ARTICLE 2. Permit for Short-Barreled Rifle or Short-Barreled Shotgun [33300. - 33320.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 2.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 33300. Section 33300.

(a) Upon a showing that good cause exists for issuance of a permit to the applicant, and if the Department of Justice finds that issuance of the permit does not endanger the public safety, the department may issue a permit for the manufacture, possession, importation, transportation, or sale of short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns. The permit shall be initially valid for a period of one year, and renewable annually thereafter. No permit shall be issued to a person who is under 18 years of age. (b) Good cause, for the purposes of this section, shall be limited to only the following: (1) The permit is sought for the manufacture, possession, importation, or use with blank cartridges, of a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun, solely as a prop for a motion picture, television, or video production or entertainment event. (2) The permit is sought for the manufacture of, exposing for sale, keeping for sale, sale of, importation or lending of short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns to the entities listed in Section 33220 by persons who are licensed as dealers or manufacturers under the provisions of Chapter 53 (commencing with Section 5801) of Title 26 of the United States Code, as amended, and the regulations issued pursuant thereto.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 33305. Section 33305.

(a) An application for a permit under this article shall satisfy all of the following conditions: (1) It shall be filed in writing. (2) It shall be signed by the applicant if an individual, or by a member or officer qualified to sign if the applicant is a firm or corporation. (3) It shall state the applicant’s name. (4) It shall state the business in which the applicant is engaged. (5) It shall state the applicant’s business address. (6) It shall include a full description of the use to which the short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns are to be put. (b) Applications and permits shall be uniform throughout the state on forms prescribed by the Department of Justice. (c) Each applicant for a permit shall pay at the time of filing the application a fee determined by the Department of Justice. The fee shall not exceed the application processing costs of the Department of Justice. (d) A permit granted pursuant to this article may be renewed one year from the date of issuance, and annually thereafter, upon the filing of a renewal application and the payment of a permit renewal fee, which shall not exceed the application processing costs of the Department of Justice. (e) After the department establishes fees sufficient to reimburse the department for processing costs, fees charged shall increase at a rate not to exceed the legislatively approved annual cost-of-living adjustments for the department’s budget.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 33310. Section 33310.

(a) Every person, firm, or corporation to whom a permit is issued under this article shall keep it on the person or at the place where the short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns are kept. The permit shall be open to inspection by any peace officer or any other person designated by the authority issuing the permit. (b) Every short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun possessed pursuant to the provisions of this article shall bear a unique identifying number. If a weapon does not bear a unique identifying number, the Department of Justice shall assign a number which shall be placed or stamped on that weapon.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 33315. Section 33315.

A permit issued in accordance with this article may be revoked by the issuing authority at any time, when it appears that the need for the short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns has ceased or that the holder of the permit has used the short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns for purposes other than those allowed by the permit or that the holder of the permit has not exercised great care in retaining custody of any weapons possessed under the permit.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 33320. Section 33320.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the Department of Justice shall, for every person, firm, or corporation to whom a permit is issued pursuant to this article, annually conduct an inspection for security and safe storage purposes, and to reconcile the inventory of short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns. (b) A person, firm, or corporation with an inventory of fewer than five devices that require any Department of Justice permit shall be subject to an inspection for security and safe storage purposes, and to reconcile inventory, once every five years, or more frequently if determined by the department.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026