<P> PC § 30665 . Possession and Importation of Assault Weapon or . 50 BMG Rifle Into State by Nonresident; Conditions Permitting Sections 30600, 30605, and 30610 shall not apply to the possession and importation of an assault weapon or a . 50 BMG rifle into this state by a nonresident if all of the following conditions are met: (a) The person is attending or going directly to or coming directly from an organized competitive match or league competition that involves the use of an assault weapon or a . 50 BMG rifle . (b) The competition or match is conducted on the premises of one of the following: (1) A target range that holds a regulatory or business license for the purpose of practicing shooting at that target range . (2) A target range of a public or private club or organization that is organized for the purpose of practicing shooting at targets . (c) The match or competition is sponsored by, conducted under the auspices of, or approved by, a law enforcement agency or a nationally or state recognized entity that fosters proficiency in, or promotes education about, firearms . (d) The assault weapon or . 50 BMG rifle is transported in accordance with Section 25610 or Article 3 (commencing with Section 25505) of Chapter 2 of Division 5 . (e) The person is 18 years of age or over and is not in a class of persons prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 29800) or Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 29900) of Division 9 of this code or Section 8100 or 8103 of the Welfare and Institutions Code . (Added by Stats. 2010, SB 1080, Ch. 711, Sec. 6 . Operative January 1, 2012 .) </P> <P> Firearms must be kept locked up when children may be present . The 2008 California Dangerous Weapons Control Law modified California Penal Code § 12035 defining criminal storage of a firearm as keeping "any loaded firearm within any premises that are under his or her custody or control and he or she knows or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm ." A person may be charged with a crime, if he or she keeps a loaded firearm, and the child takes the firearm to a public place or causes injury . </P> <P> It is illegal to possess an automatic firearm or a short - barreled shotgun or rifle without permission from the DOJ; such permission is generally not granted . Enforcement of the ban varies throughout the state . Authorities in most urban areas will prosecute someone for merely possessing a prohibited firearm regardless of intent, whereas county sheriffs and local police in some rural counties have either refused to enforce the ban or to only prosecute those in possession of banned weapons who demonstrate malicious intent . </P> <P> Since 1989, it is illegal to sell a firearm that the state has defined as an assault weapon and that has been listed in the California Department of Justice (DOJ) roster of prohibited firearms . This includes many military look - alike semi-automatic rifles and . 50 caliber BMG rifles . DOJ roster firearms may be legally possessed if registered with the state prior to January 2005 . Military look - alike firearms that are not listed on the DOJ roster of prohibited firearms, known as "off - list lowers," are legal * to own and possess as long as state laws concerning configuration are followed . It is illegal to import, sell, give, trade, or lend a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition, except for fixed tubular magazines for lever - action rifles and . 22 caliber rifles; however, the possession of such magazines is legal . * Technically these "off - list" lowers are Category 2 assault weapons under current California law . However, in the 2001 case Harrott v. County of Kings (25 P. 3d 649 (Cal. 2001), the Category 2 assault weapon law was ruled unenforceable . With the passage of Senate Bill 880 and Assembly Bill 1135 in June 2016, the state's assault weapon ban has been expanded to include all semi-automatic center - fire rifles and shotguns capable of accepting a detachable magazine, regardless of specific makes or models or whether or not they have military - style features . The sale or transfer of such weapons is prohibited, effective January 1, 2017 . Those purchased prior to January 1, 2017 must be registered with the DOJ by June 30th, 2018 . </P>

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