Section 12021.5.
Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 12021.5.
in effect(a)
Every person who carries a loaded or unloaded firearm on his or her person, or in a vehicle, during the commission or attempted commission of any street gang crimes described in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 186.22, shall, upon conviction of the felony or attempted felony, be punished by an additional term of imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for one, two, or three years in the court’s discretion. The court shall impose the middle term unless there are circumstances in aggravation or mitigation. The court shall state the reasons for its enhancement choice on the record at the time of sentence.
(b)
Every person who carries a loaded or unloaded firearm together
with a detachable shotgun magazine, a detachable pistol magazine, a detachable magazine, or a belt-feeding device on his or her person, or in a vehicle, during the commission or attempted commission of any street gang crimes described in subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 186.22, shall, upon conviction of the felony or attempted felony, be punished by an additional term of imprisonment in the state prison for two, three, or four years in the court’s discretion. The court shall impose the middle term unless there are circumstances in aggravation or mitigation. The court shall state the reasons for its enhancement choice on the record at the time of sentence.
(c)
As used in this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1)
“Detachable magazine” means a device that is designed or redesigned
to do all of the following:
(A)
To be attached to a rifle that is designed or redesigned to
fire ammunition.
(B)
To be attached to, and detached from, a rifle that is designed or redesigned to fire ammunition.
(C)
To feed ammunition continuously and directly into the loading mechanism of a rifle that is designed or redesigned to fire ammunition.
(2)
“Detachable pistol magazine” means a device that is designed or redesigned to do all of the following:
(A)
To be attached to a semiautomatic firearm that is not a rifle or shotgun that is designed or redesigned to fire ammunition.
(B)
To be attached to, and detached from, a firearm that is not a rifle or shotgun that is designed
or redesigned to fire ammunition.
(C)
To feed ammunition continuously and directly into the loading mechanism of a firearm that is not a rifle or a shotgun that is designed or redesigned to fire ammunition.
(3)
“Detachable shotgun magazine” means a device that is designed or redesigned to do all of the following:
(A)
To be attached to a firearm that is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell through a smooth or rifled bore.
(B)
To be attached to, and detached from, a firearm that is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell through a smooth bore.
(C)
To feed fixed shotgun
shells continuously and directly into the loading mechanism of a firearm that is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell.
(4)
“Belt-feeding device” means a device that is designed or redesigned to continuously feed ammunition into the loading mechanism of a machinegun or a semiautomatic firearm.
(5)
“Rifle” shall have the same meaning as specified in Section 17090.
(6)
“Shotgun” shall have the same meaning as specified in Section 17190.
(d)
This section shall become operative on January 1, 2022.
References
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 186.22.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 1170.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 17090.
referencesCal. Penal Code - PEN § 17190.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026