2023 California Code › Penal Code - PEN › PART 6 - CONTROL OF DEADLY WEAPONS › TITLE 4 - FIREARMS › DIVISION 5 - CARRYING FIREARMS › CHAPTER 7 - Carrying an Unloaded Firearm That is not a Handgun › ARTICLE 2 - Exemptions › Section 26405.

26405. Section 26400 does not apply to, or affect, the carrying of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun in any of the following circumstances:
(a) By a person when carried within a place of business, a place of residence, or on private real property, if that person, by virtue of subdivision (a) of Section 25605, may carry a firearm within that place of business, place of residence, or on that private real property owned or lawfully occupied by that person.
(b) By a person when carried within a place of business, a place of residence, or on private real property, if done with the permission of a person who, by virtue of subdivision (a) of Section 25605, may carry a firearm within that place of business, place of residence, or on that private real property owned or lawfully occupied by that person.
(c) When the firearm is either in a locked container or encased and it is being transported directly between places where a person is not prohibited from possessing that firearm and the course of travel shall include only those deviations between authorized locations as are reasonably necessary under the circumstances.
(d) If the person possessing the firearm reasonably believes that they are in grave danger because of circumstances forming the basis of a current restraining order issued by a court against another person or persons who has or have been found to pose a threat to the person’s life or safety. This subdivision may not apply when the circumstances involve a mutual restraining order issued pursuant to Division 10 (commencing with Section 6200) of the Family Code absent a factual finding of a specific threat to the person’s life or safety. Upon a trial for violating Section 26400, the trier of fact shall determine whether the defendant was acting out of a reasonable belief that they were in grave danger.
(e) By a peace officer or an honorably retired peace officer if that officer may carry a concealed firearm pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 25450) of Chapter 2, or a loaded firearm pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 25900) of Chapter 3.
(f) By a person to the extent that person may openly carry a loaded firearm that is not a handgun pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 26000) of Chapter 3.
(g) As merchandise by a person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing, wholesaling, repairing, or dealing in firearms and who is licensed to engage in that business, or the authorized representative or authorized agent of that person, while engaged in the lawful course of the business.
(h) By a duly authorized military or civil organization, or the members thereof, while parading or while rehearsing or practicing parading, when at the meeting place of the organization.
(i) By a member of a club or organization organized for the purpose of practicing shooting at targets upon established target ranges, whether public or private, while the members are using firearms that are not handguns upon the target ranges or incident to the use of a firearm that is not a handgun at that target range.
(j) By a licensed hunter while engaged in hunting or while transporting that firearm when going to or returning from that hunting expedition.
(k) Incident to transportation of a handgun by a person operating a licensed common carrier, or by an authorized agent or employee thereof, when transported in conformance with applicable federal law.
(l) By a member of an organization chartered by the Congress of the United States or a nonprofit mutual or public benefit corporation organized and recognized as a nonprofit tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service while on official parade duty or ceremonial occasions of that organization or while rehearsing or practicing for official parade duty or ceremonial occasions.
(m) Within a gun show conducted pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 27200) and Article 2 (commencing with Section 27300) of Chapter 3 of Division 6.
(n) Within a school zone, as defined in Section 626.9, if that carrying is not prohibited by Section 626.9.
(o) When in accordance with the provisions of Section 171b.
(p) By a person while engaged in the act of making or attempting to make a lawful arrest.
(q) By a person engaged in firearms-related activities, while on the premises of a fixed place of business that is licensed to conduct and conducts, as a regular course of its business, activities related to the sale, making, repair, transfer, pawn, or the use of firearms, or related to firearms training.
(r) By an authorized participant in, or an authorized employee or agent of a supplier of firearms for, a motion picture, television, or video production or entertainment event, when the participant lawfully uses that firearm as part of that production or event, as part of rehearsing or practicing for participation in that production or event, or while the participant or authorized employee or agent is at that production or event, or rehearsal or practice for that production or event.
(s) Incident to obtaining an identification number or mark assigned for that firearm from the Department of Justice pursuant to Section 23910.
(t) At an established public target range while the person is using that firearm upon that target range.
(u) By a person when that person is summoned by a peace officer to assist in making arrests or preserving the peace, while the person is actually engaged in assisting that officer.
(v) Incident to any of the following:
(1) Complying with Section 27560 or 27565, as it pertains to that firearm.
(2) Section 28000, as it pertains to that firearm.
(3) Section 27850 or 31725, as it pertains to that firearm.
(4) Complying with Section 27875, as it pertains to that firearm.
(5) Complying with or utilizing Section 26556, 26892, 27920, 27925, 27966, 29810, or 29830, as it pertains to that firearm.
(6) Complying with Section 6389 of the Family Code, as it pertains to that firearm.
(w) Incident to, and in the course and scope of, training of, or by an individual to become a sworn peace officer as part of a course of study approved by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
(x) Incident to, and in the course and scope of, training of, or by an individual to become licensed pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 26150) as part of a course of study necessary or authorized by the person authorized to issue the license pursuant to that chapter.
(y) Incident to and at the request of a sheriff, chief, or other head of a municipal police department.
(z) If all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) The open carrying occurs at an auction, raffle, or similar event of a nonprofit public benefit or mutual benefit corporation at which firearms are auctioned, raffled, or otherwise sold to fund the activities of that corporation or the local chapters of that corporation.
(2) The unloaded firearm that is not a handgun is to be auctioned, raffled, or otherwise sold for that nonprofit public benefit or mutual benefit corporation.
(3) The unloaded firearm that is not a handgun is to be delivered by a person licensed pursuant to, and operating in accordance with, Sections 26700 to 26915, inclusive.
(aa) Pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 171c.
(ab) Pursuant to Section 171d.
(ac) Pursuant to subparagraph (F) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 171.7.
(ad) On publicly owned land, if the possession and use of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun is specifically permitted by the managing agency of the land and the person carrying that firearm is in lawful possession of that firearm.
(ae) By any of the following:
(1) The carrying of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun that is regulated pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 18710) of Division 5 of Title 2 by a person who holds a permit issued pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 18900) of that chapter, if the carrying of that firearm is conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
(2) The carrying of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun that is regulated pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 30500) of Division 10 by a person who holds a permit issued pursuant to Section 31005, if the carrying of that firearm is conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
(3) The carrying of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun that is regulated pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 32610) of Division 10 by a person who holds a permit issued pursuant to Section 32650, if the carrying of that firearm is conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
(4) The carrying of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun that is regulated pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 33300) of Chapter 8 of Division 10 by a person who holds a permit issued pursuant to Section 33300, if the carrying of that firearm is conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the permit.
(af) By a licensed hunter while actually engaged in training a dog for the purpose of using the dog in hunting that is not prohibited by law, or while transporting the firearm while going to or returning from that training.
(ag) Pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (d) of Section 171.5.
(ah) By a person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing ammunition and who is licensed to engage in that business, or the authorized representative or authorized agent of that person, while the firearm is being used in the lawful course and scope of the licensee’s activities as a person licensed pursuant to Chapter 44 (commencing with Section 921) of Title 18 of the United States Code and regulations issued pursuant thereto.
(ai) On the navigable waters of this state that are held in public trust, if the possession and use of an unloaded firearm that is not a handgun is not prohibited by the managing agency thereof and the person carrying the firearm is in lawful possession of the firearm.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 251, Sec. 5. (SB 368) Effective January 1, 2024.)