This thread reminded me that I need some fuel cans.  I am still a Washington resident, but we're here in Northern California while my wife is working for a while.  

Just a few weeks ago I donated all of my fuel cans to a neighbor in Washington since I didn't want to haul them down here or leave them in a shed all year with fuel in them.  I planned on just replacing them with a bunch of NATO cans that I'd have shipped here.

Now I have come to learn about California's gas can laws and requirements for containers sold in CA.  According to Wavian, their CAB-compliant spout and Jerry Can is CA-approved and legal in all 50 states, though Amazon notified me that I cannot have this Wavian CA-compliant setup shipped to California.  

Likewise, Amazon won't let me order the spout if it is being shipped here.  I guess I can ship it to my place up North and bring them back down on the next trip, though I'm thinking about just going with the Deutscheoptik or Atlantic British NATO cans from that GD thread and getting that Wavian spout in from another dealer that will ship to CA.

If I do this, am I required to sand and paint cans red?  

If I can't practically get a NATO or Jerry can here, what awesome cans do you locals all use?   I don't want to get razzed for filling up a can at the gas station, but from what I have read on California's Approved Containers for Sale page, the restrictions are based on what can be sold by dealers in the state, not what can be brought in or even used in the state, as long as it is CARB compliant?

Ha!  Well, I went to the Waivian website to see if I could order straight from them and have them ship to California and it turns out they are a California company based in Paradise just up the hill from Chico.  Guess I'll just drive over tomorrow and see for myself!

Pretty sure the red color is a federal DOT requirement.

I was able to talk to Wavian directly today and they said that green is okay in California.  I am pretty sure the Atlantic British cans are Wavian since one of the pics at the AB site has the Wavian stamp, but according to the Internet they cannot ship inside California without CARB spouts, which AB doesn't carry (I called the New York office and CA is supposed to call back in the am).  This is why Wavian sells all cans with spouts and why Jerry/NATO cans without CARB-compliant spouts have to be sold as containers for non-potable water such as though DO.  Once a Jerry can has a CARB spout on it, it becomes a compliant container and can be shipped to CA.  

I am sure that somewhere in the US will be an attendant or gas station that will not fill or allow one to fill a green can, so I may go red anyhow just so aesthetics don't bite me in the ass in some remote one gas station town on some Jeep trip in the future.

Amazon will not ship any Wavian spouts or cans even though they are based in CA, CA compliant, and listed as legal in all 50 states.  So, one needs to order a CARB spout directly from Wavian, then try to get a can from elsewhere, or just go straight to the source and pay more for the can/spout combos.

I just use the regular NATO spout that came with my can.  I honestly don't GAF anymore.  The CARB-approved cans I've tried all leak like sieves.  I can't keep them in the trunk without getting gas everywhere, they let out all sorts of fumes in the trunk (which seep into the car), and I lose a ton of gas trying to use the various spouts.  The Wavian one looks interesting, though.  I'm sure that whole setup costs way more than my surplus can and nozzle.

I've yet to have anyone bother me, whether a LEO, gas station attendant, or otherwise for filling up a jerry can at a gas station anywhere I've done it in CA.  I wouldn't worry about that much.

You can fill what ever cans you want. But good luck getting the cans here, most places won't ship to CA. If you find a one that does at a good deal, let me know.

Thanks for the info.  

I was able to talk to both Wavian and Atlantic British's California people this am.  Both were able to confirm that green is good to go.  People who have had problems in the past were trying to put gasoline in a yellow-painted (diesel) NATO can.

Wavian is out of stock on 5 gallon cans until next week, when they will have more than 200 coming in and will be updating their website.  Their cans go for $79.99 each, which includes CARB-compliant the spout ($23.99).  I asked if I can buy cans without spouts, but that is a no go from them.   They do have a storefront in Paradise, California for anyone within driving range.  They also do free shipping for Jerry can orders if you are not.

They have been trying to get Amazon to stop blocking orders to California, but Amazon has so far been uncooperative.  These cans and spouts were specifically designed to meet all CA and recent Federal requirements and are legal for use and sale in all 50 states.

Wavian recommended that if I don't want a spout for every can, which I don't, I can save some money and they still make their's by buying Wavian cans from another dealer who will ship to CA.

So...  Talked to Atlantic British and they confirmed that they do ship Jerry cans to (within) California.  I also confirmed that their Jerry cans are Wavians and always are - they don't use other sources, so you know what you're getting.  They will not ship non-compliant spouts, so don't include a spout in your order.  But, they just now started carrying the Wavian/CARB spout for the same price as Wavian, but without free shipping.  Their sale price on cans alone, plus cheapest UPS shipping rate, and sales tax since they have a CA shop comes out to $54.50/can.  Expensive, but basically $101.96 less than four from Wavian directly, though need to factor in a spout that you will need to order from Wavian since I have not found anyone who will ship one to CA and AB is not yet carrying the CARB-spout on its own.  

If you want to make filling/transfers easier, get a Super Siphon or similar, but be sure to have at least one Wavian Safety Spout in possession to make the cans CA and US compliant if one is concerned about that.

Bottom line for TLDR:  

Green is good throughout US if using a Jerry/NATO can.   Needs to be red if using for commercial purposes.

CARB-compliant spout is what makes Jerry/NATO cans meet federal and CA laws.

Can get CARB-compliant "safety" spout from Wavian directly from store in Paradise, CA for $23.99 or shipped anywhere from there including CA.  

Can buy cans with CARB spouts for $79.99 from Wavian (free shipping, but factor in sales tax if in CA)

Or can buy Wavian cans (confirmed as Wavian) sans spouts from Atlantic British as singles or four packs.  $39.95 on sale ($54.50 including shipping and tax).  Will ship to California.

Got my order confirmation from Atlantic British and will update when shipped just in case the state takes out the UPS man with a surplus Apache attack chopper for transporting green Jerry cans.  


That was a long run for a short slide, but I want to feel like a free bird and possess cans that can do this:

Ha!

Glad to hear there are so many green can users here!  

I went ahead and drove over to Wavian and hung out about an hour in their shop.  They showed me their current stock, which is almost zilch as they shipped everything they could to Texas and Florida for Harvey and Irma.

They have a new shipment on a boat right now that is coming in next week.

They were real nice and showed me the can from the above video.  Sure enough, it is working.  

They sold me a CARB "Safety" spout.  It looks pretty neat and well thought out, but I don't trust that the extension wont snap off when filling a vehicle and wrestling a 5 gallon can.  I plan to keep the spout around when transporting, as well as a Super Siphon and a NATO spout.

Right about the time I got home I got an email from Atlantic British that my cans have shipped from them - they sent them my way within a few hours of the order and phone call.  Pretty impressed with the people at both Wavian and Atlantic British.

So at this point I can confirm that both will ship to California.  Now I will wait to see what the State does to the UPS man en route.  Think positive thoughts for him.

Shoot, a cup for a few gallons would be a gross understatement with respect to what I've seen.  Before I got my can, I started taking off the CARB spouts and just pouring it out of the can without a nozzle into a funnel.

Yeah, I've never tried a CARB spout other than those small red plastic no-spills, which I actually like for mixed fuel and small engines like weed wackers and chainsaws.  I think the CARB spout will likely just get dragged along to make it official, but the siphon/funnel/trad NATO spout is the way to go.  

I connected the extension to the safety spout and it seems like a disaster waiting to happen if it is inserted in an unleaded hole and a too much weight or stress is put on the plastic.  Of course, I could be wrong, but I'd hate to have plastic shards in my tank and a snapped off extension blocking the intake.  Easier is better almost always anyhow.

AB shipped the cans in a couple of different shipments from Sylmar, CA.  I paid for the cheapest possible shipping rate via UPS and it still has delivery scheduled within four days of placing the order, which is handled by the same guy from phone call to finish and he's sent me a couple of unsolicited update emails.  Getting the royal treatment for a few metal cans makes me wish I needed more stuff from Atlantic British, but I'm a Jeep guy!  I will go out of my way in the future to give these guys business.

Those LCIs are like Scepters I use for water - they are identical to the ones we used in the Army and are bomber.  Northwest River Supply (NRS) sells Scepters at a relatively good price and does free shipping on orders over $75.  My house in Washington is a 30 minute drive from their factory store in Moscow, Idaho.  Scratch and dent deals are pretty nice perks to living on the Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho border - still fantasizing that I will one day walk in to find an NRS raft at 50% off

NRS Scepter Water Cans