Frequently Asked Questions

CaliRoster is a free, independent database of every handgun on the California Department of Justice's approved roster. If you've ever tried to use the official DOJ website to look up what handguns you can actually buy in California, you know it's a painful experience — slow, hard to search, and missing basic features like filtering by caliber or comparing specs. We built CaliRoster to fix that. You can search, filter, sort, and compare every approved handgun in seconds.

No. CaliRoster is a completely independent project. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Justice in any way. All of our data is sourced from publicly available DOJ records. We simply present it in a way that's actually usable.

We have alerts set up to monitor changes to the official DOJ roster and update this site whenever we get new information — whether that's new additions, removals, expirations, or status changes. That said, we always recommend verifying with the official DOJ database or your local FFL dealer before making a purchase. The DOJ is the final authority, not us.

We monitor the roster daily. When the DOJ adds, removes, or changes the status of any handgun, we update our database to reflect it as quickly as possible. We also track legal developments — like court cases and proposed legislation — that could affect the roster, and post those on our Roster Updates page.

This is a passion project, plain and simple. I'm a California gun owner who got tired of fighting with the DOJ's website every time I wanted to look something up. I figured if I was frustrated, other people probably were too. So I built the tool I wished existed. There's no company behind this — just one person who thought the roster deserved a better interface.

The California Handgun Roster — officially called the "Roster of Certified Handguns" — is a list maintained by the California Department of Justice. Only handguns that appear on this list may be sold by licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) in California. The roster was established by the Unsafe Handgun Act of 2001, which requires all handguns sold in the state to pass specific safety testing and meet certain design requirements.

Since 2013, California has required all new semi-automatic pistols submitted for the roster to include microstamping technology — a process that engraves a microscopic code on cartridge casings when fired. No major manufacturer has been able to reliably implement this technology at scale, which has effectively blocked almost all new semi-auto pistol models from being added. Meanwhile, existing models drop off when manufacturers don't renew their annual certifications. The result is a roster that shrinks over time. Revolvers are exempt from the microstamping requirement, which is why new revolvers still get added.

Handgun certifications expire annually. Manufacturers must renew their certifications and pay renewal fees to keep each model on the roster. If they choose not to renew — whether due to cost, low California sales volume, or business decisions — the model is removed when its certification expires. This is separate from the microstamping issue; even existing models can fall off if not renewed.

An "Expiring" status means the manufacturer's certification for that model is approaching its expiration date and hasn't been renewed yet. The handgun is still legal to purchase from a dealer until the expiration date passes. If the manufacturer renews in time, the status goes back to normal. If they don't, it gets removed from the roster. If you're eyeing a model marked as expiring, it might be worth acting sooner rather than later.

Yes. The most significant ongoing case is Duncan v. Bonta, which challenges California's microstamping requirement among other handgun restrictions. A petition for certiorari has been filed with the U.S. Supreme Court (Case No. 25-198). We track these legal developments on our Roster Updates page. Any major ruling could significantly change what's available on the roster.

Off-roster handguns cannot be purchased from a licensed dealer (FFL). However, they can legally be obtained in California through a few channels: private party transfers (PPT) from another California resident who already owns one, intrafamilial transfers from parents, grandparents, or children, or through certain law enforcement exemptions. Off-roster guns obtained through PPT almost always carry a significant price premium — sometimes double or triple MSRP — because supply is limited.

California requires a mandatory 10-day waiting period for all firearm purchases, no exceptions. After you complete your paperwork (DROS) and background check at an FFL dealer, you must wait a full 10 days before you can take possession of the firearm. This applies to everyone — first-time buyers, existing gun owners, active military, everyone. Plan accordingly.

To purchase a handgun in California, you need to be at least 21 years old, possess a valid Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) obtained by passing a written test, present a valid California driver's license or ID, and provide proof of residency. You'll also need to pass a background check and complete the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) at an FFL dealer. Your FFL will walk you through the specifics.

FFL stands for Federal Firearms License. An FFL holder is a licensed firearms dealer authorized to sell guns. In California, all handgun purchases — whether from a store, online, or through a private transfer — must be processed through an FFL. If you buy a gun online, it gets shipped to your local FFL, who then handles the paperwork, background check, and waiting period. You can find licensed dealers through the retailers linked on our handgun detail pages, or search for local FFLs near you.

Yes, but only if the handgun is on the California roster. You purchase from an online retailer and have it shipped to a local FFL dealer. The FFL then handles the DROS, background check, and 10-day waiting period before you can pick it up. The online retailer doesn't sell directly to you — they sell to the FFL, who transfers it to you. Make sure the model you're buying is the exact CA-compliant version before ordering.

Head to the Browse page. You can type in the search bar to find any model by name, brand, or model number. You can also filter by brand, caliber, frame size, firearm type, and roster status using the filter panel. On desktop, filters are always visible on the left side. On mobile, tap the filter button to open the filter drawer.

Click the heart icon (♡) next to any handgun in the browse view or on a detail page. Your favorites are saved in your browser's local storage — no account needed, no data leaves your device. Just keep in mind that clearing your browser data will reset your favorites list.

We use four status indicators throughout the site. Green (On Roster) means the handgun is currently approved for sale by licensed dealers in California. Blue (New) means the handgun was recently added to the roster. Orange (Expiring) means the certification is approaching expiration and hasn't been renewed yet. Gray (Removed) means the handgun has been removed from the roster and can no longer be purchased from an FFL.

All prices shown are MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) — the price set by the manufacturer. Actual retail prices vary by dealer and can be higher or lower than MSRP. Use the prices on CaliRoster as a general reference point, not an exact quote. Always check current pricing with the retailer before purchasing.

No. Absolutely not. We do not sell, share, trade, or give away your personal information to anyone, ever. We don't run tracking pixels from data brokers. We don't have a user database to sell. Your browsing activity on CaliRoster stays on CaliRoster. This is a firm policy, not a marketing line. See our Privacy Policy for the full details.

CaliRoster is funded entirely through affiliate links. When you click a retailer link on a handgun's detail page and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission from that retailer — at no extra cost to you. That's it. We don't charge for access, we don't sell ads, and we don't sell your data. Affiliate commissions are the only way this site generates revenue.

For those unfamiliar: affiliate links are special URLs that tell a retailer "this customer came from CaliRoster." If you buy something after clicking one, the retailer pays us a small referral fee. The price you pay is exactly the same whether you use our link or go directly to the retailer's site.

This is a one-person passion project, and every bit of support genuinely helps keep it running. Here are the best ways to help:

Use the retailer links. If you're going to buy a handgun anyway, clicking through from a CaliRoster detail page costs you nothing and helps keep the lights on.

Tell your friends. Know someone in California who's shopping for a handgun or just wants to know what's on the roster? Send them our way. Word of mouth is the best advertising money can't buy.

Buy me some ammo. If you want to directly support the project, I'm not going to say no to a box of range ammo. Every little bit helps keep this site ad-free and running.

Seriously — whether you share the site, use an affiliate link, or just find the site useful, I appreciate it.

Please let me know! Accuracy matters. Head to the Contact page and send a message with the model name and what's wrong. I review every message and fix errors as quickly as possible.