District of Columbia Code
Subchapter V - Sale and Transfer of Firearms, Destructive Devices, and Ammunition
§ 7–2505.04. Prohibition on sale, transfer, ownership, or possession of designated unsafe pistol

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on January 15, 2023. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*
(a) Except as provided in subsections (c), (d), or (e) of this section, beginning January 1, 2009, a pistol that is not on the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale, (also known as the California Roster of Handguns Determined Not to be Unsafe), pursuant to California Penal Code § 12131, as of January 1, 2009, may not be manufactured, sold, given, loaned, exposed for sale, transferred, or imported into the District of Columbia.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, beginning January 1, 2009, a pistol that is not on the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale as of January 1, 2009, may not be owned or possessed within the District of Columbia unless that pistol was lawfully owned and registered prior to January 1, 2009.
(b-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a person may lawfully:
(1) Self-manufacture a pistol; and
(2) Possess and own a pistol that the person self-manufactured pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection and registered pursuant to § 7-2502.02.
(c) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, a District of Columbia resident who is the owner of a pistol lawfully registered prior to January 1, 2009, that is not on the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale as of January 1, 2009, and who wishes to sell or transfer that pistol after January 1, 2009, may do so only by selling or transferring ownership of the handgun to a licensed firearm dealer.
(d) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, beginning January 1, 2009, a licensed firearm dealer who retains in the dealer’s inventory, or who otherwise lawfully acquires, any pistol not on the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale as of January 1, 2009, may sell, loan, give, trade, or otherwise transfer the firearm only to another licensed firearm dealer.
(e) This section shall not apply to:
(1) Firearms defined as curios or relics, as defined in 27 C.F.R. § 478.11;
(2) The purchase of any firearm by any law enforcement officer or agent of the District or the United States;
(3) Pistols that are designed expressly for use in Olympic target shooting events, as defined by rule;
(4) Certain single-action revolvers, as defined by rule;
(5) The sale, loan, or transfer of any firearm that is to be used solely as a prop during the course of a motion picture, television, or video production by an authorized participant in the course of making that production or event or by an authorized employee or agent of the entity producing that production or event;
(6) The temporary transfer of a lawfully owned and registered firearm for the purposes of cleaning, repair, or servicing of the firearm by a licensed firearm dealer; or
(7) The possession of a firearm by a non-resident of the District of Columbia while temporarily traveling through the District; provided, that the firearm shall be transported in accordance with § 22-4504.02.
(f) The Chief shall review any additions or deletions to the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale at least annually. For purposes of District law, the Chief is authorized to revise, by rule, the roster of handguns determined not to be unsafe prescribed by subsection (a) of this section and to prescribe by rule the firearms permissible pursuant to subsection (e) of this section.
(g) The Chief shall provide to the licensed firearm dealers within the District information about how to obtain a copy of the California Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale and any revisions to it made the Chief.
(Sept. 24, 1976, D.C. Law 1-85, title V, § 504; as added Mar. 31, 2009, D.C. Law 17-372, § 3(m), 56 DCR 1365; Oct. 17, 2022, D.C. Act 24-583, § 2(h), 69 DCR 012714.)
This section is referenced in § 7-2502.02.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(h) of Ghost Gun Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-583, Oct. 17, 2022, 69 DCR 012714).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(f) of Ghost Gun Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-237, Dec. 13, 2021, 68 DCR 013482).
For temporary (90 day) addition, see § 3(m) of Firearms Registration Emergency Amendment Act of 2008 (D.C. Act 17-651, January 6, 2009, 56 DCR 911).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(h) of Ghost Gun Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-87, Mar. 2, 2022, 69 DCR 000450).

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