or business is in the county or a city within the county and the applicant spends a substantial period of time in that place of employment of business
The applicant has completed a course of training as described in Section 26165

Is California State an Open Carry State?

Can I open carry in the state of California? As of January 1, 2012, according to California open carry laws under California Penal Code 26350 PC, it is a crime to openly carry any firearm in public, even if the gun is unloaded.

How long does it take to get a concealed weapons permit in the state of California?

In California the Concealed carry weapon license application may take as long as 4-6 weeks to process. This gives you enough time to complete the 16 hour required training course.

California Concealed Permit Requirements

-To apply for a permit in California you must be at least 18 years old

-You must apply in person at your local county Sheriff’s office.

-You must get fingerprinted

-You must have a background check

-Must be a resident of the county or a city within the county or the applicant’s principal place of employment or business is in the county or a city within the county and the applicant spends a substantial period of time in that place of employment or business.

– You are not required to be a citizen to get a California License to Carry, and there are numerous reports of people with green cards that were able to obtain a California License to Carry.

-The applicant must be of good moral character.

-Good cause exists for issuance of the license

-The applicant has completed a course of training as described in Section 26165 of the penal code

Can I carry a gun in my car in the state of California?

If you do not have a license to carry you may only transport a firearm in your vehicle without a CCW license if the firearm is unloaded at all times and in the trunk or if there is no trunk the unloaded firearm must be in a locked container separate from your glove or utility compartment.

You can not apply for a concealed weapon license if you:

PERSONS INELIGIBLE TO POSSESS FIREARMS
The following persons are prohibited from possessing firearms (Pen . Code, §§
29800-29825, 29900; Welf . & Inst . Code, §§ 8100, 8103):
Lifetime Prohibitions
• Any person convicted of any felony or any offense enumerated in Penal
Code section 29905 .
• Any person convicted of an offense enumerated in Penal Code section
23515 .
• Any person with two or more convictions for violating Penal Code section
417, subdivision (a)(2) .
• Any person adjudicated to be a mentally disordered sex offender . (Welf . &
Inst . Code, § 8103, subd . (a)(1) .)
• Any person found by a court to be mentally incompetent to stand trial or
not guilty by reason of insanity of any crime, unless the court has made a
finding of restoration of competence or sanity . (Welf . & Inst . Code, § 8103,
subds . (b)(1), (c)(1), and (d)(1) .)
10-Year Prohibitions
• Any person convicted of a misdemeanor violation of the following: Penal
Code sections 71, 76, 136 .5, 140, 148, subdivision (d), 171b, 171c, 171d,
186 .28, 240, 241, 242, 243, 244 .5, 245, 245 .5, 246, 246 .3, 247, 273 .5,
273 .6, 417, 417 .1, 417 .2, 417 .6, 422, 626 .9, 646 .9, 830 .95, subdivision (a),
17500, 17510, subdivision (a), 25300, 25800, 27510, 27590, subdivision
(c), 30315, or 32625, and Welfare and Institutions Code sections 871 .5,
1001 .5, 8100, 8101, or 8103 .
5-Year Prohibitions
• Any person taken into custody as a danger to self or others, assessed, and
admitted to a mental health facility under Welfare and Institutions Code
sections 5150, 5151, 5152; or certified under Welfare and Institutions Code
sections 5250, 5260, 5270 .15 . Persons certified under Welfare and
Institutions Code sections 5250, 5260, or 5270 .15 may be subject to a
lifetime prohibition pursuant to federal law .
Juvenile Prohibitions
• Juveniles adjudged wards of the juvenile court are prohibited until they
reach age 30 if they committed an offense listed in Welfare and
Institutions Code section 707, subdivision (b) . (Pen . Code, § 29820 .)
Miscellaneous Prohibitions
• Any person denied firearm possession as a condition of probation
pursuant to Penal Code section 29900, subdivision (c) .
• Any person charged with a felony offense, pending resolution of the
matter . (18 U .S .C . § 922(g) .)
• Any person while he or she is either a voluntary patient in a mental health
facility or under a gravely disabled conservatorship (due to a mental
disorder or impairment by chronic alcoholism) and if he or she is found
to be a danger to self or others . (Welf . & Inst . Code, § 8103, subd . (e) .)
• Any person addicted to the use of narcotics . (Pen . Code, § 29800, subd . (a) .)
• Any person who communicates a threat (against any reasonably
identifiable victim) to a licensed psychotherapist which is subsequently
reported to law enforcement, is prohibited for six months . (Welf . & Inst .
Code, § 8100, subd . (b) .)
• Any person who is subject to a protective order as defined in Family Code
section 6218 or Penal Code section 136 .2, or a temporary restraining order
issued pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure sections 527 .6 or 527 .8 .

Where to Apply for California Conceal Permit License

You apply at your local county sheriff’s office where you reside or have your business in.

California Conceal Carry Laws

Notify officer of Carry
It is not required to voluntarily notify a peace officer of carrying a firearm in California, but it is highly recommended that you do so for safety of all parties involved. You must notify the peace officer if asked.
In California, Can you Conceal Carry in bar? Conceal Carry In Liquor establishments?
You cannot consume any alcoholic beverage or be in a place having a primary purpose of dispensing alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption while carrying concealed in California. You also cannot be under the influence of any medication or drug, whether prescribed or not while carrying concealed in California.
Not allowed to carry in these areas
In California state these places are off limits to carry:
- The following places are off limits while carrying concealed in California:
  - - School grounds, colleges and universities
    - Child care facility
    - Courthouse or Court room
    - Public buildings or meetings
    - Social rehabilitation facility
    - Gun show or event if you have ammunition that fits firearm
    - State Capitol, any legislative office, any office of the Governor or other constitutional officer, or any hearing room in which any committee of the Senate or Assembly is conducting a hearing, or upon the grounds of the State Capitol, which is bounded by 10th, L, 15th, and N Streets in the City of Sacramento.
    - State wildlife management areas
    - Polling station – this includes any person, uniformed peace officer, private guard, or security personnel or any person who is wearing a uniform of a peace officer, guard, or security personnel, who is stationed in the immediate vicinity of, or posted at, a polling place without written authorization.
    - Demonstrations related to refusal to work
    - While masked to conceal your identity
    - Any place that serves alcohol for consumption
    - Cal Expo center in Sacramento
    - You may not carry a firearm if you are consuming alcohol
    - You may not display a concealed firearm
    - You cannot carry a concealed weapon not listed on the permit
    - You cannot carry a concealed weapon at times or circumstances other than those specified in the permit
    - Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by Federal Law.
  Additional notes:
  X. OTHER PROHIBITIONS
  While carrying a concealed firearm, You are prohibited from:
  - Consuming any alcoholic beverage
  - Being under the influence of any medication or drug; whether prescribed or not
  - Refuse to show the license or surrender the concealed weapon to any LEO upon demand
  - Unjustifiably displaying a concealed weapon
  - Carrying a concealed weapon not listed on the permit
  - Carrying a concealed weapon at times or circumstances other than those specified in the permit

Link to Calfornia State Gun Laws

Constitutional carry
No
Carry in Restaurant
Yes. There is no law stating it is illegal except the California application states that you are prohibited from carrying a concealed weapon into bars. You can carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol. Places like Fridays or Chili’s unless they have a “No Gun Sign,” then it is suggested that You not carry into the establishment. This does not include a bar or the bar area of a restaurant. You can carry your firearm into a restaurant that serves alcohol, but you are prohibited from consuming alcohol while carrying a firearm.
Carry in State Parks
Places allowed to carry in California:
- State Parks: Yes
- State Forests: Yes
- National Forests: Yes
- State wildlife management areas
- Road Side Rest Areas: Yes
Premises that have Rules that state no firearms allowed:
“No Guns or Firearms” signs do not have the force of law in California unless it is a place that is already off-limits to carry as stated in the California State Law. But if the owner or management asks you to leave, you must comply, or you can be arrested for trespassing.