(a) For new license applicants, the course of training for issuance of a license under Section 26150 or 26155 may be any course acceptable to the licensing authority that meets all of the following minimum criteria:

(1) The course shall be no less than 16 hours in length.

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Terms Used In California Penal Code 26165

  • 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

  • license: shall include a permit or a certificate issued by a state agency. See California Penal Code 23
  • peace officer: signify any one of the officers mentioned in Chapter 4. See California Penal Code 7
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Penal Code 7
  • safety: is a utomatically applied by the pistol, this feature shall not be defeated. See California Penal Code 31900

(2) The course shall include instruction on firearm safety, firearm handling, shooting technique, safe storage, legal methods to transport firearms and securing firearms in vehicles, laws governing where permitholders may carry firearms, laws regarding the permissible use of a firearm, and laws regarding the permissible use of lethal force in self-defense.

(3) The course shall include a component, no less than one hour in length, on mental health and mental health resources.

(4) Except for the component on mental health and mental health resources, the course shall be taught and supervised by firearms instructors certified by the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 31635, or in a manner to be prescribed by regulation.

(5) The course shall require students to pass a written examination to demonstrate their understanding of the covered topics.

(6) The course shall include live-fire shooting exercises on a firing range and shall include a demonstration by the applicant of safe handling of, and shooting proficiency with, each firearm that the applicant is applying to be licensed to carry.

(b) A licensing authority shall establish, and make available to the public, the standards it uses when issuing licenses with regards to the required live-fire shooting exercises, including, but not limited to, a minimum number of rounds to be fired and minimum passing scores from specified firing distances.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the licensing authority may require a community college course certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, up to a maximum of 24 hours, but only if required uniformly of all license applicants without exception.

(d) For license renewal applicants, the course of training may be any course acceptable to the licensing authority, shall be no less than eight hours, and shall satisfy the requirements of paragraphs (2) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (a). No course of training shall be required for any person certified by the licensing authority as a trainer for purposes of this section, in order for that person to renew a license issued pursuant to this chapter.

(e) The applicant shall not be required to pay for any training courses prior to the initial determination of whether the applicant is a disqualified person pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 26202.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 249, Sec. 13. (SB 2) Effective January 1, 2024.)

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