Bring rifle while student

[racewest22]

Hello,

I'm moving to CA and want to bring my rifle. I've modified it so it's totally CA-legal.
Now about registering it. I'll be a student, so I won't be getting a CA driver's license. The form for registering guns, found here, asks for a CA driver's license or other California ID. Does that make me a non-resident who doesn't need to register? Is there another ID I can get from CA that will suffice?

Thank you

[Librarian]

If you're 'just visiting', no requirement to register anything.

If you finish school here, and choose to stay, then you would register any guns you might bring in.

Note that keeping any gun at all on a school campus will be difficult. Penal Code says bringing a gun on a college/university campus, or other college property, including housing units on or off the main campus, is a crime - PC 626.9(h)

(h) Notwithstanding Section 25605, any person who brings or possesses a loaded firearm upon the grounds of a campus of, or buildings owned or operated for student housing, teaching, research, or administration by, a public or private university or college, that are contiguous or are clearly marked university property, unless it is with the written permission of the university or college president, his or her designee, or equivalent university or college authority, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for two, three, or four years. Notwithstanding subdivision (k), a university or college shall post a prominent notice at primary entrances on noncontiguous property stating that firearms are prohibited on that property pursuant to this subdivision.

Getting written permission is very rare, but not entirely impossible. You will probably need an off-campus place to store your rifle.

[racewest22]

If you're 'just visiting', no requirement to register anything.

If you finish school here, and choose to stay, then you would register any guns you might bring in.

Note that keeping any gun at all on a school campus will be difficult. Penal Code says bringing a gun on a college/university campus, or other college property, including housing units on or off the main campus, is a crime - PC 626.9(h) Getting written permission is very rare, but not entirely impossible. You will probably need an off-campus place to store your rifle.

Thanks! I'll be 'visiting' for three years. And living off-campus. So I guess I'll be good to go. I appreciate it!

[Oceanbob]

Thanks! I'll be 'visiting' for three years. And living off-campus. So I guess I'll be good to go. I appreciate it!

Welcome young man.!. Keep in touch with this Website. A bunch of helpful people here.

My daughter (youngest) who's 18 just started College on August 17th. She's sad she can't keep Her AR in her locker......hahaha.

We need more young college types in the gun world.

Be well

Bob

[baggss]

Welcome to California, you don't need no stinkin 2A rights!

[Spanky8601]

Thanks! I'll be 'visiting' for three years. And living off-campus. So I guess I'll be good to go. I appreciate it!

To help with the "residency" make sure that you register to vote in your home state.

[jeremiah12]

For the OP, one thing that many out-of-state college students get tripped up on is the requirement to register your car in CA while you are in CA.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr33

Many do not. They often get caught when pulled over by the CHP (CA Highway Patrol) for speeding or other driving infraction and it becomes apparent that you are not a tourist just visiting but have actually spent some time in the state. If you are a student at a state college or university, it will not take long to figure out how long you have been here. Then you will find out how expensive it is to register a car in CA and then get hit with the late fees and fines and who knows what else.

Years ago you had 60 days. It looks like now that if you have no plans to become a CA resident, you can wait until your current registration expires then you need to register you vehicle in CA.

My son is current attending a UC and one of his friends from out of state got hit with this last spring and had to pay up for 3 years of CA registration and late fees. It was a few thousand dollars. Many out of state students do not get caught. Then again he attends UC Davis which is a bike friendly campus so most drive to their apartment, park their car, and only drive it again when they head back home the following summer.

[Svetlana]

Be careful with "school grounds" boundaries if you are living off campus. If you are traveling with your rifle to the range you need to steer clear of certain areas.

Since you are new to CA, the atmosphere is very different, those of us who are pro-2A are not very well welcomed on most campuses. Avoid arguments or debates, been a student and teacher and I have seen my share of these arguments on a daily bases. Be tactful and not draw anger or attention.

Be careful of who you talk about your rifle or even political views with, even mentioning you support the NRA or something can get certain people against you and want to hurt you. In CA we also have laws that allow confiscation of weapons if someone files in court, a firearm restraining order, claiming you are dangerous. Laws like that can be dangerous and misused, and there will be people who might want to use that against you.

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of CA

[racewest22]

Thank you all for your help! I'll be sure to register to vote in my home state, keep on top of my car registration, and my mouth shut. I didn't know about firearm restraining orders. Sounds pretty scary, actually.

I don't know what I would've done without this forum. Well, actually, I'd not have known how to modify my rifle to be CA-legal or to leave behind the 'high-capacity' magazines. Then I'd be in big trouble. So, thank you.

[Snow]

Be careful with "school grounds" boundaries if you are living off campus. If you are traveling with your rifle to the range you need to steer clear of certain areas.

As long as the rifle is in a locked case and unloaded it shouldn't be a problem, no?

[jeremiah12]

As long as the rifle is in a locked case and unloaded it shouldn't be a problem, no?

Yes.

And depending on the area of the state and the school determines the level of sensitivity others will have about any gun talk. Ag schools and schools located in more conservative areas of the state, you will find many other students who are shooters. Some of these schools even have their own shooting clubs and teams. Others, in more urban areas, around southern CA, SF bay area will have students that will wet their panties and faint at the mention of the word gun.

My son attends UC Davis and his friends know he shoots guns and collects knives and he has not run into problems. He is also an Animal Science major and they tend to be more conservative.

[gdt82]

As long as the rifle is in a locked case and unloaded it shouldn't be a problem, no?

I was under the impression that with a college or university campus, it was illegal to transport a firearm on campus grounds under any circumstance, even locked case, etc. The confusion arises because "school zones" are different, and you can drive through a gun-free school zone if the firearm is locked and unloaded in your car. But a university or college campus is a different entity altogether and not considered a "school zone".

[Librarian]

I was under the impression that with a college or university campus, it was illegal to transport a firearm on campus grounds under any circumstance, even locked case, etc. The confusion arises because "school zones" are different, and you can drive through a gun-free school zone if the firearm is locked and unloaded in your car. But a university or college campus is a different entity altogether and not considered a "school zone".

The post responded-to was

Originally Posted by Svetlana
Be careful with "school grounds" boundaries if you are living off campus. If you are traveling with your rifle to the range you need to steer clear of certain areas.

"Certain areas" would seem to include campus and other university property. In post 2, I included the applicable Penal Code.

[gdt82]

The post responded-to was

"Certain areas" would seem to include campus and other university property. In post 2, I included the applicable Penal Code.

In your post with the penal code, it says "loaded", but I have seen other posts with applicable penal code listed and the word "loaded" was not present. So which is correct? I gathered from other posts that unless you had written permission from the university (unlikely), or a concealed carry permit, you couldn't bring a firearm on a campus even if it was locked and unloaded. Is that correct or incorrect? And does the "bring on campus" include transport in a car while passing through the area, as many campuses have roads that are used by the public during the normal course of their day.

[Librarian]

Point.

Next subsection of 626.9 -

(i) Notwithstanding Section 25605, any person who brings or possesses a firearm upon the grounds of a campus of, or buildings owned or operated for student housing, teaching, research, or administration by, a public or private university or college, that are contiguous or are clearly marked university property, unless it is with the written permission of the university or college president, his or her designee, or equivalent university or college authority, shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 for one, two, or three years. Notwithstanding subdivision (k), a university or college shall post a prominent notice at primary entrances on noncontiguous property stating that firearms are prohibited on that property pursuant to this subdivision.

AFAIK, the 'public roads through campuses' is as yet unresolved.