2023 California Code › Penal Code - PEN › PART 6 - CONTROL OF DEADLY WEAPONS › TITLE 4 - FIREARMS › DIVISION 6 - SALE, LEASE, OR TRANSFER OF FIREARMS › CHAPTER 2 - Issuance, Forfeiture, and Conditions of License to Sell, Lease, or Transfer Firearms at Retail › ARTICLE 2 - Grounds for Forfeiture of License › Section 26920.

26920. (a) Commencing July 1, 2026, every licensee, and every employee thereof who handles or processes the sale, loan, or transfer of firearms or ammunition in the course of their normal duties, shall annually complete the training and certification described in subdivision (c).
(b) Every licensee shall maintain records of certification for all employees on the business premises and shall make these records available to any agent of the department or a licensing authority conducting an inspection of the licensee’s premises.
(c) (1) The department shall, by no later than February 1, 2026, develop and implement a course of training for licensees and their employees who handle or process the sale, loan, or transfer of firearms or ammunition in the course of their normal duties.
(2) The training described in paragraph (1) shall include, without limitation, all of the following:
(A) Federal and state laws governing sales and transfers of firearms and ammunition.
(B) How to recognize and identify straw purchasers and fraudulent activity.
(C) Indicators that a person is attempting to purchase a firearm illegally.
(D) How to recognize and identify indicators that an individual intends to use a firearm for unlawful purposes.
(E) How to recognize and identify indicators that an individual intends to use a firearm for self-harm.
(F) How to prevent theft or burglary of firearms and ammunition.
(G) How to respond to circumstances described in subparagraphs (A) to (F), inclusive, and any applicable reporting requirement.
(H) How to teach consumers rules of firearm safety, including, but not limited to, the safe handling and storage of firearms.
(I) How to accurately and precisely complete all state and federal forms related to the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition.
(J) Other reasonable business practices that the department determines will deter gun trafficking or the unlawful use of firearms.
(3) The training shall include an examination with not fewer than 20 questions derived from the course materials and intended to confirm that a course participant has learned the information covered by the course. A participant that answers at least 70 percent of the examination questions correctly shall receive a certificate of completion valid for one year from the date of completion.
(4) In addition to the training course, the department shall prepare supplemental written materials that shall be available to all course participants and shall include, without limitation, all of the following:
(A) An outline of indicators that a prospective firearm transferee may be involved in gun trafficking or straw purchasing, including all of the following:
(i) The person is accompanied by one or more individuals.
(ii) The person is communicating with other individuals by telephone or other means.
(iii) The person is buying multiple firearms.
(iv) The person has been the subject of a crime gun trace.
(v) The person has purchased a firearm in the preceding 30 days.
(vi) The person otherwise indicates that a firearm is being obtained for another person.
(B) How to ascertain whether a prospective firearm purchaser is lawfully purchasing a firearm, including by asking questions of the prospective firearm purchaser.
(C) How to report a suspected fraudulent firearm purchase to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and to the Department of Justice.
(5) The department shall regularly review the training materials and update them as necessary.
(d) The department may adopt regulations for the purpose of implementing this section.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 250, Sec. 1. (SB 241) Effective January 1, 2024.)