Article 1 - Gun Show or Event

California Penal Code — §§ 27200-27245

Sections (10)

Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.

(a)No person shall produce, promote, sponsor, operate, or otherwise organize a gun show or event, as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 26805, unless that person possesses a valid certificate of eligibility from the Department of Justice.

(b)Unless the department’s records indicate that the applicant is a person prohibited from possessing firearms, a certificate of eligibility shall be issued by the Department of Justice to an applicant provided the applicant does all of the following:

(1)Certifies that the applicant is familiar with the provisions of this article and Article 2 (commencing with Section 27300).

(2)Ensures that liability insurance is in effect for the duration of an event or show in an amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000).

(3)Provides an annual list of the gun shows or events that the applicant plans to promote, produce, sponsor, operate, or otherwise organize during the year for which the certificate of eligibility is issued, including the date, time, and location of the gun shows or events.

(c)If during that year the information required by paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) changes, or additional gun shows or events will be promoted, produced, sponsored, operated, or otherwise organized by the applicant, the producer shall notify the Department of Justice no later than 30 days prior to the gun show or event.

(d)The

Department of Justice shall adopt regulations to administer the certificate of eligibility program under this section.

(e)The Department of Justice shall recover the full costs of administering the certificate of eligibility program by fees assessed applicants who apply for certificates. A licensed gun show producer shall be assessed an annual fee of eighty-five dollars ($85) by the department.

(f)It is the intent of the Legislature that the certificate of eligibility program established pursuant to this section be incorporated into the certificate of eligibility program established pursuant to Section 26710 to the maximum extent practicable.

§ 27205

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 736, Sec. 1. (AB 1669) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)Before commencement of a gun show or event, the producer thereof shall, upon written request from a law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the facility, make available to that agency, within 48 hours or a later time specified by the agency, a complete and accurate list of all persons, entities, and organizations that have leased or rented, or are known to the producer to intend to lease or rent, any table, display space, or area at the gun show or event for the purpose of selling, leasing, or transferring firearms, or processing the sale or transfer of ammunition.

(b)The producer shall thereafter, upon written request, for every day the gun show or event operates, within 24

hours or a later time specified by the requesting law enforcement agency, make available to that agency an accurate, complete, and current list of the persons, entities, and organizations that have leased or rented, or are known to the producer to intend to lease or rent, any table, display space, or area at the gun show or event for the purpose of selling, leasing, or transferring firearms, or processing the sale or transfer of ammunition.

(c)Subdivisions (a) and (b) apply to any person, entity, or organization, regardless of whether that person, entity, or organization participates in the entire gun show or event, or only a portion thereof.

(d)The information that may be requested by the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the facility, and that shall be

provided by the producer upon request, includes, but is not limited to, the following information relative to a vendor who offers for sale any firearms manufactured after December 31, 1898, or any ammunition:

(1)The vendor’s complete name.

(2)A driver’s license or identification card number.

§ 27210

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 736, Sec. 2. (AB 1669) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)The producer and facility’s manager of a gun show or event shall prepare an annual event and security plan and schedule that shall include, at a minimum, the following information for each show or event:

(1)The type of show or event, including, but not limited to, antique or general firearms and ammunition.

(2)The estimated number of vendors offering firearms or ammunition for sale or display.

(3)The estimated number of attendees.

(4)The number of entrances and exits at the gun show or event site.

(5)The location, dates, and times of the show or event.

(6)The contact person and telephone number for both the producer and the facility.

(7)The number of sworn peace officers employed by the producer or the facility’s manager who will be present at the show or event.

(8)The number of nonsworn security personnel employed by the producer or the facility’s manager who will be present at the show or event.

(b)The annual event and security plan shall be submitted by either the producer or the facility’s manager to the Department of Justice and the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the

facility.

(c)If significant changes have been made since the annual plan was submitted, the producer shall, not later than 15 days before commencement of the gun show or event, submit to the department, the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the facility site, and the facility’s manager, a revised event and security plan, including a revised list of vendors that the producer knows, or reasonably should know, will be renting tables, space, or otherwise participating in the gun show or event.

(d)The event and security plan shall be approved by the facility’s manager before the event or show, after consultation with the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the facility.

(e)A gun show

or event shall not commence unless the requirements of subdivisions (b), (c), and (d) are met.

§ 27215

Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.

The producer of a gun show or event shall be responsible for informing prospective gun show vendors of the requirements of this article and of Article 2 (commencing with Section 27300) that apply to vendors.

§ 27220

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 736, Sec. 3. (AB 1669) Effective January 1, 2020.

(a)Within seven calendar days of the commencement of a gun show or event, but not later than noon on Friday for a show or event held on a weekend, the producer shall submit a list of all prospective vendors and designated firearms transfer agents who are licensed firearms dealers or ammunition vendors to the Department of Justice for the purpose of determining whether these prospective vendors and designated firearms transfer agents possess valid licenses and are thus eligible to participate as licensed dealers or ammunition vendors at the show or event.

(b)The department shall examine its records and if it determines that a dealer’s or vendor’s license is not valid, it shall notify the show

or event producer of that fact before the show or event commences.

§ 27225

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 736, Sec. 4. (AB 1669) Effective January 1, 2020.

If a licensed firearms dealer or ammunition vendor fails to cooperate with a producer of a gun show or event, or fails to comply with the applicable requirements of this article or Article 2 (commencing with Section 27300), that person shall not be allowed to participate in that show or event.

§ 27230

Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. (SB 1080) Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.

If a producer fails to comply with Section 27215 or 27220, the gun show or event shall not commence until those requirements are met.

§ 27235

Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 736, Sec. 5. (AB 1669) Effective January 1, 2020.

Every producer of a gun show or event shall have a written contract with each gun show vendor selling firearms or ammunition at the show or event.

§ 27240

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 696, Sec. 1. (AB 2552) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)The producer of a gun show or event shall require that signs be posted in a readily visible location at each public entrance to the show containing, but not limited to, the following notice:

“(1) This gun show follows all federal, state, and local firearms, ammunition, and weapons laws, without exception.

(2)Any firearm carried onto the premises by any member of the public will be checked, cleared of any ammunition, and secured in a manner that prevents it from being operated, and an identification tag or sticker will be attached to the firearm before the person is allowed admittance

to the show.

(3)No member of the public under the age of 18 years shall be admitted to the show unless accompanied by a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian.

(4)All firearms transfers between private parties at the show shall be conducted through a licensed dealer in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

(5)Persons possessing firearms of ammunition at this facility shall have in their immediate possession government-issued photo identification, and display it upon request to any security officer or any peace officer, as defined in Section 830.

(6)All ammunition transfers between private parties at the show shall be conducted through a

licensed dealer or ammunition vendor in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.

(7)Firearms must be handled responsibly and securely stored to prevent access by children and other unauthorized users. California has strict laws pertaining to firearms, and you may be fined or imprisoned if you fail to comply with them. Visit the internet website of the California Attorney General at https://oag.ca.gov/firearms for information on firearm laws applicable to you and how you can comply.

(8)Children may be unable to distinguish firearms from toys and may operate firearms, causing severe injury or death. If you keep a firearm within any premises under your custody or control, and a person under 18 years of age gains access to the firearm and carries it off-premises, you may

be guilty of a misdemeanor, unless you stored the firearm in a locked container, or locked the firearm with a locking device.

(9)You may be guilty of a misdemeanor, including a significant fine or imprisonment, if you keep a firearm where a minor is likely to access it or if a minor obtains and improperly uses it, or carries it off of the premises to a school or school-sponsored event, unless you stored the firearm in a locked container or locked the firearm with a locking device.

(10)If you negligently store or leave a firearm within any premises under your custody or control where a person under 18 years of age is likely to access it, you may be guilty of a misdemeanor, including a significant fine, unless you stored the firearm in a locked container or locked the firearm

with a locking device.

(11)Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas, cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result in exposure to lead, a substance known to cause birth defects, reproductive harm, and other serious physical injury. Have adequate ventilation when discharging or cleaning firearms or handling ammunition. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure.

(12)Federal regulations provide that if you do not take physical possession of the firearm that you are acquiring ownership of within 30 days after you complete the initial background check paperwork, then you must complete the background check process a second time in order to take physical possession of that firearm.

(13)No person shall make an

application to purchase more than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle within any 30-day period and no delivery shall be made to any person who has made an application to purchase more than one handgun or semiautomatic centerfire rifle within any 30-day period.

(14)If a firearm you own or possess is lost or stolen, you must report the loss or theft to a local law enforcement agency where the loss or theft occurred within five days of the time you knew or reasonably should have known that the firearm had been lost or stolen.”

(b)The show producer shall post, in a readily visible location at each entrance to the parking lot at the show, signage that states: “The transfer of firearms or ammunition on the parking lot of this facility

is a crime.”

§ 27245

Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 696, Sec. 2. (AB 2552) Effective January 1, 2023.

(a)A willful failure by a gun show producer to comply with any of the requirements of this article, except for the posting of required signs, shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000) and shall render the producer ineligible for a gun show producer license for two years from the date of the conviction.

(b)A willful failure of a gun show producer to post signs as required by this article shall be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000) for the first offense and not to exceed four thousand dollars ($4,000) for the second or subsequent offense, and with respect to the second or subsequent offense,

shall render the producer ineligible for a gun show producer license for two years from the date of the conviction.

(c)Multiple violations charged pursuant to subdivision (a) arising from more than one gun show or event shall be grounds for suspension of a producer’s certificate of eligibility, issued pursuant to Section 27200, pending adjudication of the violations.