ARTICLE 3. Permits [32650. - 32670.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 3.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 32650. Section 32650.

(a) The Department of Justice may issue permits for the possession, manufacture, and transportation or possession, manufacture, or transportation of machineguns, upon a satisfactory showing that good cause exists for the issuance of the permit to the applicant. No permit shall be issued to a person who is under 18 years of age. (b) A permit for possession issued pursuant to this section may only be issued to an individual, and may not be issued to a partnership, corporation, limited liability company, association, or any other group or entity, regardless of how that entity was created.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 32655. Section 32655.

(a) An application for a permit under this article shall satisfy all of the following conditions: (1) It shall be filed in writing. (2) It shall be signed by the applicant if an individual, or by a member or officer qualified to sign if the applicant is a firm or corporation. (3) It shall state the applicant’s name. (4) It shall state the business in which the applicant is engaged. (5) It shall state the applicant’s business address. (6) It shall include a full description of the use to which the firearms are to be put. (b) Applications and permits shall be uniform throughout the state on forms prescribed by the Department of Justice. (c) Each applicant for a permit shall pay at the time of filing the application a fee determined by the Department of Justice. The fee shall not exceed the application processing costs of the Department of Justice. (d) A permit granted pursuant to this article may be renewed one year from the date of issuance, and annually thereafter, upon the filing of a renewal application and the payment of a permit renewal fee, which shall not exceed the application processing costs of the Department of Justice. (e) After the department establishes fees sufficient to reimburse the department for processing costs, fees charged shall increase at a rate not to exceed the legislatively approved annual cost-of-living adjustments for the department’s budget.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 32660. Section 32660.

Every person, firm, or corporation to whom a permit is issued under this article shall keep it on the person or at the place where the firearms are kept. The permit shall be open to inspection by any peace officer or any other person designated by the authority issuing the permit.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 32665. Section 32665.

A permit issued in accordance with this chapter may be revoked by the issuing authority at any time, when it appears that the need for the firearms has ceased or that the holder of the permit has used the firearms for purposes other than those allowed by the permit or that the holder of the permit has not exercised great care in retaining custody of any weapons possessed under the permit.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 32670. Section 32670.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), the Department of Justice shall, for every person, firm, or corporation to whom a permit is issued pursuant to this article, annually conduct an inspection for security and safe storage purposes, and to reconcile the inventory of machineguns. (b) A person, firm, or corporation with an inventory of fewer than five devices that require any Department of Justice permit shall be subject to an inspection for security and safe storage purposes, and to reconcile inventory, once every five years, or more frequently if determined by the department.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026