California 10 Days Waiting Period

Over 13 years ago, California passed the 10 days waiting period prior to an FFL in San Jose to delivery the firearms. The waiting period for the purchase or transfer of a firearm is ten (10) 24-hour periods from the date and time the DROS information is submitted to the DOJ.

Penal codes 27540 and 26815 mentions the 10 day waiting period:

Penal Code section 26815

  • (a) Within 10 days of the application to purchase, or, after notice by the department pursuant to Section 28220, within 10 days of the submission to the department of any correction to the application, or within 10 days of the submission to the department of any fee required pursuant to Section 28225, whichever is later.

Penal Code 27540

  • A dealer, whether or not acting pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 28050), shall not deliver a firearm to a person, as follows:
    • Within 10 days of the application to purchase, or, after notice by the department pursuant to Section 28220, within 10 days of the submission to the department of any correction to the application, or within 10 days of the submission to the department of any fee required pursuant to Section 28225, whichever is later.

There are exemptions to this regulation for those few lucky Californians.  These people are:

  • Peace officers
  • Any person with special weapons permit
  • #3FFL with holder of COE (only for curio / relic firearms)
  • California Firearm Dealers (CFD) – these are your FFL’s with CFDs licenses.  If you just have your FFL, it doesn’t count.  The regulations state CFD.

For the peace officers to be exempted, they are required to obtain a letter from their “head of authority” with their “wet signature”.  Without this letter, you are not considered exempt from this waiting period.