(FOX40.COM) — The current rules surrounding Concealed Carry Weapon licenses in California are loosening up in 2027 after Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a law June 30.

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Californians are currently allowed to carry a concealed weapon in public throughout the state as long as they have a valid license.

To apply for a license, new applicants must complete a 16-hour training course, a 1-hour-long “mental health component” and a written examination, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Licenses are valid for two years after being issued by law enforcement before they need to be renewed with a shorter 8-hour “refresher course.”

But that changes starting Jan. 1, 2027. Under the new law, licenses applied for or renewed after that date will be valid for three years instead of two. However, this doesn’t extend the validity of any current licenses, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office said.

Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino, said the law will solve a costly issue in the current license-issuing process. The two-year validity period “forces applicants to repeatedly undergo the full licensing process within a short timeframe, resulting in significant and recurring costs for individuals who already are in compliance with the law,” Ramos’s office said in a news release.

Although the changes are coming in January 2027, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office is already taking steps to prepare, informing residents in a social media post July 19 that they plan to “update policies, procedures, application materials and public information as needed.”

“[The bill] streamlines the process, reduces costs for residents, and allows law enforcement agencies to focus on oversight and public safety,” Ramos said.

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