Section 33880.

(a) A city, county, or city and county, or a state agency may adopt a regulation, ordinance, or resolution imposing a charge equal to its administrative costs relating to the seizure, impounding, storage, or release of a firearm.

(b) The fee under subdivision (a) shall not exceed the actual costs incurred for the expenses directly related to taking possession of a firearm, storing the firearm, and surrendering possession of the firearm to a licensed firearms dealer or to the owner.

(c) The administrative costs described in subdivisions (a) and (b) may be waived by the local or state agency upon verifiable proof that the firearm was reported stolen at the time the firearm came into the custody or control of the law enforcement agency.

(d) The following apply to any charges imposed for administrative costs pursuant to this section:

(1) The charges shall only be imposed on the person claiming title to the firearm.

(2) Any charges shall be collected by the local or state authority only from the person claiming title to the firearm.

(3) The charges shall be in addition to any other charges authorized or imposed pursuant to this code.

(4) No charge may be imposed for any hearing or appeal relating to the removal, impound, storage, or release of a firearm, unless that hearing or appeal was requested in writing by the legal owner of the firearm. In addition, the charge may be imposed only upon the person requesting that hearing or appeal.

(e) No costs for any hearing or appeal related to the release of a firearm shall be charged to the legal owner who redeems the firearm, unless the legal owner voluntarily requests the post-storage hearing or appeal. No city, county, city and county, or state agency shall require a legal owner to request a post-storage hearing as a requirement for release of the firearm to the legal owner.

(Added by Stats. 2010, Ch. 711, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2011. Operative January 1, 2012, by Sec. 10 of Ch. 711.)