On Tuesday, the San Jose City Council voted unanimously to make it illegal to possess, create, sell or transfer ghost guns and their parts.
The new law gives ghost gun owners 120 days to apply for a serial number through the California Department of Justice. San Jose follows Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco and Los Angeles in banning ghost guns.
According to the mayor’s office, the San Jose Police Department recovered 206 firearms without serial numbers in 2020 compared to 75 in 2017.
Under California’s current law, people can purchase firearm parts online and ship them directly to their homes, but before assembling, they are required to apply for a serial number through the state’s Department of Justice where a background check is required.
The ban on ghost guns is one of several measures San Jose has taken to regulate firearms. Last summer, the VTA yard shooting was the deadliest mass shooting in San Jose to date and in 2019, four people, including two San Jose children, were killed at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
Learn more about the measures San Jose has taken to end gun violence here.