At a Glance: California Assembly Bill 1263 is a new California law aimed at reducing unlawful firearm manufacturing and the online distribution of digital firearm manufacturing code. It adds new requirements for certain firearm-related product sales, and it expands civil and criminal liability tied to unlawful manufacture and certain digital instruction activity.
What Is California AB 1263?
The effective date for AB 1263 is January 1, 2026. This is a statewide rule. It is not a local program. AB 1263 applies to a firearm industry member involved in covered sales or delivery in California or to a California resident. That can include a manufacturer, an online retailer, or an out-of-state vendor selling into the state. It can also affect a knowledgeable vendor who offers instructions, parts, or tools connected to manufacturing.
What AB 1263 Was Designed to Address
Unserialized firearms and unlicensed manufacturing
AB 1263 was introduced in a policy environment focused on unserialized firearms and unlicensed manufacturing. California has long regulated manufacturing without proper licensing. AB 1263 builds on that framework.
The role of digital design and modern manufacturing
AB 1263 addresses modern methods used to make firearms and parts. This includes digital firearm manufacturing code and files used in production. It also addresses manufacturing activity using tools such as a CNC milling machine or a 3D printer.
How the Law Expands Beyond Finished Firearms
AB 1263 ties its consumer notice and proof workflow to defined categories, not firearm components in general.
The covered categories include:
- A firearm accessory.
- A firearm manufacturing machine.
- A firearm barrel that is unattached to a firearm.
This is why it can affect sales to California customers even when the item is not a firearm.
Shipping and Delivery Requirements for Covered Items
When a covered item is shipped, AB 1263 sets specific delivery requirements that sellers must follow. For shipment and delivery of a covered firearm accessory, firearm manufacturing machine, or standalone barrel, the seller must:
- Clearly label the package to state that signature and proof of identification of a person aged 18 or older are required for delivery
- Ensure the shipping address listed for delivery matches the purchaser’s identification
- Require the purchaser, at delivery, to present identification and provide an adult signature before receiving the item
These delivery requirements apply only when a covered item is shipped. They are separate from the consumer notice and purchaser verification steps that occur earlier in the transaction.
Manufacturing tools and digital workflows
The bill also expands legal exposure tied to “unlawful manufacture” and to conduct that helps others manufacture unlawfully. This can pull in tools and workflows that sit earlier in the manufacturing chain.
How AB 1263 Expands Liability Around Unlawful Manufacture
Production limits and licensing thresholds
AB 1263’s required notice references unlawful-manufacture concepts, including the idea that it is generally a crime to manufacture more than three firearms per calendar year in California without a license. That “more than three firearms per calendar year” limit is not new. It appears in existing law at Penal Code 29010. AB 1263 uses these concepts as part of the consumer warning and acknowledgment content.
Aiding or facilitating unlawful manufacture
AB 1263 creates criminal prohibitions for knowingly or willfully causing or helping another person engage in unlawful manufacture. That includes knowingly or willfully aiding, abetting, prompting, or facilitating unlawful manufacture.
AB 1263 also ties into civil liability concepts under the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act. This can include remedies like injunctive relief and a civil penalty in appropriate civil actions.
AB 1263 expands the list of specified misdemeanor convictions that can trigger California’s existing 10-year firearm prohibition rules. For convictions on or after January 1, 2026, specified misdemeanors, including manufacturing an undetectable firearm or knowingly or willfully causing another person to engage in unlawful firearm manufacturing, can result in a 10-year prohibition on owning, purchasing, or receiving firearms.
Digital Files and Online Activity
CAD, CAM, and digital instruction files
AB 1263 updates and uses the concept of digital firearm manufacturing code. That term is defined as digital instructions, including computer-aided design files and related formats. You will also see these described in plain language as CAD and CAM files or other digital instructions used to make firearms or parts.
Online sharing and increased legal exposure
AB 1263 creates a rebuttable presumption tied to an internet website or platform that makes digital firearm manufacturing code available and, under the totality of the circumstances, encourages unlawful use. This is one of the reasons online behavior is a major focus.
This does not mean every website that hosts files automatically violates the law. The bill language focuses on knowledge and encouraging context as part of the presumption framework.
Impact on FFLs
New steps buyers may encounter
For the defined categories, AB 1263 requires the seller to provide a clear notice and receive an acknowledgment from the prospective purchaser before completing the covered sale or delivery. AB 1263 also requires proof of age and identity, verifying the purchaser is at least 18 years old.
Compliance and operational considerations
AB 1263 can affect manufacturers and sellers because it regulates defined categories of firearm-related products and expands exposure tied to unlawful manufacture and digital code distribution.
Some sellers will need to review product classification. For example, items discussed in the market include:
- A pistol grip
- A vertical grip
- A minimal grip
- A minimal control accessory
- A part that attaches to a Picatinny rail
Those terms are common in commerce. The statute applies based on its definitions, not on product nicknames. AB 1263 also impacts more than physical inventory. Digital activity can matter, including how files are shared in connection with manufacturing.
What Happens Next
Enforcement timing and regulatory guidance
AB 1263 takes effect on January 1, 2026. The California Attorney General issued an informational bulletin highlighting new rules taking effect, including updated definitions and requirements under the Firearm Industry Responsibility Act.
Businesses should track:
- Updates to state guidance and reference materials on ghost guns and digital code.
- How definitions in the statute are applied in enforcement and litigation over time.
This includes understanding how the law treats digital code distribution and unlawful manufacture facilitation, since those are major pillars of the bill text.
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Try for Free!AB 1263 FAQs
For certain online sales involving covered firearm parts, AB 1263 requires the seller to do the following before completing the sale:
- Provide the required consumer notice
- Receive purchaser acknowledgment
- Complete age verification and identity verification for the purchaser
- Confirm the purchaser meets the minimum age requirement
AB 1263 ties its added sale requirements to defined categories, including certain firearm parts such as a standalone barrel (a barrel unattached to a firearm), along with defined firearm accessories and firearm manufacturing machines
AB 1263 increases legal exposure for conduct tied to unlawful manufacturing, including certain activity involving digital firearm manufacturing code. The focus is on situations where digital distribution or support is connected to unlawful manufacture, including the production of an undetectable firearm. Context and intent matter.
