(a) (1) (A) Applications for licenses and applications for amendments to licenses under this chapter shall be uniform throughout the state, upon forms to be prescribed by the Attorney General.

(B) Upon the effective date of the act that added this subparagraph, the Attorney General may issue forms to be used for applications for licenses and applications for amendments to licenses under this chapter, in conformance with the act that added this subparagraph, to be used until 60 days after the effective date of the act that added this subparagraph.

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(2) The Attorney General shall convene a committee composed of one representative of the California State Sheriffs’ Association, one representative of the California Police Chiefs Association, and one representative of the Department of Justice to review, and, as deemed appropriate, revise the standard application form for licenses prescribed by the Attorney General pursuant to paragraph (1). If the committee does not release a revised application form by 60 days after the effective date of the act that added subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), the Attorney General has the sole authority to revise the standard application form for licenses. After the initial revised application is issued, if one of the committee’s members concludes that further revisions are necessary, that member shall notify the other members of the committee, and the committee shall revise the application within three months of the notification. If the committee fails to release a revised application within that time, the Attorney General has the sole authority to revise the standard application form for licenses.

(3) (A) The Attorney General shall develop a uniform license that may be used as indicia of proof of licensure throughout the state.

(B) The Attorney General shall approve the use of licenses issued by local agencies that contain all the information required in subdivision (i), including a recent photograph of the applicant, and are deemed to be in substantial compliance with standards developed by the committee described in subparagraph (C), if developed, as they relate to the physical dimensions and general appearance of the licenses. The Attorney General shall retain exemplars of approved licenses and shall maintain a list of agencies issuing local licenses. Approved licenses may be used as indicia of proof of licensure under this chapter in lieu of the uniform license developed by the Attorney General.

(C) A committee composed of two representatives of the California State Sheriffs’ Association, two representatives of the California Police Chiefs Association, and one representative of the Department of Justice shall convene to review and revise, as the committee deems appropriate, the design standard for licenses issued by local agencies that may be used as indicia of proof of licensure throughout the state, provided that the design standard meets the requirements of subparagraph (B). If the committee does not issue a design standard by 60 days after the effective date of the act that added subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), the Attorney General has the sole authority to set the design standard for licenses issued by local agencies that may be used as indicia of proof of licensure throughout the state, provided that the design standard meets the requirements of subparagraph (B). After the initial design standard is issued, if one of the committee’s members concludes that further revisions are necessary, that member shall notify the other members of the committee, and the committee shall revise the design standard within three months of the notification. If the committee fails to release a design standard within that time, the Attorney General has the sole authority to revise the design standard for licenses issued by local agencies that may be used as indicia of proof of licensure throughout the state.

(b) The application shall include a section summarizing the requirements of state law that result in the automatic denial of a license.

(c) (1) The standard application form for licenses described in subdivision (a) shall require information from the applicant, including, but not limited to, the name, occupation, residence, and business address of the applicant, the applicant’s age, height, weight, color of eyes and hair, the applicant’s prior detentions, arrests, and criminal convictions, whether the applicant has been the subject of an order listed in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 26202 or a valid restraining, protective, or stay-away order issued by an out-of-state jurisdiction pursuant to laws concerning domestic violence, family law, protection of children or elderly persons, stalking, harassment, witness intimidation, or firearm possession, whether the applicant has previously been taken into custody as a danger to self or others under Section 5150 or Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 5585) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, assessed under § 5151 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, admitted to a mental health facility under Section 5151 or 5152 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or certified under Section 5250, 5260, or 5270.15 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, whether any licensing authority in this state or elsewhere has previously denied the applicant a license to carry a firearm or revoked such a license for any reason, the names and contact information of three persons willing to serve as references for the applicant, at least one of whom must be a person described in subdivision (b) of Section 273.5, if applicable, and at least one of whom must be the applicant’s cohabitant, if applicable, and other information sufficient to make a determination of whether the applicant is a disqualified person pursuant to Section 26202.

(2) In lieu of residence or business addresses, an applicant who participates in the program described in Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code may provide the address designated to the applicant by the Secretary of State.

(3) In lieu of a residence, an applicant who falls within the categories described in subdivision (c) of Section 26220 may provide a business address or an alternative mailing address, such as a post office box.

(d) Completed applications for licenses shall be filed in writing and signed by the applicant, and contain all information required by the application, as determined by the licensing authority.

(e) Applications for amendments to licenses shall be filed in writing and signed by the applicant, and shall state what type of amendment is sought pursuant to Section 26215 and the reason for desiring the amendment.

(f) The forms shall contain a provision whereby the applicant attests to the truth of statements contained in the application.

(g) An applicant shall not be required to complete any additional application or form for a license, except to clarify or interpret information provided by the applicant on the standard application form.

(h) The standard application form described in subdivision (a) is deemed to be a local form expressly exempt from the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code).

(i) (1) As of 60 days after the effective date of the act that added subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), a license issued upon the application shall set forth the licensee’s full name, driver’s license or identification number, Criminal Identification and Information number, occupation, residence and business address, the licensee’s date of birth, height, weight, and color of eyes and hair, and indicate the type of license issued as it relates to Section 26220, including license issuance and expiration date, and shall, in addition, contain the licensee’s fingerprints, a picture of the licensee, and a description of the weapon or weapons authorized to be carried, detailing the name of the manufacturer, the model, the serial number, and the caliber. The license issued to the licensee may be laminated. Prior to 60 days after the effective date of the act that added subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a), any license issued upon the application shall take the form of the uniform license developed by the Attorney General and used as indicia of proof of licensure throughout the state immediately prior to the effective date of the act that added this paragraph.

(2) In lieu of residence or business addresses, a licensee who participates in the program described in Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code may provide the address designated to the applicant by the Secretary of State. Upon termination from the program described in Chapter 3.1 (commencing with Section 6205) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, the licensee shall comply with Section 26210.

(3) In lieu of a residence address, a licensee who falls within the categories described in subdivision (c) of Section 26220 may provide a business address or an alternative mailing address, such as a post office box. Upon termination from the category described in subdivision (c) of Section 26220, the licensee shall comply with Section 26210.

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 249, Sec. 15. (SB 2) Effective January 1, 2024.)