If you carry, or you're thinking about starting the process, there are two changes to California's CCW law you need on your radar. One tightens things up. One actually works in your favor — eventually. Let's break both down so you know exactly where you stand.
Change #1: Everyone's Getting Live Scanned — No Exceptions After September 1, 2026
Here's the deal. Right now, if you're renewing your CCW, you might not have to get fingerprinted again — the state's been relying on prints already on file from your last application. That loophole closes on September 1, 2026.
Starting that date, every CCW application submitted to the County — whether it's your very first permit or your fifth renewal — has to include a fresh set of Live Scan fingerprints. No exceptions, no relying on old prints. This comes straight from Penal Code § 26185(b)(2), part of the framework laid out under Senate Bill 2 (2023).
What this means for you in practical terms:
If your renewal application gets submitted on or after September 1, 2026, budget time and money for a new Live Scan appointment
You'll need to fill out a BCIA 8016 form and get your Live Scan done — and here's the part people get wrong: you can't just walk into any fingerprinting place. Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, and Yuba Counties all require your CCW Live Scan to be completed at the Sheriff's Office itself, by appointment. If you show up somewhere else, it won't count.
Processing can't move forward until the County receives your results back from DOJ, so this isn't a same-day thing — plan ahead
If your permit is already close to its expiration date, don't wait until the last minute. Sheriff's office appointments fill up, so get your renewal paperwork moving early and get that appointment on the calendar
Bottom line: if your permit is up for renewal anywhere near September 2026, start the process early — and book your Live Scan appointment directly with your Sheriff's office. Nobody skips this one anymore.
📄 You can read the actual bill language here: California Senate Bill 2 (2023) — leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
Change #2: CCW Permits Are Going From 2 Years to 3 Years — But Not Yet, and Not for Everyone
This one's good news, but the timing matters a lot, so read this part carefully.
Governor Newsom signed AB 1948 into law on June 30, 2026 (now officially Chapter 44, Statutes of 2026). It amends Penal Code § 26220, and here's the exact language of the updated law:
"Except as otherwise provided in this section, a license issued pursuant to Section 26150 or 26155 is valid for any period of time not to exceed three years from the date of the license."
Previously, that same section capped standard CCW licenses at two years. AB 1948 stretches that out to three.
Here's the part people are going to get wrong if we don't spell it out: this law is not retroactive, and it doesn't kick in until January 1, 2027.
That means:
If you take your initial CCW class or renew your permit before January 1, 2027 — even if it's December 31, 2026 — you are still on the 2-year term. Your permit will still expire in 2 years, and you'll still need to renew on that old schedule.
Only permits issued on or after January 1, 2027 get the new 3-year term.
There's no grandfathering in, and no automatic conversion. An existing 2-year permit doesn't magically become a 3-year permit when the calendar flips to 2027 — it keeps the term it was issued under.
What this means for you: if you're due for your initial class or a renewal in late 2026, don't put it off hoping to "wait for the 3-year law" — it won't apply to you unless your license is actually issued on or after January 1, 2027. Talk to us about your specific timing if you're not sure which side of that line you'll land on.
📄 Read the full bill text here: California Assembly Bill 1948 (2026) — leginfo.legislature.ca.gov