Assembly Bill 1263
Summary of AB 1263
Assembly Bill 1263 is a comprehensive expansion of California’s efforts to curb the rise of “ghost guns”—unserialized and untraceable firearms. Signed into law in late 2025, the bill targets the entire supply chain of illegal manufacturing, from digital blueprints and specialized machinery to the individual sale of unattached firearm barrels.
AB 1263 creates new criminal penalties for facilitating illegal manufacturing and imposes strict age-verification and notice requirements on the sale of firearm parts and tools.
Key Provisions of the Law
- Criminalization of Facilitation: Establishes a new misdemeanor for knowingly or willfully aiding, abetting, or causing another person to engage in the unlawful manufacture of a firearm. This includes guiding prohibited persons through the assembly of a “ghost gun.”
- Digital Code Liability: Broadens the definition of “digital firearm manufacturing code” to include computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) files. It creates a rebuttable presumption of liability for website owners who facilitate the distribution of these files to unlicensed individuals.
- Expanded Definitions under FIRA: Modifies the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act to include broader definitions for “firearm accessories” and “firearm manufacturing machines” (such as 3D printers and CNC mills designed for gun parts), holding manufacturers to a higher standard of “reasonable control.”
- Strict Sales Requirements: Beginning in 2026, sellers of firearm barrels, accessories, or manufacturing machines must:
- Provide purchasers with a legal notice explaining that manufacturing firearms without a license is a crime.
- Obtain a formal acknowledgement from the purchaser.
- Verify the purchaser is at least 18 years of age.
- Mandatory 10-Year Prohibitions: Any person convicted of the new misdemeanor for facilitating unlawful manufacture will be prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm for 10 years.
Shipping and Delivery Changes
To prevent minors and prohibited persons from easily acquiring the means to build firearms, AB 1263 mandates that any package containing a firearm barrel, accessory, or manufacturing machine must be conspicuously labeled. Carriers are now required to obtain an **adult signature** and verify the recipient’s identity against the purchaser’s information before completing delivery.