PC 26150:
CCW Permit Issuance Standards (Post-Bruen)

California Penal Code Section 26150^[1] governs the issuance of concealed carry weapon (CCW) permits by county sheriffs. The companion section, PC 26155^[2], governs issuance by city police chiefs in incorporated cities. Together, these sections establish the sheriff and city police licensing framework. PC 26170 separately provides for licenses for specified appointed peace officers.

The Bruen Decision

In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, 597 U.S. 1 (2022)^[3], the U.S. Supreme Court struck down New York's "proper cause" requirement for concealed carry permits, holding that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual's right to carry a handgun for self-defense outside the home. California's substantially similar "good cause" requirement was immediately invalidated. The California Legislature responded with SB 2 (2023), which removed the good cause requirement from PC 26150 and PC 26155 while adding new restrictions on where CCW holders may carry.

Current Issuance Requirements

Under the post-Bruen version of PC 26150, a county sheriff shall issue a CCW license when the applicant:

• Age: Is at least 21 years of age (no military exception. The age-18 military exception under PC 27510 applies to firearm purchases, not CCW permits)
• Residency: For a California resident, resides in the county or a city within it, or has a principal place of employment or business there and spends a substantial period of time there. A non-California resident must attest under oath that the jurisdiction is the primary California location where they intend to travel or spend time
• Training: Has completed a course of training as specified in PC 26165^[4], which requires at least 16 hours for new applicants and covers firearm safety, law, and live-fire qualification
• Not prohibited: Is not prohibited from possessing, receiving, owning, or purchasing a firearm under state or federal law
• Moral character: Is not a disqualified person under PC 26202, as determined by the issuing authority's background investigation. PC 26202(b) specifies interviews with at least three character references and review of publicly available information, including statements published or posted by the applicant

Processing and Fees

Issuing agencies must give written notice of their initial disqualification determination within 90 days of receiving a completed application. For a new license, they must give written notice of approval or denial within 120 days of receiving the completed application or 30 days after receiving the required DOJ information, whichever is later. DOJ sets its application-processing fee. The city, city and county, or county licensing authority charges an additional fee equal to its reasonable costs of processing the application, issuing the license and enforcing it, including required notices and excluding fingerprint and training costs. Permits are generally valid for up to two years. PC 26220 provides different terms for employment-based licenses and specified judicial, custodial, and appointed peace officers. Renewal generally requires at least eight hours of training, but persons certified by the licensing authority as trainers are exempt. AB 1948 (Chapter 44, Statutes of 2026) amends PC 26220 to allow licenses issued on or after January 1, 2027 to run for up to three years. Background checks are conducted through the California DOJ and FBI databases.

Permit Scope

A California CCW permit is generally valid statewide. Under PC 26220(b), a license based on employment or business is valid only in the issuing county, unless the custodial-officer exception applies. However, SB 2 added PC 26230, which restricts the locations where even a valid CCW holder may carry. The permit authorizes concealed carry only; open carry is not permitted even with a CCW license.

See also: How to Apply for a California CCW Permit