The Wire · CalGunHub

California DOJ issues bulletin classifying forced reset triggers as illegal multiburst trigger activators

Published October 6, 2026 · Updated October 6, 2026

The California Department of Justice released an information bulletin clarifying that forced reset triggers are still prohibited under state law despite a recent federal settlement.

Summary by the CalGunHub desk.

Who this affects: If a California resident previously surrendered a forced reset trigger to federal authorities, the California Department of Justice advises against requesting its return under the new federal settlement. If a firearms dealer operates in California, the bulletin indicates that state law prohibits offering these devices for sale. The agency considers possession or transfer of these triggers to be a violation of state penal codes regarding multiburst trigger activators.

The California Department of Justice, Division of Law Enforcement, issued Information Bulletin 2025-DLE-11 on June 2, 2025. The final bulletin addresses the legal status of forced reset triggers in California following a federal settlement.

On May 13, 2025, the United States Department of Justice reached a settlement agreement to stop regulating forced reset triggers as machine guns under federal law. The federal agreement allows individuals to request the return of devices previously seized by or surrendered to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

However, the California Department of Justice bulletin states that this federal settlement does not alter state law. The agency determined that forced reset triggers meet the definition of a multiburst trigger activator under California Penal Code section 16930. The bulletin notes that a forced reset trigger uses the firing cycle to force the trigger back into a reset position, firing continuously as long as pressure is maintained. The agency states, "The California Department of Justice has determined that an FRT, at a minimum, falls within the definition of a multiburst trigger activator in Penal Code section 16930."

Under California Penal Code section 32900, the possession, sale, manufacture, or importation of multiburst trigger activators is prohibited and can be prosecuted as a felony or misdemeanor. The bulletin directs California firearms dealers to inform their staff of this prohibition and to implement controls to ensure compliance with state law.

Reproduced from the official source.

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