(a) Any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person manufactured in this state, imported into the state for sale, kept for sale, or offered or exposed for sale, shall be tested within a reasonable period of time by an independent laboratory certified pursuant to subdivision (b) to determine whether that pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person meets or exceeds the standards defined in Section 31910.

(b) On or before October 1, 2000, the Department of Justice shall certify laboratories to verify compliance with the standards defined in Section 31910. The department may charge a fee to certify a laboratory to test any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person pursuant to Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive. The fee shall not exceed the costs of certification.

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Terms Used In California Penal Code 32010

  • chamber load indicator: means a device that plainly indicates that a cartridge is in the firing chamber. See California Penal Code 16380
  • 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

  • magazine disconnect mechanism: means a mechanism that prevents a semiautomatic pistol that has a detachable magazine from operating to strike the primer of ammunition in the firing chamber when a detachable magazine is not inserted in the semiautomatic pistol. See California Penal Code 16900
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. 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

(c) The certified testing laboratory shall, at the manufacturer’s or importer’s expense, test the firearm and submit a copy of the final test report directly to the Department of Justice along with a prototype of the weapon to be retained by the department. The department shall notify the manufacturer or importer of its receipt of the final test report and the department’s determination as to whether the firearm tested may be sold in this state.

(d) (1) Commencing January 1, 2006, no center-fire semiautomatic pistol may be submitted for testing pursuant to Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive, if it does not have either a chamber load indicator, or a magazine disconnect mechanism if it has a detachable magazine.

(2) Commencing January 1, 2007, no center-fire semiautomatic pistol may be submitted for testing pursuant to Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive, if it does not have both a chamber load indicator and a magazine disconnect mechanism.

(3) Commencing January 1, 2006, no rimfire semiautomatic pistol may be submitted for testing pursuant to Sections 31900 to 32110, inclusive, if it has a detachable magazine, and does not have a magazine disconnect mechanism.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 185, Sec. 11. (AB 2176) Effective January 1, 2019.)