Gun Laws/California/Reviewed October 3, 2026

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Are binary triggers legal in California?

Quick answer

No

California: Not named; covered by the multiburst trigger activator ban on its wording.

1 of California's 3 neighboring states has the same status. Check each one before you cross a state line with binary triggers.

Not legal advice. Source: Cal. Penal Code §§ 16930, 32900, checked October 3, 2026

Binary trigger laws by state

Alabama: No state banAlaska: No state banArizona: No state banColorado: BannedFlorida: UnsettledGeorgia: No state banIndiana: No state banKansas: No state banMaine: No state banMassachusetts: BannedMinnesota: No state banNew Jersey: RestrictedNorth Carolina: No state banNorth Dakota: No state banOklahoma: No state banPennsylvania: No state banSouth Dakota: No state banTexas: No state banWyoming: No state banConnecticut: BannedMissouri: No state banWest Virginia: No state banIllinois: BannedNew Mexico: No state banArkansas: No state banCalifornia: BannedDelaware: RestrictedHawaii: BannedIowa: UnsettledKentucky: No state banMaryland: BannedMichigan: No state banMississippi: No state banMontana: No state banNew Hampshire: No state banNew York: BannedOhio: No state banOregon: BannedTennessee: No state banUtah: No state banVirginia: No state banWashington: RestrictedWisconsin: No state banNebraska: No state banSouth Carolina: No state banIdaho: No state banNevada: No state banVermont: No state banLouisiana: No state banRhode Island: BannedALAKAZARCACOFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMIMNMSMOMTNENVNMNYNCNDOHOKORPASCSDTNTXUTVAWAWVWIWY
No state ban (35)Unsettled (2)Banned (13)Binary trigger laws by state. Tap a state
Map legend: clear means No state ban; caution means Unsettled; restricted means Banned

Triggers that stay legal in California

Compliant in California.Binary triggers fall under a rate of fire statute in California. A fast single stage drop in does not.

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Not legal advice. Confirm your own configuration before you buy. All California gun laws

What the California statute says

California's multiburst trigger activator ban

Cal. Penal Code §§ 16930, 32900

“A manual or power-driven trigger activating device constructed and designed so that when attached to, built into, or used in conjunction with, a semiautomatic firearm it increases the rate of fire of that firearm.”

A binary trigger adds a shot on the release, which raises the rate of fire, and that is the whole test in § 16930(a)(2). The DOJ has not issued a bulletin naming binaries the way it did for forced reset triggers, but possession falls under § 32900 on the statute's own wording.

Statute text checked October 3, 2026. Quotes are the statute's own words.

California law in detail

  • California is one of thirteen states that ban binary triggers, some by name and some through a rate of fire or trigger activator provision. The statute section on this page shows which kind California has.
  • There is no federal restriction on a binary trigger, so this is entirely a state question and a device that is legal to own one state over is not legal here.
  • A standard drop in trigger is unaffected. So is a lighter pull weight, a flat bow or a two stage.

The federal rule

A binary trigger fires once on the pull and once on the release. It is not regulated under federal law, but several states ban it under statutes aimed at rapid fire devices, multiburst triggers or trigger activators.

Binary triggers in neighboring states

Next steps

Frequently asked questions

Are binary triggers legal in California?

No. California: Not named; covered by the multiburst trigger activator ban on its wording. The statute: Cal. Penal Code §§ 16930, 32900. Reviewed October 3, 2026.

What is the federal rule on binary triggers?

A binary trigger fires once on the pull and once on the release. It is not regulated under federal law, but several states ban it under statutes aimed at rapid fire devices, multiburst triggers or trigger activators.

How many states restrict binary triggers?

Nationwide by our review: 35 states: no state ban; 2: unsettled; 13: banned.

More California gun laws

Legal disclaimer: This page summarizes state law for general information and is not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can be stricter. Confirm with the California statutes, the state attorney general or a licensed attorney before buying, building or traveling.