Regulations: Civil Fines for Firearms Dealers

Summary

Pursuant to Penal Code section 26800, subdivision (b), the Department may assess a civil fine against a firearm dealer. The proposed regulations provide a clear and concise structure for the Department to identify violations during inspections of California firearm dealers, assess civil fines based on the level of severity of a violation, and implement a plan for the licensee to correct or appeal a violation.

The Department may assess a civil fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), for any breach of any applicable state law. (Pen. Code, § 26800, subd. (b).) The Department may assess a civil fine, in an amount not to exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000), for a violation of a prohibition or requirement of Article 2 (commencing with Penal Code section 26800) that subjects the license to forfeiture under subdivision (a), for either of the following: (1) The licensee has received written notification from the Department regarding the violation and subsequently failed to take corrective action in a timely manner; and (2) The licensee is otherwise determined by the Department to have knowingly or with gross negligence violated the prohibition or requirement.

To promote compliance and transparency, these regulations will incorporate by reference a list detailing the violations and related civil fines. These proposed regulations would also provide specific processes regarding payment of civil fines and appeals. This proposed rulemaking will impact licensees who are not in compliance with current licensing laws, and set standards for removing a dealer from the Centralized List for serious violations.

NOTE: Regulation documents prepared by the Department may contain markup including underline, strikethrough, or highlight. While these documents are ADA-compliant, upon request, the Department can prepare a more screen reader-friendly version of these documents with annotations that explain the marked changes. Please submit all requests to regulations@doj.ca.gov.

Notice Register Publication Date: June 6, 2025

Status of the Proposal: This rulemaking is undergoing a 45-day public comment period. Any person or their authorized representative may submit written comments regarding the proposed regulatory action. The written comment period closes at 5:00 pm on July 22, 2025. All timely comments that specifically pertain to the proposed regulations will be reviewed and responded to by Department staff. Comments may be submitted by mail or email to:

The information below relates to recent rulemaking activity, including links to the regulations text and associated documents. Any person who has submitted a comment regarding a proposed action has the right to request a copy of the Final Statement of Reasons. The Final Statement will also be posted to this webpage upon completion of this rulemaking.

Public Notice and Related Documents