State Legality Matrix / Suppressors / California
Statute-cited, last verified 2026-07-10
No. Possession of a silencer by any person, firm, or corporation is a felony.
Controlling law: Cal. Penal Code § 33410
Exempts law enforcement agencies listed in Penal Code § 830.1, the military, and on-duty peace officers authorized by their agency (§ 33415).
Suppressors are federally legal to own under the NFA. As of January 1, 2026 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) zeroed the federal making and transfer tax on suppressors, formerly $200. Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, the NICS background check, and NFA registration are all still required; ATF eForm approvals currently run days to a couple of weeks.
Scope: Firearm suppressors (silencers) as defined by the NFA. Federal NFA compliance (Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, NICS, registration) is required everywhere they are legal.
No. Possession of a silencer by any person, firm, or corporation is a felony. Controlling law: Cal. Penal Code § 33410.
The controlling law is Cal. Penal Code § 33410. Possession of a silencer by any person, firm, or corporation is a felony.
Suppressors are federally legal to own under the NFA. As of January 1, 2026 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 2025) zeroed the federal making and transfer tax on suppressors, formerly $200. Form 4 or Form 1, fingerprints, the NICS background check, and NFA registration are all still required; ATF eForm approvals currently run days to a couple of weeks.