Temporary Out-of-Home Storage

Access to firearms increases the likelihood that suicide attempts and other forms of violence will be fatal.

When someone at risk of attempting suicide or perpetrating violence has access to a firearm, voluntary, temporary out-of-home storage of firearms for the duration of the crisis can reduce the risk of harm.^1,2

Reducing Access to Lethal Means

Firearm owners play an important part in promoting a culture of gun safety that extends to protecting their family and communities. This includes learning how to reduce access to lethal means.

Lethal means refers to substances or devices, such as poison, prescription medications, sharp objects, and firearms that are potentially harmful to humans.¹ The goal of lethal means safety is to put time and distance between the person in crisis and methods of suicide or assault that are likely to be fatal.²

Temporary, voluntary storage of firearms outside the home for the duration of the risk is an option for firearm owners when someone in the home should not have access to a firearm.

There are various options for out-of-home storage of firearms.

• Some gun dealers, ranges, and law enforcement agencies will store firearms temporarily, though they may charge a fee. Online maps show agencies that provide this option.
• Transferring firearms to a trusted friend or family member can also be an option if background check laws in the jurisdiction allow for it and if the receiving party has a safe place to store the firearms.

Firearm owners should familiarize themselves with out-of-home storage options in their state and local area so that they are ready to make informed decisions if someone they know is at risk.

Transferring Firearms in California

In California, federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) are required to temporarily store firearms if the owner or someone in their household is in crisis. Some may charge a fee for this service.³

Transfers to a private party, like a friend or family member, during a crisis are another option. Such transfers are an exception to California’s stringent background check requirements which generally require that most transfers go through an FFL. However, California law allows persons over the age of 18 to receive and hold firearms without a background check or a safety certificate, for as long as reasonably necessary, if for the express purpose of preventing self-harm. Such transfers require that the recipient of firearms:

• is not a prohibited person
• store the firearm safely in their own home
• not use the firearm at any point while they are holding onto it⁴

What Firearm Owners Can Do

For people at elevated risk of harm or whose risk may escalate in the future, getting firearms out of the home can be lifesaving. By learning about options for temporary, out-of-home storage of guns with a local business or organization or a trusted person, firearm owners can help put time and space between someone they know at risk and lethal means.

Temporary out-of-home storage requires collaboration from the at-risk person and is intended to last for the duration of the period of heightened risk. Such transfers or storage outside the home do not affect someone’s future ability to have guns. They may be especially useful when safely storing firearms within the home does not necessarily remove access by the person at risk.

Becoming familiar with civil protection options for firearm removal in times of crisis can be useful for firearm owners if someone is at immediate risk of harming themselves or someone else.