The Wire · CalGunHub

Governor signs SB 53, requiring secure residential firearm storage beginning in 2026

Published September 24, 2024 · Updated October 12, 2026

SB 53 (Portantino), Chapter 542, Statutes of 2024, requires firearms kept in a residence to be securely stored when not carried or under the possessor's control.

Written by the CalGunHub desk from public reporting

Who this affects: Beginning January 1, 2026, California residents who possess firearms in a residence are covered by statutory storage requirements when a firearm is not carried or readily controlled by them or a lawful authorized user. Under the bill text, first and second violations are infractions and later violations may be misdemeanors. This is general information, not legal advice.

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 53 (Portantino) on September 24, 2024, as Chapter 542 of the Statutes of 2024, according to California Legislative Information and the governor's signing release. Beginning January 1, 2026, a person possessing a firearm in a residence must keep it securely stored, using a certified safety device or a compliant gun safe, when the firearm is not carried or readily controlled by that person or another lawful authorized user. Under the statute, first and second violations are infractions, while a third or subsequent violation is a misdemeanor. The bill also removes the exemption in the child-access criminal storage law that applied when there was no reasonable expectation a child would be present. The Department of Justice summarized the law for law enforcement in Information Bulletin 2025-DLE-02. The law has been in effect since January 1, 2026, no litigation was identified, and the latest development is the January 1, 2026 operative date.

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