What is the California Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC), what does it cost, and who is exempt?

Quick facts

Fee: a certified instructor may charge $25 (Penal Code 31650).
Test: 30 questions, true/false and multiple choice; 23 correct answers (75 percent) is passing (DOJ FSC FAQ).
Minimum age: 18 (Penal Code 31625).
Valid for: five years from the date of issue (Penal Code 31655).
Retake: not until 24 hours after a failed first attempt, and with a different version of the test (Penal Code 31645).
Coming January 1, 2029: a four-hour training course with live fire before applying (SB 948).

When do I need an FSC?

A person may not purchase or receive a firearm, other than an antique firearm, without a valid FSC, and nobody may sell, deliver, loan, or transfer a firearm to a person who lacks one. A violation is a misdemeanor (Penal Code 31615). At a gun store, the dealer cannot deliver the firearm unless you present the certificate, and the dealer keeps a photocopy (Penal Code 26840).

The requirement reaches beyond store purchases. A firearm passed between immediate family members also requires the person receiving it to hold a valid FSC (Penal Code 27875). For loans, DOJ says a person being loaned a firearm generally must have a current FSC, but not if the loan lasts no more than three days and the lender stays in the borrower's presence the whole time (DOJ FSC FAQ).

The Legislature wrote that the certificate is not required "for the mere possession of a firearm" (Penal Code 31610).

What is on the test?

The Department of Justice (DOJ) writes the test. By statute it covers, among other things (Penal Code 31640):

Laws on carrying and handling firearms.
The responsibilities of firearm ownership.
Private sales and transfers.
The permissible use of lethal force.
Safe storage.
The risks of bringing a firearm into the home, and ways to reduce them.
Eligibility to own a firearm, gun violence and domestic violence restraining orders, and privately manufactured firearms.

The same section directs DOJ to develop the test in English, Spanish, traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Dari, and Armenian, and says the test is given orally to a person who cannot read (Penal Code 31640). DOJ posts a free FSC Study Guide on its FSC program page.

Where do I take it, and what do I bring?

DOJ Certified Instructors give the test, and DOJ says they are generally located at firearms dealerships. You must be at least 18 and show a California driver license or a California DMV identification card (DOJ FSC FAQ). A person who passes is issued the certificate immediately by the instructor (Penal Code 31645).

What does it cost, and what if I fail?

The statute lets the instructor charge $25, and $15 of that goes to DOJ (Penal Code 31650). DOJ says the $25 covers a second attempt with the same instructor if you fail the first one (DOJ FSC FAQ). The retake cannot happen until 24 hours have passed, it must be a different version of the test, and it must be with the same instructor unless DOJ grants permission for good cause (Penal Code 31645).

How long does it last, and can I replace a lost one?

The certificate expires five years after it is issued (Penal Code 31655). Renewal means passing the test again, for the same $25 fee (Penal Code 31650).

If the card is lost or destroyed, the instructor who issued it must issue a duplicate on request and proof of identity. The statute lets DOJ authorize the instructor to charge a fee for a duplicate, "not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15)" (Penal Code 31660(c)). That figure is the statutory ceiling. The amount DOJ currently lists is lower: its FAQ gives the replacement cost as $5 and says the replacement carries the original expiration date (DOJ FAQ).

Who is exempt?

Penal Code 31700 lists the exemptions. They include, when properly identified:

Active or honorably retired peace officers and federal law enforcement officers, and reserve peace officers.
Active or honorably retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard, the Air National Guard, or the active reserves.
A person with a valid concealed weapons permit issued under California's carry license law.
A person who completed the Penal Code 832 training course.
A federally licensed collector acquiring a curio or relic, if the collector holds a current Certificate of Eligibility.
A licensed dealer acting in the course of business.
A person to whom a firearm is being returned, when that person owns it.
Executors, trustees, conservators, and others who take a firearm by operation of law in a representative role, until they transfer it to themselves personally.
A person 18 or older with a valid, unexpired hunting license, for long guns only. This exemption does not cover handguns.

The section has more entries and conditions than this summary, so the statute itself is the place to confirm a specific exemption.

Is the FSC the same as the safe handling demonstration?

They are separate steps. The FSC is a written test. The safe handling demonstration is performed at pickup with the firearm being received. For long guns, a person who is exempt from the FSC under Penal Code 31700 is also exempt from the demonstration (Penal Code 26860).

What changed recently

2026-09-26The Governor signed SB 948 (Stats. 2026, ch. 465). It has no urgency clause, so it takes effect January 1, 2027 (California Constitution, Article IV, Section 8).
2027-01-01 (future)SB 948 adds a rule to Penal Code 31615. A new resident who must report firearms brought into California must obtain a valid FSC within 180 days of bringing the firearm in. A violation is an infraction. The same bill lengthens the new-resident reporting period from 60 days to 180 days. As of 2026-11-11, DOJ's FSC FAQ still says no FSC is needed to move into California with firearms, and DOJ's Firearms FAQ still gives 60 days for the new-resident report. Both match the law in force until that date; neither page has been updated for SB 948. The leginfo code pages for Sections 31615 and 27560 also still show the pre-SB 948 text, so the new wording is in the chaptered bill.
2028-01-01 (future)new residents must certify under penalty of perjury in their firearm report that they hold an FSC or qualify for an exemption (SB 948, amending Penal Code 27560).
2029-01-01 (future)new Penal Code 31640.5 requires an FSC applicant to have completed, within the prior year, a training course of at least four hours that includes live-fire exercises on a firing range. The course requirement does not apply to people with a valid concealed carry permit, or to people who completed concealed carry license training within the previous three years.

FAQ

How much does the California FSC cost?

The instructor may charge $25 under Penal Code 31650, and DOJ says that fee covers two attempts with the same instructor.

How many questions are on the FSC test?

DOJ says the test has 30 questions and that 23 correct answers, or 75 percent, is a passing score (DOJ FSC FAQ).

Does a hunting license replace the FSC?

Under Penal Code 31700(c), a valid, unexpired hunting license exempts a person 18 or older from the FSC requirement for long guns, but not for handguns.

Do I need an FSC to receive a gun from a parent?

Penal Code 27875 requires the family member receiving the firearm to have a valid FSC, and to report the transfer to DOJ within 30 days.

Is live-fire training required for an FSC today?

As of 2026-11-11 the FSC statutes require only the written test; the training course in SB 948 applies to people who apply for an FSC on or after January 1, 2029 (SB 948).

Sources

Last verified Nov 11, 2026Informational only, not legal advice