Who Cannot Carry
Penal Code 29800 — a felony conviction anywhere, or addiction to a narcotic drug, and any firearm is a felony
Who. A person convicted of a felony under the laws of the United States, California, or any other state, government or country, or of certain offenses another section lists, or who is addicted to the use of any narcotic drug, and who owns, purchases, receives, or has in possession or under custody or control any firearm, is guilty of a felony.
Two more. So is a person with two or more convictions under a particular paragraph of another section the subdivision names, and a person who has an outstanding warrant for an offense the subdivision lists and knows of it.
A federal conviction. A federal felony counts only if the comparable California offense can only be punished as a felony, or the person was sentenced to a federal correctional facility for more than 30 days, or fined more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
Another state's nonviolent felony. The section does not apply to another state's conviction for a nonviolent felony that was vacated, set aside, expunged or dismissed there with firearm rights restored, or that received a full and unconditional pardon from that state's Governor restoring firearm rights, where the person was never convicted of a felony involving the use of a dangerous weapon.
Federal law keeps its own list of prohibited persons, which applies alongside the state's and is not on this page. Whether a particular conviction, order or commitment brings a person within the section, and whether rights can be restored, are questions for a licensed California attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Penal Code 29800 — Firearm possession by a person convicted of a felony or addicted to narcotics
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed California attorney.