The Wire · CalGunHub

Newsom signs AB 1948 extending concealed-carry license validity to three years

Published June 30, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

The Ramos bill lengthens standard CCW licenses from two to three years, effective Jan. 1, 2027, after unanimous votes in both houses.

Written by the CalGunHub desk from public reporting

Who this affects: AB 1948 applies to California concealed-carry license applicants and holders. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, standard new and renewal licenses may be valid for up to three years instead of two under the statute's text, with clarified four-year terms for custodial and reserve officers. Until that date, existing duration rules remain in place for current license holders. This is general information, not legal advice.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1948 on June 30, 2026, according to the governor's signing list. The bill, authored by Assemblymember James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), was chaptered as Chapter 44, Statutes of 2026.

The measure extends the maximum validity of a standard concealed-carry weapon license, for new and renewal applicants alike, from two years to three years. It clarifies four-year terms for custodial and reserve officers and strikes the separate three-year judicial-officer provision.

The bill passed the Assembly 71-0 on March 26, 2026 and passed the Senate on consent, 38-0, on June 15, 2026. It was enrolled June 24, 2026. Supporters included the California Rifle and Pistol Association, the California State Sheriffs' Association and the Peace Officers Research Association of California, and no known opposition was recorded, according to the Senate Public Safety Committee analysis.

As a non-urgency statute, AB 1948 takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. It follows the AB 1078 (2025) concealed-carry overhaul, which created a path for non-resident applicants and adjusted disqualifiers. A similar 2025 bill, AB 1092, failed in the Assembly Public Safety Committee before the concept returned in the Ramos measure this session.

The governor's office announced the signing in its June 30, 2026 legislative update, the same channel used for prior end-of-session bill actions. The longer validity period means license holders would renew less frequently once the law is operative, though issuance remains with local licensing authorities under existing law.

Update: The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027. No further action was pending as of the signing.

Informational only, not legal advice. Facts are attributed to the sources listed above.