How To Register A Gun That Was Given To Me

June 5, 2021 update: On June 4, 2021, a federal judge overturned California's ban on assault weapons on the grounds that it violates the ramble right to comport artillery under the 2nd Subpoena. But assault weapons remain illegal in California while the country appeals the ruling.

Yous tin can register an unregistered gun in California past completing and submitting a Firearm Buying Report (FOR) Application. This voluntarily declares that y'all are the owner of the firearm. Nevertheless, this form cannot be used to register an assault weapon.

A FOR Application is not required for almost firearms. They will accept been registered by the dealer during the sale. However, there are reasons to annals a firearm on your own. A registered gun that is lost or stolen may be returned to the person listed on the form. If the gun is unregistered, it will not be returned.

Submitting a FOR Awarding could also lead to legal trouble. You could be accused of possession of an assault weapon. The person who sold or gave you the weapon could too be charged with illegally transferring a firearm. The form can be used every bit show.

man holding revolver

You tin register an unregistered gun in California by filling out and submitting a Firearm Ownership Report (FOR) Awarding.

What is the Firearm Ownership Report Application?

The Firearm Buying Report (FOR) Application is a legal form. It goes to the California Department of Justice (DOJ). The course is too known as the BOF 4542A. Past filling out and submitting the form, you voluntarily register a firearm. You are declared its legal possessor.

To fill up out the class, you need to provide data about yourself, including:

your personal and contact information,
where you were born,
citizenship condition and identification information, including a copy of your driver's license or ID card,
Handgun Safety Certificate number, and
whatever aliases y'all are known by.

You will also have to provide information about the firearm you are declaring:

whether information technology is a handgun or a long gun, and what blazon information technology is,
serial number,
make and model,
caliber,
origin,
barrel length,
color, and
when and how you acquired it.

There is space for declaring ownership of 3 firearms on each awarding grade. If you desire to declare ownership of more 3, you can attach additional copies of the course.

You will have to pay a $19 processing fee for each FOR Application.

The form can exist mailed to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms – FOR
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

This form cannot be used to register an assault weapon. Assault weapons by and large cannot be registered in California anymore.

Do I accept to file this application?

No, at that place is no legal requirement that a firearm has to be registered unless:

the firearm is an assault weapon, or
you are moving into California and own a firearm.

Handguns that were legally bought in California are already registered. They were registered by the dealer. You are the registered owner of these firearms. Your data was collected during the background check.

Long guns that were legally bought in 2014 or later in California are also registered. Those bought legally earlier then may not be.

Firearm owners moving to California have to register their firearms inside 60 days. They utilize a different form – the New Resident Firearm Ownership Form.

What are the benefits?

Submitting a FOR Awarding makes you the official owner of the firearm.

If the firearm is lost or stolen, and then found, it will exist returned to you lot. If the gun is not registered, there will be no official possessor. It will not exist returned to you if it is not registered.

How can I check to see if my firearms are registered?

You can request a list of firearms registered in your proper name. You can get it by submitting an Automated Firearms Arrangement Records Request Form.

The form has to be:

signed,
notarized, and
accompanied by a copy of your driver'south license or photograph ID.

You can mail the form to:

Department of Justice
Bureau of Firearms
AFS Private Citizen Request
P.O. Box 820200
Sacramento, CA 94203

What about assault weapons?

Assault weapons cannot be registered in California, anymore.

State constabulary set ownership and registration periods for set on weapons. This included Browning Automobile Guns (BMG). All of those registration windows have passed.ⁱ

Can I get in legal problem for filing the form?

Yes.

If you merits ownership of an assault weapon, or any illegal weapon for that matter, you lot could face charges of illegal possession of a firearm. Assault weapons are illegal to possess in California. Simply those that were registered during the registration windows are exempt. If you fill out a FOR Application listing an set on weapon and send it to the DOJ, it tin can exist used as evidence against you.

Illegal possession of an attack weapon is a wobbler in California. It can be prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor.

If prosecuted as a misdemeanor, a conviction carries upwards to:

1 year in jail, and/or
$1,000 in fines.²

If pursued as a felony, the potential jail fourth dimension is 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years.ⁱⁱⁱ

A FOR Application can also be used as bear witness of theillegal auction of a firearm. California law requires that all gun sales exist completed through a licensed dealer.⁴ The FOR Application asks how you lot obtained the weapon. The answer may exist used as show that you got the gun illegally. The person who sold or transferred the gun could be charged with a crime.

Illegally selling a firearm is a misdemeanor. The penalties can include upwardly to: