Question 1

Are ghost guns and 80% lowers legal in California?

Accepted Answer

Restricted. A private maker must obtain a California DOJ serial number before building, and firearm precursor parts use the state's licensed transfer and eligibility process. Effective 2018-07-01. Controlling law: Cal. Penal Code §§ 29180-29184; §§ 30400-30485.

Question 2

What law covers unfinished frames and unserialized firearms in California?

Accepted Answer

The controlling law is Cal. Penal Code §§ 29180-29184; §§ 30400-30485. A private maker must obtain a California DOJ serial number before building, and firearm precursor parts use the state's licensed transfer and eligibility process.

Question 3

When did California's unfinished frame or unserialized firearm restriction take effect?

Accepted Answer

California's rule took effect 2018-07-01. California allows a qualifying personal build only through its pre-build serial-number process. The finished firearm must be marked within ten days, polymer builds require embedded stainless steel, and separate precursor-part rules require vendor processing and an eligibility check. This is a serialization and transfer regime, not a categorical ban on every self-built firearm.

Question 4

Are 80% lowers and self-built firearms legal under federal law?

Accepted Answer

Federal law does not prohibit making a firearm for personal use, but prohibited-person, detectable-firearm, and unlicensed manufacturing-for-sale rules still apply. On August 17, 2026, Defense Distributed v. Blanche held 27 C.F.R. §§ 478.11 and 478.12(c) unconstitutional, but the judgment did not vacate those regulations and its declaratory and injunctive relief is party-scoped. Buyers outside the protected parties remain subject to the 2022 federal frame-or-receiver rule while litigation continues; state serialization, transfer, possession, and manufacturing laws apply independently.

Federal baseline verified 2026-08-18. Scope: Unfinished firearm frames and receivers, including products marketed as 80% lowers or pistol-frame blanks, plus firearms privately made without a serial number. Serialized stripped receivers transferred as firearms are outside this class's unfinished/unserialized restrictions.

Are Ghost Guns and 80% Lowers Legal in California?

Litigation Status and Details

Federal baseline

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