I struck a deal with a CA resident for his howitzer.  It’s C&R, is properly registered, and the Seller has a proper CA DOJ DD license.  It’ll be a Form 4 direct to me because I’ve got a C&R.

This is a single shot; no magazine.  It’s larger than .50 cal.

Normally I’d just drive to the Seller upon approval and trailer the gun back home.  But I’m not a CA resident and don’t have a CA DD license.  I’m fine Federally, but do I run afoul of CA law by taking possession and immediately removing it from the state?

If it’s required, can I even get a CA DD license as a non-CA resident?

Thanks!

Would they give DD it to a non-resident? Probably not

Even if they they did, if you got pulled over by johnny law and his fat nose finds a howitzer, he wont give two shits about your permits.
Expect he will call his buddies to hem and haw and finger fuck your big toy, while their management calls the media to get pics of your big toy and you in cuffs, cuz they will let the judge figure out it.

back up the truck, cover the big toy, drive at night and do the speed limit.


See page 9, regarding sales by the license holder.
https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/firearms/regs/chapter7.pdf

@Garand1911

The DD license paperwork references a discounted fee for out-of-state DD license holders.  So apparently they ARE available.  Actually given is another matter.

Page 9 is for machine guns..?

I wouldn't count on CA DOJ approving an out of state license for transport in any timely manner (based on their usual turnaround time, compounded by their COVID "staffing")

Any way you could get the seller to transport to a border, then take possession? While you could probably come here and haul it away with minimal chance of being caught, the risk in this state for firearms-related stuff, let alone DD stuff, isn't worth it.

Never heard of DWPs being issued to non-residents, but I've also never had a need to look that up.

Normal DWPs are very hard for anyone to get, including the DD DWP.  You pretty much have to be an SOT and have some sort of related business the State considers legitimate, like film rentals, training LE or military, sales of such weapons to LE or military (or manufacture for that purpose), etc.

However, unlike for other DW categories, there is a collector's version of the DD DWP that is attainable by ordinary people.  Besides passing the background check and showing that it's for collector purposes, you also have to meet some secure storage standards which can be a bit much for some (such as apartment-dwellers or those with limited wealth/income) and agree not to discharge the weapons in CA and to keep a log of public displays of the weapons.  Also, DDs under .60-cal. do not need a permit.

I forget, if an NFA weapon is C&R, does that mean that it can be transferred to a C&R FFL holder without going through an SOT?  Seems like the transfer would be good in that case Federally, but I could see there being State issues.  Just because a transaction is valid Federally does not mean it is valid in CA.  Possession without appropriate permits would be an issue, too, unless there is some exemption of which I'm unaware (certainly possible).  Is there an issue Federally having it shipped to you?  Shouldn't be a State issue and if it's GTG that way, that might just be the safest way to go about it, even if it is less convenient.