(a) Any person who claims title to any firearm, ammunition feeding device, or ammunition that is in the custody or control of a court or law enforcement agency and who wishes to have the firearm, ammunition feeding device, or ammunition returned shall make application for a determination by the Department of Justice as to whether the applicant is eligible to possess a firearm, ammunition feeding device, or ammunition. The application shall be submitted electronically via the California Firearms Application Reporting System (CFARS) and shall include the following:

(1) The applicant’s name, date and place of birth, gender, telephone number, and complete address.

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Terms Used In California Penal Code 33850

  • ammunition: includes , but is not limited to, any bullet, cartridge, magazine, clip, speed loader, autoloader, ammunition feeding device, or projectile capable of being fired from a firearm with a deadly consequence. See California Penal Code 16150
  • ammunition vendor: means any person, firm, corporation, or other business enterprise that holds a current ammunition vendor license issued pursuant to Section 30385. See California Penal Code 16151
  • firearm: includes the frame or receiver of the weapon, including both a completed frame or receiver, or a firearm precursor part:

    California Penal Code 16520

  • handgun: means any pistol, revolver, or firearm capable of being concealed upon the person. See California Penal Code 16640
  • knowingly: import s only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See California Penal Code 7
  • license: shall include a permit or a certificate issued by a state agency. See California Penal Code 23
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See California Penal Code 7
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the district and territories. See California Penal Code 7

(2) Whether the applicant is a United States citizen. If the applicant is not a United States citizen, the application shall also include the applicant’s country of citizenship and the applicant’s United States Citizenship and Immigration Services-assigned number or I-94 number.

(3) If the seized property is a firearm, the firearm’s make, model, caliber, barrel length, type, country of origin, and serial number, provided, however, that if the firearm is not a handgun and does not have a serial number, identification number, or identification mark assigned to it, there shall be a place on the application to note that fact.

(4) For residents of California, the applicant’s valid California driver’s license number or valid California identification card number issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. For nonresidents of California, a copy of the applicant’s military identification with orders indicating that the individual is stationed in California, or a copy of the applicant’s valid driver’s license from the applicant’s state of residence, or a copy of the applicant’s state identification card from the applicant’s state of residence. Copies of the documents provided by non-California residents shall be notarized.

(5) The name of the court or law enforcement agency holding the firearm, ammunition feeding device, or ammunition.

(6) The signature of the applicant and the date of signature.

(7) Any person furnishing a fictitious name or address or knowingly furnishing any incorrect information or knowingly omitting any information required to be provided for the application, including any notarized information pursuant to paragraph (4), shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

(b) A person who owns a firearm that is in the custody of a court or law enforcement agency and who does not wish to obtain possession of the firearm, and the firearm is an otherwise legal firearm, and the person otherwise has right to title of the firearm, shall be entitled to sell or transfer title of the firearm to a licensed dealer or a third party that is not prohibited from possessing that firearm. Any sale or transfer to a third party pursuant to this subdivision shall be conducted pursuant to Section 27545.

(c) A person who owns an ammunition feeding device or ammunition that is in the custody of a court or a law enforcement agency and who does not wish to obtain possession of the ammunition or ammunition feeding device, and the ammunition feeding device or ammunition is otherwise legal, shall be entitled to sell or otherwise transfer the ammunition feeding device or ammunition to a licensed firearms dealer or ammunition vendor or a third party that is not prohibited from possessing that ammunition feeding device or ammunition. Any sale or other transfer of ammunition to a third party pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be conducted through an ammunition vendor in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article 4 (commencing with Section 30370) of Chapter 1 of Division 10.

(d) Any person furnishing a fictitious name or address, or knowingly furnishing any incorrect information or knowingly omitting any information required to be provided for the application, including any notarized information pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a), is punishable as a misdemeanor.

(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2020.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 780, Sec. 10) by Stats. 2021, Ch. 296, Sec. 53. (AB 1096) Effective January 1, 2022.)