Anyone know anything about the mythical "CA Assault Weapons Permit"?

[CynicalGabe]

California law makes many references to an “assault weapons permit” which it is possible to apply for. For obvious reasons, the CA DOJ gives out scant information on this on the web. I’ve only found 1 real resource that directly discusses it.

Link

Does anyone have any additional information on how one might go about applying for it? What is required (signatures, background checks), etc?

I’ve spent about an hour googling and yahooing and combing the SDMB, but alas, my fu is weak.

[drachillix]

@CynicalGabe

California law makes many references to an “assault weapons permit” which it is possible to apply for. For obvious reasons, the CA DOJ gives out scant information on this on the web. I’ve only found 1 real resource that directly discusses it.

Link

Does anyone have any additional information on how one might go about applying for it? What is required (signatures, background checks), etc?

I’ve spent about an hour googling and yahooing and combing the SDMB, but alas, my fu is weak.

Have you tried calling them?

Information and Applications: Department of Justice, Firearms Program P.O. Box 820200, Sacramento, CA 94203-0200; (916) 227-3703.

[BF]

Or email Johnny L.A., he’s been there, burned the t-shirts. He’s got some good 411 on this.

[CynicalGabe]

I called that phone number, but I was redirected to a person who was not in the office. I was told to call back in the morning. I’ll see what I can find out then. I was hoping for maybe some Doper personal knowledge or experience to find out what hoops I will have to go through.

**
Johnny L.A.** never got a permit for his.

[Crafter_Man]

@CynicalGabe

California law makes many references to an “assault weapons permit”

I’ve got a buddy in SoCal who owns an AR-15. He says, “My permit is the 2[sup]nd[/sup] Amendment.”

[CynicalGabe]

@Crafter_Man

I’ve got a buddy in SoCal who owns an AR-15. He says, “My permit is the 2[sup]nd[/sup] Amendment.”

So, what the application process like for that one?

[Johnny_L.A]

@BF

Or email Johnny L.A., he’s been there, burned the t-shirts. He’s got some good 411 on this.

I have not heard of this permit. I bought my AR-15s before the ban, and I registered them afterward. I bought the SAR-8 legally, but did not know that there was yet another ban on which it was included. The information I found said that you may not register a firearm that you bought legally before the ban, after a certain date. So I removed it from the state. The AR-180 was purchased outside of California.

[CynicalGabe]

That information was correct. I am hopeful that I can get some info on Monday from CADOJ. Then maybe we can arrange that trade ;).

[Gfactor]

Yeah. This is well beyond my area of expertise, but here’s what I found:

Effective January 1, 2000, SB 23 generally prohibits, the manufacture, import, sale, giving or lending of large capacity magazines (defined as any ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds, but does not include .22 caliber tube ammunition feeding devices).

Enforcement relative to the illegal possession of SB 23 assault weapons went into effect January 1, 2001, following the one-year registration period.

Persons who lawfully possessed assault weapons as defined by SB 23 prior to January 1, 2000 were required to either 1) register them with the Department of Justice between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000, 2) render them permanently inoperable, 3) remove them from California, 4) relinquish them to a police or sheriff’s department, or 5) prior to December 31, 2000, sell them to a California licensed firearms dealer who possesses a valid assault weapon dealer permit. The Firearms Division has made available a list of the SB 23 characteristics that define assault weapons. You may also visit the California Legislature web site at www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html for a full text version of SB 23, or telephone the Legislative Bill Room at (916) 445-2323 to request a copy of the bill. After reviewing the law, if you are still uncertain as to whether your firearm is an assault weapon under Penal Code section 12276.1 (SB 23), you should seek advice from either a firearms expert or an attorney.

The regulation: http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/regs/sb23.htm
The statutes: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=27141220242+3+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve; http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=27150620354+1+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve

So you can get a permit to manufacture or sell them, and if you already had one before January 2000, you could register it. But now it’s too late.

[Gfactor]

Here is a FAQ