California: Firearm & Ammo Tax Bill Returns

Committee Members Must Hear Your Opposition to AB 18!

On Thursday, January 23, the Assembly Appropriations Committee has scheduled Assembly Bill 18, a returning anti-gun measure that was sent to the committee suspense filed last year.   Use the TAKE ACTION button below to contact Members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee and urge them to OPPOSE AB 18.  

AB 18, sponsored by Assembly Member Marc Levine (D - 10), would impose a $25 excise tax on the purchase of a handgun, semiautomatic rifle or shotgun sold as new from a retailer in addition to an excise tax on ammunition dealers for an unspecified percentage of the gross receipts from any sale of ammunition.  The funds would then be deposited into an account for a grant program. 

Gun owners in the Golden State already pay a very high price to exercise their constitutional right of owning firearms.  Placing another tax on firearms and ammunition is a tactic anti-gun extremists are pushing to make it more costly and burdensome to exercise your rights.  If this legislation becomes law, first time gun owners could be paying nearly $100 in taxes and fees outside the cost of the firearm and ammunition and the existing taxes on such purchases. 

First Time Gun Owner Costs per DOJ Fee Listings: 

Dealer’s Record of Sale (DROS) Fee

(Pen. Code, § 28233; 11 Cal. Code Regs. § 4001)……..……………...……….………..  $ 31.19 

Firearm Safety Fee (Pen. Code, § 23690).…………………………………..………...  $  1.00 

Firearm Safety Enforcement Fee (Pen. Code, § 28300)………………….…..  $   5.00

                                                            Total Fee at time of DROS Transaction:    $ 37.19

                                      -------------------------------------  

The following are fees associated with the Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) program: 

DOJ FSC New Certificate Fee (Pen. Code, § 31650)……………………………..  $ 15.00 

FSC Test Fee (Pen. Code, § 31650)……………………………………...………..……….  $ 10.00

                                                              Total Fee at time of FSC Issuance:     $  25.00

                                     ------------------------------------- ​ 

Dealer Firearm Excise Tax (per firearm)

(If AB 18 is enacted)……………………………………………………............….……………...$  25.00 

Dealer Ammunition Excise Tax (gross total of ammunition sale)

(If AB 18 is enacted)…………………………………………....…………     undisclosed percentage

Make sure you forward this message to your family, friends, and fellow gun owners and urge them to contact members of the Committee TODAY to OPPOSE AB 18. 

Your NRA will continue to fight to promote and protect your right to keep and bear arms and hunting heritage. 

Check your inbox and the California Stand and Fight web page for updates on issues impacting your Second Amendment rights and hunting heritage in California.