CHAPTER 4.1. Registration and Assignment of Firearms by Private Patrol Operators [28010. - 28024.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 4.1.
in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28010. Section 28010.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that current practices and statutes authorize the purchase, registration, and ownership of firearms by an individual, but not by a business entity. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to allow business ownership and registration of firearms in the case of licensed Private Patrol Operators (PPOs) who are actively providing armed private contract security services. It is further the intent of the Legislature to establish procedures whereby a PPO may assign firearms it owns to its employees who are licensed to carry firearms and that assignment of a firearm by a PPO to that employee would not constitute a loan, sale, or transfer of a firearm. (c) It is the intent of the Legislature to require notification of the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services any time a security guard is listed on the Prohibited Armed Persons File so that the bureau may proceed with appropriate action regarding the licensing of the employee. (d) For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (1) “Bureau” means the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services within the Department of Consumer Affairs. (2) “Department” means the Department of Justice. (3) “Director” means the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs. (4) “Private patrol operator” or “PPO” means a private patrol operator licensed pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code whose license is not suspended, revoked, expired, inactive, delinquent, or canceled. (5) “Security guard” means a security guard registered pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code whose registration is not suspended, revoked, expired, inactive, delinquent, or canceled.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28012. Section 28012.

(a) A PPO may be the registered owner of a firearm if the PPO is registered with the department pursuant to procedures established by the department. (b) The department shall modify the department’s Dealers’ Record of Sale (DROS) form to allow a PPO to be listed as the purchaser and registered owner of a firearm. The form shall also require the PPO to identify its type of business formation and to include any tax identification number or other identifying number of the PPO that may be required by the department. (c) (1) The department shall modify the department’s DROS form to require the PPO to designate a “firearms custodian” for the firearm owned by the PPO that is listed in the DROS. A firearms custodian shall possess a valid firearms qualification permit issued by the bureau. A firearms custodian is responsible for the tracking, safekeeping, and inventory of those firearms of the PPO for which the custodian is designated, and shall serve as a point of contact for the department regarding the firearms for which the custodian is designated. (2) If a firearms custodian is no longer employed by the PPO in that capacity, or otherwise becomes ineligible to be the firearms custodian, the PPO shall notify the department of that fact within seven days in a manner prescribed by the department, and the PPO shall notify the department of the designated replacement firearms custodian within 20 days of the original notice. (d) A security guard shall possess a valid firearm qualification permit issued by the bureau prior to receiving a firearm from a PPO pursuant to a Certificate of Assignment (COA). A firearm shall be assigned by a PPO to a security guard who is employed to work for the PPO only when that employment requires the security guard to be armed. (e) (1) (A) The department shall prescribe a “Certificate of Assignment” or “COA.” The COA may include fields that are in the DROS form, and shall be used to identify the employee of the PPO who has been assigned a PPO-owned firearm by the PPO pursuant to this chapter. (B) The COA shall also be used to identify an employee of the PPO who will use his or her own firearm in the course of his or her duties as a security guard. The COA shall not require specific information regarding an employee-owned firearm. (2) A PPO shall register a PPO-owned firearm acquired prior to July 1, 2016, as a PPO-owned firearm in a manner prescribed by the department prior to filing a COA for that firearm. (3) Upon the PPO assigning a firearm to an employee who is a security guard, the PPO shall complete the COA and file it with the department in a timely manner as prescribed by the department. (f) The department shall cause the information contained on the COA to be entered into the Automated Firearms System in a timely manner. Upon termination of the employment assignment that requires the security guard to be armed and the transfer of the firearm from the security guard back to the PPO, the PPO shall complete a COA indicating that the firearm is no longer assigned to the employee and that the firearm is in the possession of the PPO and shall file the COA with the department in a timely manner, as prescribed. (g) If a security guard becomes listed on the Prohibited Armed Persons File, the department shall immediately notify the bureau of the listing by secured electronic delivery. Upon that notification, the bureau shall take appropriate action regarding the security guard. In addition, the department shall notify the PPO, in the manner the department deems appropriate, that the PPO employee is prohibited from being armed. This chapter does not prohibit the department from also notifying the bureau if a security guard has been arrested and charged with an offense that, upon conviction, would constitute a basis for revocation of a firearms qualification permit or security guard registration.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28014. Section 28014.

The department shall charge a fee not to exceed the reasonable costs to the department for filing and processing a COA, and for the costs incurred in the implementation and administration of this chapter, including, but not limited to, entering information obtained pursuant to this chapter into the Automated Firearms System and other databases as deemed necessary by the department. The fee shall be deposited in the Dealers’ Record of Sale Special Account.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28016. Section 28016.

(a) If the PPO ceases to do business, ceases to possess a valid PPO license issued by the bureau that is not suspended, revoked, expired, inactive, delinquent, or canceled, ceases as a business entity, or changes its type of business formation, the PPO shall, within 30 days and unless otherwise prohibited by law, lawfully sell or transfer all PPO-owned firearms. (b) A PPO shall notify the department of the sale or transfer of a PPO-owned firearm within five business days of the transaction in a manner prescribed by the department. This subdivision shall not apply if the sale or transfer was made to or through a licensed firearms dealer pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050).

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28018. Section 28018.

Notwithstanding any other law, an assignment of a firearm pursuant to this chapter shall not constitute a loan, sale, or transfer of a firearm.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28020. Section 28020.

(a) Within 48 hours of the PPO’s request, for any reason, or within 48 hours of separation of employment or revocation of the firearm qualification card, the security guard shall return to the PPO the firearm owned by the PPO and listed on a COA. (b) The failure of a security guard to comply with subdivision (a) is a misdemeanor. (c) If a security guard employed by a PPO does not comply with subdivision (a), the PPO shall notify the bureau within seven business days from the date that the security guard was required to return the firearm to the PPO. (d) This chapter does not limit the right of a security guard to use, possess, or otherwise lawfully carry a firearm owned by that security guard.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 28022. Section 28022.

(a) The director, through his or her designee, may assess an administrative fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) against a PPO or a security guard for each willful violation of this chapter. All fines collected pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in the Private Security Services Fund. (b) An assessment imposed pursuant to this section may be appealed pursuant to Section 7581.3 of the Business and Professions Code.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

Starting a business in California? California LLC guide: costs and requirements