California Gun Law Update - January 2026

As a result of a recent decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the California law prohibiting carry concealed weapon (CCW) license holders from carrying firearms in various sensitive places (Cal. Pen. Code §26230, subd. (a)) is now enforceable in the following nine additional locations:

1.  Bars and restaurants that serve alcohol (and related parking areas); (NOTE:  This is the law now even if you are not drinking.  The old law allowed you to carry in restaurants that served alcohol as long as alcoholic beverages were not their primary source of income.)
2.  Playgrounds and youth centers (and adjacent streets and sidewalks);
3.  Parks, athletic areas, and athletic facilities (and adjacent streets and sidewalks);
4.  Most real property under the control of the Department of Parks and Recreation or Department of Fish and Wildlife;  (If unsure, check with the Ranger of that land.)
5.  Casinos and similar gambling establishments (and related parking areas);
6.  Stadiums and arenas (and related parking areas);
7.  Public libraries (and related parking areas);
8.  Amusement parks (and related parking areas); and
9.  Zoos and museums (and related parking areas).

(Cal. Pen. Code § 26230, subds. (a)(9), (11)‐(13), (15)‐(17), (19), (20).) 

The reference to parking areas is unclear.  If you are conducting business, you may not carry.  If you are just passing through, e.g. dropping kids off for school, it's basically a side-street and you can probably carry.  

The above provisions had previously been enjoined by a December 20, 2023 preliminary injunction issued by the United States District Court for the Central District of California in May v. Bonta (No. 23‐4354) and Carralero v. Bonta (No. 23‐4356). EffectiveJanuary 23, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed that preliminary injunction in multiple respects, making Penal Code section 26230, subdivision (a) now enforceable as to the nine locations listed above.

The nine locations above are in addition to the following eleven sensitive places listed in section 26230, which were never enjoined:

1.  School zones;
2.  Preschool and childcare facilities;
3.  Buildings under the control of an officer of the state executive or legislative branch;
4.  Court buildings;
5.  Local government buildings;
6.  Adult and juvenile detention centers;
7.  Colleges and universities;

Cal. Penal Code §26230(a) bans carry on the grounds of a K–12 school.
It does not clearly define whether adjacent parking lots, drive-through lanes, or curbside pickup areas count as “grounds.”

That vagueness is real—and courts hate vagueness, but cops sometimes don’t.

Courts and prosecutors generally look at purpose and duration.

Examples:

• Dropping kids at the curb
   
• Picking up kids without leaving the vehicle
   
• Driving through a shared lot to access another roadway
   

Key factors that help you:

• You stay in the vehicle
   
• Engine running
   
• No loitering
   
• No unrelated activity
   
• No exit from the car
   

This looks like transitory access, not presence “on school grounds.”

Examples:

• Parking and walking your child to class
   
• Sitting in the lot waiting
   
• Attending meetings or events
   
• Using the lot for non-school reasons (phone calls, errands, waiting)
   

At that point, a prosecutor can argue you are voluntarily present on school grounds, and the carry prohibition kicks in.

This is where things get messy.

• If the lot serves multiple properties, it’s harder to call it exclusively “school grounds.”
   
• But if the school controls or designates portions of the lot, risk increases.
   

• Painted markings
   
• School signage
   
• Staff supervision
   
• Student use during school hours
   

Those cues push the area closer to “grounds,” legally speaking.

• Arrest risk is low for pure drop-off
   
• Citation risk rises if you exit the vehicle
   
• Prosecution risk increases if you linger or conduct other business
   

In short: movement is your friend; lingering is your enemy.

If carrying lawfully elsewhere and dropping kids at school:

• ✔ Stay in the vehicle
   
• ✔ Don’t park
   
• ✔ Don’t walk on campus
   
• ✔ Don’t wait
   
• ✔ Don’t run errands in the lot
   
• ✔ Treat the lot like a drive-through, not a destination
   

If you must exit the vehicle, that’s when people typically secure the firearm off-person beforehand (not advice—just what actually happens).

• Passing through for drop-off is defensible
   
• Doing business or lingering is risky
   
• The statute is vague, but your behavior fills in the gaps
   
• Nobody wants to be the appellate case that “clarifies” this law