How To Register An Unregistered Gun In California 2020

June 5, 2021 update: On June four, 2021, a federal estimate overturned California'southward ban on assault weapons on the grounds that it violates the constitutional right to deport arms under the Second Subpoena. But set on 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 be used to register an assault weapon.

A FOR Application is not required for virtually firearms. They will have been registered by the dealer during the sale. However, there are reasons to register a firearm on your own. A registered gun that is lost or stolen may be returned to the person listed on the grade. If the gun is unregistered, it will not be returned.

Submitting a FOR Application could also lead to legal trouble. You could be defendant of possession of an attack weapon. The person who sold or gave you the weapon could also be charged with illegally transferring a firearm. The grade can be used as evidence.

man holding revolver

You can register an unregistered gun in California by filling out and submitting a Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Application.

What is the Firearm Buying Study Application?

The Firearm Ownership Study (FOR) Awarding is a legal form. It goes to the California Section of Justice (DOJ). The course is also known every bit the BOF 4542A. By filling out and submitting the course, you lot voluntarily register a firearm. You are declared its legal possessor.

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

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

You volition as well accept to provide information about the firearm you are declaring:

whether it is a handgun or a long gun, and what type it is,
serial number,
brand and model,
caliber,
origin,
barrel length,
colour, and
when and how you acquired it.

There is space for declaring ownership of three firearms on each application class. If you want to declare buying of more than 3, you tin adhere additional copies of the form.

You volition have to pay a $nineteen processing fee for each FOR Awarding.

The form tin can be mailed to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms – FOR
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

This form cannot be used to annals an assail weapon. Assault weapons generally cannot be registered in California anymore.

Do I have to file this awarding?

No, in that location is no legal requirement that a firearm has to be 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 past the dealer. Yous are the registered owner of these firearms. Your information was collected during the groundwork check.

Long guns that were legally bought in 2014 or subsequently in California are also registered. Those bought legally before then may not exist.

Firearm owners moving to California have to register their firearms inside 60 days. They use a dissimilar class – the New Resident Firearm Ownership Course.

What are the benefits?

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

If the firearm is lost or stolen, and and then institute, it will be returned to y'all. If the gun is not registered, there will be no official owner. It will non be returned to you if information technology is non registered.

How can I check to come across if my firearms are registered?

You can asking a list of firearms registered in your proper noun. You tin get it past submitting an Automated Firearms System Records Request Form.

The class has to be:

signed,
notarized, and
accompanied by a copy of your driver's license or photo ID.

You can mail service the class to:

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

What about set on weapons?

Assault weapons cannot be registered in California, anymore.

State law fix buying and registration periods for assail weapons. This included Browning Machine Guns (BMG). All of those registration windows accept passed.¹

Can I go in legal trouble for filing the class?

Yes.

If y'all claim ownership of an assault weapon, or whatever illegal weapon for that matter, you could face up charges of illegal possession of a firearm. Assault weapons are illegal to possess in California. Just those that were registered during the registration windows are exempt. If y'all fill out a FOR Application listing an assault weapon and send it to the DOJ, it can exist used as prove against you.

Illegal possession of an attack weapon is a wobbler in California. It can exist prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor.

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

ane year in jail, and/or
$i,000 in fines.ⁱⁱ

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

A FOR Application can also be used as show of theillegal auction of a firearm. California constabulary requires that all gun sales be completed through a licensed dealer.^four The FOR Application asks how you obtained the weapon. The answer may exist used as evidence 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 tin include upwardly to: