DOJ Proposes to Significantly Increase Ammunition Purchase Fee

Once again, the State of California wants to make it more expensive and burdensome for you to exercise your gun rights!

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is now proposing to increase the ammunition purchase fee for each transaction from $1 to $5:  https://oag.ca.gov/firearms/regs/ammofee.  This is on top of the recently enacted 11% excise tax on the sale of all firearms and ammunition that went into effect on July 1.

The revenues from this fivefold fee increase would NOT be used to support wildlife conservation or hunting-related programs, but rather to fund the ammunition registration and background check system that has not be shown to reduce violent crime.  If anything, violent crime has increased since 2019 when the background check for ammunition purchases was first mandated by state law. (Note data from DOJ indicates that from 2018-2023 violent crime rose 15.1%.) 

Hunting is already an expensive activity for many, and raising the ammunition purchase fee by 5 times for each and every sale will only serve as a further disincentive for the public to participate in hunting and the shooting sports.  

Please urge the DOJ to reject this ill-conceived proposal.  Written comments must be submitted by 5:00 PM on October 8, 2024.  Written comments can be mailed to the address below or emailed to bofregulations@doj.ca.gov.

California Department of Justice
P.O. Box 160487
Sacramento, CA 95816

Thank you for your assistance.