How to Buy a Gun Online in California

Cal Guns Depot sells rifles, handguns and ammunition online, and every firearm goes to the California licensed dealer you choose. This guide explains how an online order becomes a completed sale, which state rules apply, and what to have ready before your firearm arrives.

How ordering online and shipping to a local dealer works

You place your order on this site and choose a licensed California dealer near you at checkout. We ship the firearm to that dealer, not to your home. Private sales in California also go through a licensed dealer, so the same dealer step applies to every firearm you buy here.

Before you order, make sure you have a valid California ID and a Firearm Safety Certificate. When the firearm reaches the dealer, the dealer enters the sale into the Dealer's Record of Sale system. You complete the required paperwork and background check at pickup, as the state rules describe. For a handgun you also perform a safe handling demonstration at the counter. The firearm is released only after the 10-day waiting period has passed.

Plan for shipping time plus the 10-day waiting period. The wait applies even when the firearm arrives quickly, and the dealer cannot release it before the wait ends. Keep your valid California ID and Firearm Safety Certificate ready for the dealer, since the sale cannot start without them.

What the California rules say

The California Department of Justice runs the eligibility check for every dealer sale. A handgun sold by a dealer must be a make and model on the DOJ Roster of Certified Handguns. Dealers may not sell a firearm to anyone under 21, with narrow exemptions for long guns.

The waiting period is ten days. The dealer submits the Dealer's Record of Sale, and the firearm cannot be released before ten 24-hour periods have passed, even when the eligibility check clears early. There is no permit to purchase in California, but you need a valid Firearm Safety Certificate and California ID before a sale can start.

Carry is a separate process. Senate Bill 2 took effect on January 1, 2024 and set the state's current carry licensing rules. Your county sheriff issues carry licenses to county residents, and a city police chief may issue inside their own city. Applicants must be at least 21, pass a background check and an interview, and complete at least 16 hours of approved training, with 8 hours of refresher training before each renewal. Licenses run two years and list up to three handguns. Senate Bill 2 also added a long list of places where licensed carry is barred, and federal courts have narrowed parts of that list, so check the current rules before you carry.

Ammunition for a California address must be delivered through a licensed California ammunition vendor, who runs a state eligibility check before handing it over. Optics, cases and most parts ship to your door. Confirm the current version with the official sources below.

Regions we serve

We serve customers in these areas:

Sacramento
Northern California

Pick the dealer nearest you at checkout. If you are not sure whether a dealer will take your transfer, contact that dealer before you order and ask.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to buy a gun in your area?

California has no permit to purchase, but you do need a valid Firearm Safety Certificate and California ID before the dealer near you can start the sale. A handgun also has to be a model on the Department of Justice roster.

How long is the waiting period in California?

Ten days. The dealer submits the Dealer's Record of Sale, the Department of Justice runs the eligibility check, and the firearm cannot be released before ten 24-hour periods have passed, even when the check clears early.

Who issues carry licenses in your county?

Your county sheriff, and in many cities the police chief as well. Since Senate Bill 2 took effect in January 2024 the license is shall-issue for qualified applicants, with at least 16 hours of training and a two-year term.

How does a gun I order reach me?

We ship every firearm to a licensed California dealer near you that you choose at checkout. The dealer confirms roster status where it applies, runs the background check and releases the gun after the 10-day wait.

Can ammunition be shipped to my house?

No. Ammunition bought for a California address has to be delivered through a licensed California ammunition vendor, who runs a state eligibility check before handing it over. Optics, cases and most parts still ship to your door.