Penal Code § 27540 - California Law

Current Version

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 570, Sec. 17. (AB 1078) Effective January 1, 2026. Inoperative April 1, 2026, by its own provisions. Repealed as of January 1, 2027, by its own provisions. See later operative version added by Sec. 18 of Stats. 2025, Ch. 570.

A dealer, whether or not acting pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050), shall not deliver a firearm to a person, as follows:

(a)Within 10 days of the application to purchase, or, after notice by the department pursuant to Section 28220, within 10 days of the submission to the department of any correction to the application, or within 10 days of the submission to the department of any fee required pursuant to Section 28225, whichever is later.

(b)Unless unloaded and securely wrapped or unloaded and in a locked container.

(c)Unless the purchaser, transferee, or person being loaned the firearm presents clear evidence of the person’s identity

and age to the dealer.

(d)Whenever the dealer is notified by the Department of Justice that the person is prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm.

(e)A firearm, including a handgun, shall not be delivered unless the purchaser, transferee, or person being loaned the firearm presents a firearm safety certificate to the dealer, except that in the case of a handgun, an unexpired handgun safety certificate may be presented.

(f)A firearm shall not be delivered whenever the dealer is notified by the Department of Justice that within the preceding 30-day period, the purchaser has made another application to purchase a handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part, and that the previous application to purchase did not

involve any of the entities or circumstances specified in subdivision (b) of Section 27535.

(g)This section shall become inoperative on April 1, 2026, and, as of January 1, 2027, is repealed.

Future Version

Repealed (in Sec. 17) and added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 570, Sec. 18. (AB 1078) Effective January 1, 2026. Operative April 1, 2026, by its own provisions.

A dealer, whether or not acting pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050), shall not deliver a firearm to a person, as follows:

(b)Unless unloaded and securely wrapped or unloaded and in a locked container.

(c)Unless the purchaser, transferee, or person being loaned the firearm presents clear evidence of

the person’s identity and age to the dealer.

(d)Whenever the dealer is notified by the Department of Justice that the person is prohibited by state or federal law from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm.

(f)A firearm shall not be delivered whenever the dealer is notified by the Department of Justice that the purchaser has made an application to purchase one or more firearms that would result in the purchase of more than three firearms cumulatively within the 30-day period preceding the date of the application, inclusive,

including any handgun, semiautomatic centerfire rifle, completed frame or receiver, or firearm precursor part, and that the application or applications to purchase did not involve any of the entities or circumstances specified in subdivision (b) of Section 27535.

(g)This section shall become operative on April 1, 2026.