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Quick answer
The BSIS firearms permit written exam has 52 questions and you need 85 percent (45 correct) to pass. It is given at the end of the classroom course at a Bureau-approved training facility. Then you must score 200 of 250 on a 50-round range qualification within 30 days. The permit lasts two years, and the initial application fee is $110 as of October 2026.
About the exam
California BSIS Firearms Permit Written Exam
In California, a security guard, private investigator, alarm agent or private patrol operator who carries a gun on duty needs a firearms permit from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). The permit is also called the exposed firearms permit or firearms qualification card. To get one you complete the Bureau's Course of Firearms Training at an approved training facility, pass its written exam, and then qualify on the range.
The written exam is the Bureau's own test, not one your school writes. It is drawn from the BSIS Firearms Training Manual and covers the moral and legal aspects of deadly force, appropriate use of force and de-escalation, firearm nomenclature, safety and cleaning, carrying a firearm on duty, range rules, and what to do after a shooting incident. The exam is not published, so this practice test is written from the manual itself, with the page cited for every answer.
Since the 2023 manual, the classroom course includes the Appropriate Use of Force modules: de-escalation, implicit bias, interacting with people with disabilities or mental illness, and active shooter response. Many older study sheets skip them, and this quiz gives them their own category.
Exam format
BSIS Firearms Permit Exam: questions, time and pass mark
| Item | Official exam | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 52, with each nomenclature (parts identification) item counted as one question. | Verified Oct 2026 (BSIS manual pp. 106, 112) |
| Pass mark | 85 percent. In practice that is 45 of 52, although one page of the manual says 44. | Verified Oct 2026 (manual p. 106; fact sheet) |
| Time limit | Not published by BSIS. Our timed test allows 60 minutes. | Not published by the agency |
| If you fail | You must repeat the entire classroom instruction before you can retake the written exam. | Verified Oct 2026 (B&P 7585.6(c), manual p. 106) |
| Range qualification | 50 rounds at 5 points each inside the 7 ring. You need 200 of 250 (80%), within 30 days of passing the classroom course, with live ammunition. | Verified Oct 2026 (B&P 7585.6(b); 16 CCR 635(c)) |
| Permit term | 2 years from issuance. It cannot be renewed after it expires. | Verified Oct 2026 (fact sheet; B&P 7583.32) |
| Renewal | Four range requalifications per term, two in each 12-month period at least four months apart. A two-hour review comes before each one, and you must pass the 85% written exam once during the term. | Verified Oct 2026 (fact sheet; 16 CCR 633) |
The practice test above draws 52 questions with a 60-minute timer and an 85% pass mark. Practice mode lets you work one topic at a time with explanations after every answer, and the cheat sheet view lists every question and answer for review.
Cost and booking
Fees, where to take it and retakes
There is no state test center. You take the course and the written exam at a BSIS-approved firearms training facility, and each facility sets its own course price. As of October 2026, the BSIS fees in effect since October 1, 2025 are $110 for the initial firearms permit application and $126 for renewal ($88 plus a $38 DOJ fee). A replacement card is $25.
New security guard applicants must first pass the BSIS firearms assessment, a psychological assessment taken through PSI for a $69 fee paid to PSI. They take it before they submit the permit application. A "did not demonstrate" result can be retaken after 180 days. You also need to be at least 21, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, not prohibited from owning firearms, and to clear a DOJ and FBI background check.
Submit renewals at least 60 days before the permit expires, and not more than three months early. If the permit lapses, you cannot renew it. You must apply again as a new applicant and may not carry a firearm on duty until the new permit is issued.
What’s covered
180+ practice questions, by topic
Written from BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), Business and Professions Code 7583-7585 and 16 CCR 630-640. Every explanation cites its section.
- Moral and Legal Aspects of Deadly Force40
- Appropriate Use of Force and De-escalation32
- Firearm Nomenclature, Safety and Maintenance32
- Range Rules, Course of Fire and Scoring21
- Carrying a Firearm on Duty26
- Shooting Incidents and Liability16
- Permit Rules, Requalification and Renewal19
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these pages in October 2026.
Why people fail
The mistakes that cost people the BSIS Firearms Permit Exam
- Underestimating the 85 percent pass mark. With 52 questions, missing eight means you fail, and failing the written exam sends you back through the whole classroom course.
- Mixing up the legal standards for deadly force. The manual says it is justified only against an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, and for a fleeing felon only when the crime was forcible or atrocious. Protecting property alone never justifies it.
- Skipping the Appropriate Use of Force modules: de-escalation concepts, implicit and explicit bias, communicating with people with disabilities, and the Run, Hide, Fight active shooter model.
- Confusing the reporting deadlines: 24 hours to tell your employer about any firearm discharge, and seven days for the written report to the Bureau and the local police or sheriff.
- Not learning the carry rules: a guard may carry only while employed by a licensed private patrol operator or a public agency, and carrying concealed in plain clothes needs a CCW or qualifying peace officer status on top of the permit.
- Guessing on nomenclature. Parts of the revolver and semi-automatic pistol, cartridge components and malfunction terms are easy points if you have studied the diagrams.
A study plan that works
- Download the BSIS Firearms Training Manual and read the deadly force and legal sections first. They produce more questions than any other part of the course.
- Run this quiz in Practice mode by category, starting with Moral and Legal Aspects of Deadly Force, then Appropriate Use of Force and De-escalation. Read every explanation.
- Make a one-page sheet of the numbers: 52 questions, 85 percent, 50 rounds, 200 of 250, 30 days to qualify, 24 hours and 7 days for reports, a 2-year permit, 60 days to renew and four requalifications per term.
- Study the parts diagrams for the revolver, semi-automatic pistol and cartridge until you can name each part without looking.
- Take a full timed Test (52 questions). Do not book your course exam until you score 90 percent or better twice in a row, because the real cut leaves little room for error.
Try a few
Sample BSIS Firearms Permit Exam practice questions
Six questions pulled straight from the bank, with the answer shown. For the timed, no-peeking version, use the quiz above.
Why: The presumption in 198.5 applies within the person's own residence. It does not extend to a post, a client site or a patrol vehicle.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), Penal Code 198.5, p. 37
Why: The rule is never to carry a loaded firearm onto the range or leave the firing line without first unloading the firearm.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), Specific Safety Rules, p. 63
Why: Each individual must qualify with an 80% score, which is 200 out of 250 points.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), 16 CCR 635(c)(C), p. 11
Why: Expired firearms permits are not valid and cannot be renewed. The guard must apply as an initial applicant and may not carry until a new permit is issued.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), Expired Firearm Permits Not Valid nor Renewable, p. 20
Why: BPC 7583.3(d) makes it a violation to fail to report to the employer within 24 hours the circumstances of any firearm discharge involving the guard.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), BPC 7583.3(d), p. 39
Why: The manual states the student must pass the written examination with a score of 85 percent or greater, and the fact sheet gives a minimum of 85%.
Source: BSIS Firearms Training Manual (July 2023), Examination, p. 106; BSIS Firearms Permit Fact Sheet (bsis.ca.gov/forms_pubs/fire_fact.shtml)
FAQ
BSIS Firearms Permit Exam questions, answered
How many questions are on the BSIS firearms written exam?
52. The Bureau's exam is given at the end of the classroom course at an approved training facility, and nomenclature questions count one each. Our timed test also uses 52 questions, drawn from a bank of 186, so repeat attempts stay fresh.
What score do you need to pass the California guard firearms exam?
85 percent, which in practice means at least 45 of 52 correct. The range qualification is separate: 200 of 250 points (80 percent) on a 50-round course of fire, completed within 30 days of passing the classroom course.
What happens if I fail the BSIS firearms written exam?
You must repeat the entire classroom instruction before you can take the written exam again (Business and Professions Code 7585.6). That makes it worth practicing until you are comfortably above 85 percent before the real exam.
How much does a California guard firearms permit cost?
As of October 2026, BSIS charges $110 for the initial firearms permit application and $126 for renewal, which includes a $38 DOJ fee. New guard applicants also pay $69 to PSI for the firearms assessment. Course and range fees are set by each training facility.
How long is a BSIS firearms permit valid?
Two years from the date it is issued. During that time you must requalify on the range four times, two in each 12-month period at least four months apart, and pass the written exam once. File the renewal at least 60 days before it expires. An expired permit cannot be renewed.
Can a security guard carry a concealed gun in California?
Only with more than the exposed firearms permit. A guard working in plain clothes with a concealed firearm also needs a concealed carry license from local law enforcement, or must be an active-duty or properly authorized retired peace officer. The guard registration and the BSIS permit are still required.
Is this quiz the same as the California Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) test?
No. The FSC is the DOJ test anyone must pass to buy a firearm, and it has its own quiz on this site. The BSIS firearms permit exam is for armed security work and covers deadly force law, use of force, carry rules and range qualification.