This State Has the Strictest Gun Control Policies in the Country

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• Firearm policy has become one of the most polarizing issues in American politics in recent years.
• The partisan debate over the appropriate balance between gun rights and gun control has resulted in years of stalled gun control initiatives in Washington, D.C., and a patchwork of firearm regulations across the 50 states. 
• Through a wide ranging set of policies, California has adopted some of the strictest gun control legislation in the country.
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Gun ownership has been a constitutional right in the United States for more than 200 years. While federal law restricts access to firearms for certain groups — including felons, illegal drug users, and fugitives — and effectively prohibits civilian ownership of specific types of firearms — such as new, fully automatic weapons and short-barreled shotguns — the U.S. has some of the most permissive gun laws in the world.

The growing regularity of mass shootings in recent decades, in addition to rising rates of gun violence, have caused many to call for tighter firearm restrictions. This, in turn, has made gun control one of the most polarizing issues in American politics. According to a 2023 Gallup survey, 84% of likely Democratic voters say that gun laws should be stricter, compared to only 31% of likely Republican voters.

In the current era of divided government, the partisan gulf over gun control has yielded little beyond political gridlock. In the absence of legislative action on Capitol Hill, many states have exercised their authority to expand upon federal gun control policies. Others, meanwhile, have adopted a decidedly hands-off approach.

According to the analysis of Giffords Law Center, a gun violence prevention group, California has implemented the strongest gun control laws of any state in the country. Accounting for a wide-range of policies at the disposal of state governments — including assault-style weapon and high-capacity magazine restrictions, universal background check laws, waiting periods, and regulating firearms in public — Gifford’s Law Center assigned California a letter grade of “A”, on an A-F scale, for the strength of its gun control laws. (Here is a look at every state’s gun law grade.)

Firearm regulations are generally designed and implemented to reduce the likelihood of gun violence, and in states where gun control takes a backseat to gun rights, firearm fatality rates tend to be higher. According to the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3,484 firearm related deaths in California in 2022, or about 8.6 for every 100,000 people, the seventh lowest gun-death rate of the 50 states. (Here is a look at the U.S. cities where gun crime is surging.)

Using data compiled by Gifford’s Law Center, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed California”s approach to 14 key gun control policy areas. It is important to note that the laws on this list are not exhaustive, and only represent broad guidelines. Legal nuances can vary at the state and local levels.

Why It Matters

With the exception of some modest revisions to background check protocols, the U.S. has not implemented any meaningful gun control reform in decades. Still, state governments also have the authority to enact their own policies, resulting in a patchwork of gun laws across the 50 states. Currently, California ranks as having the strongest state-level firearm regulations in the country.

Universal background check laws

• State policy: All gun buyers must undergo a background check before obtaining a firearm from a licensed retailer — but transfers made from unlicensed retailers are exempt from federal background check requirements. California is one of several states that has closed this loophole, with universal background check laws that cover both licensed and unlicensed dealers.

Mental health reporting

• State policy: California is required to report individuals involuntarily committed to undergo mental health treatment, as well as those who are under living with a guardian to help manage their affairs, to federal background check databases.

Concealed carry of a firearm

• State policy: A permit is required to carry a concealed firearm in public places in California.

Handgun open-carry regulations

• State policy: Open carry of handguns in public places is prohibited in California.

Long-gun open-carry regulations

• State policy: Open carry of long guns, like rifles or shotguns, is generally prohibited in California, though there are some exceptions.

Stand-your-ground laws

• State policy: The state does not have explicit stand your ground laws, but courts have held that lawful gun owners do not have a duty to retreat from a public confrontation when an individual is being threatened with death or serious bodily harm.

Guns in schools

• State policy: In California, firearms can be carried in K-12 schools by school security officers only.

Mandatory waiting periods for firearm purchases

• State policy: In California, there is a mandatory 10 day waiting period for the purchase of all firearms.

Assault-style weapons

• State policy: Assault weapons are effectively prohibited in California. The state bans certain assault-style firearms by name, and others by certain features, including rifles with a pistol grip beneath the action and rifles with a folding or telescoping stock. California does offer exceptions for assault weapons acquired before the ban went into effect.

High-capacity magazines

• State policy: All firearms in California are restricted to a 10-round maximum magazine capacity.

Licensing requirements

• State policy: A license is required to own any firearm in the state of California.

State-level prohibitions on who can own firearms

• State policy: In California, individuals who have been convicted of a violent or gun-related misdemeanor, individuals struggling with alcohol abuse, and adults who were adjudicated for certain juvenile offenses are subject to firearm access restrictions.

Minimum age requirements for handguns

• State policy: In California, individuals must be at least 21 years old to purchase a handgun and at least 18 years old to possess a handgun.

Minimum age requirements for long-guns

• State policy: In California, individuals must be at least 21 years old to purchase a long gun — like a rifle or shotgun — and at least 18 years old to possess a long gun.

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