Handgun Residency Question

[tetris]

I have a question regarding residency for the purposes of purchasing a handgun in California.

I have a valid CA license, I'm registered to vote in CA and I just purchased a long gun only a few months ago there. However, I'm out of state a lot, as I am a student.

The question arises because I am purchasing a new car very soon, and I am afraid that if I register the vehicle in another state, that it may cause me to fail the residency test when I purchase a handgun in CA. I will keep my drivers license as a CA driver's license. EDIT: I also have a cable service in CA, which I will use to prove my residency to the gun store.

Does anybody know if this is a possibility, or are my fears unfounded?

Thanks

[Nismo]

landline, cable, utility bill within the last 3 months I believe. You can also get a notarized letter signed with your landlord or whoever you live with.

[boogak]

i use my cable bill

[goldfinger]

i use my waste management bill, which is billed every 3 months.

[Greg-Dawg]

You're good to go.

[Jason_R]

Why don't you buy firearms in the state that you stay in most of the time?

Also...is it possible to keep residency in Utah while going to school in California, legally!?

[scootergmc]

Why don't you buy firearms in the state that you stay in most of the time?

Also...is it possible to keep residency in Utah while going to school in California, legally!?

Yes. You're considered an out of state resident for tuition purposes, yes? Although (DMV) CA will try to tell you that if you've been in the state for (I think) 6 months you're a resident. I'd tell them to pound sand. Someone correct me because I'm probably wrong.

[Quiet]

The question arises because I am purchasing a new car very soon, and I am afraid that if I register the vehicle in another state, that it may cause me to fail the residency test when I purchase a handgun in CA. I will keep my drivers license as a CA driver's license.

Are you buying this car in CA?
If so, you can't have it registered in another state.

Also, once you have become a resident of CA, you have 20 days to register your vehicle in CA. Otherwise, your vehicle could be towed and you will be fined.

Visitors whose vehicles are properly registered to them in their home state may operate their vehicles in California until they:

Accept gainful employment in California.
Claim a homeowner's exemption in California.
Rent or lease a residence in California.
Intend to live or be located here on a permanent basis (for example, acquire a California driver license, acquire other licenses not ordinarily extended to a nonresident, registered to vote).
Enroll in an institution of higher learning as a California resident or enroll their dependents in school (K-12).

[Jason_R]

Yes. You're considered an out of state resident for tuition purposes, yes? Although (DMV) CA will try to tell you that if you've been in the state for (I think) 6 months you're a resident. I'd tell them to pound sand. Someone correct me because I'm probably wrong.

I'm paying in-state tuition as I've attended the same college before and my parents live in California...

[Quiet]

I'm paying in-state tuition as I've attended the same college before and my parents live in California...

Do you have a CA DL or a UT DL?

[Jason_R]

Do you have a CA DL or a UT DL?

Utah...

[Quiet]

Utah...

As long as you don't register to vote in CA, aquire CA ID/DL, get a job or pay for any utilities in CA.

You should be considered a UT resident that is temporarily residing in CA.

[tetris]

As long as you don't register to vote in CA, aquire CA ID/DL, get a job or pay for any utilities in CA.

You should be considered a UT resident that is temporarily residing in CA.

I don't know if I buy the part about the utilities. A lot of people have summer homes in different states. I called the CA DOJ BOF and spoke to the actual lady who rejects people's gun applications. She said all that matters is:

(1) That you have a valid CA driver's license
(2) You have a proof of residency at the point of sale, which the DOJ never even sees

In other words, all of the residency verification is done by the FFL, in the form of a utility bill or other document, and is not handled by the DOJ.

[thefinger]

I'm a student from CA that lives in Missouri most of the time. I've bought guns in both states. I also have a CA drivers license and a MO state I.D.....


if you have the proper I.D. and are buying the rifle/handgun in the state which you maintain legal residence, then you have nothing to worry about. As a student, I am considered a legal resident in MO as long as I have been here for 3 months prior to purchasing a firearm. I'm not sure what the laws in Utah/CA are, but I bet they are similar. I'm sure you can find out from the University you are attending,

A lot of the people on calguns are great sources for information, but when it comes to the college situation people can be somewhat misinformed. I know a lot about the federal law on these matters. If you want to PM me, go ahead and I can explain what I know.

[blackbox]

from the horse's mouth

Fortunately, in this case, the BATF makes the federal situation very clear:

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b12

If a person maintains a home in 2 States and resides in both States for certain periods of the year, he or she may, during the period of time the person actually resides in a particular State, purchase a handgun in that State.