Under federal law, people are generally prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms if they have been convicted of a felony or some domestic violence misdemeanors, or if they are subject to certain court orders related to domestic violence or a serious mental condition.

Only certain approved pistols on the Safe Handgun Roster are approved for new sale in California. You must have a firearm safety certificate before you can buy a gun (often issued on-site). You will pay $31.19 for a background check on a retail gun sale or $41.19 for a private sale. Those 18-20 can only purchase .

California's more stringent gun safety measures stemmed from an explosion of shootings decades ago, including the 1989 slaughter of children in a Stockton schoolyard and a 1993 mass killing in a law office in downtown San Francisco.

State With Strictest Gun Laws California and New Jersey are the states that have the strictest gun laws in the nation, scoring both A on the Giffords gun law scorecard. California requires a 10-day waiting period for all gun purchases, as well as a thorough background check for all gun purchasers.

A U.S. citizen or legal resident over age 18 may generally carry a handgun anywhere within his or her place of residence, place of business, or on private property owned or lawfully possessed by the citizen or legal resident. A permit or license is not required for a person to carry within these locations.

DOJ also has the authority to temporarily delay a firearm transaction, for up to 30 days from the date of the initial transaction, when unable to determine the purchaser's eligibility to own or possess firearms within the typical 10-day waiting period.