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Getting a gun vs. getting your provisional driver's license in California

Our audience wanted to know what was actually harder to get in California: a gun or drivers license. So we looked into it.

During a round-table discussion with local teens about the recent school shooting in Florida, many of the high school students told ABC10 they believe there needs to be stricter gun laws.

"The idea that it's harder to get a driver's permit than to walk into a Walmart and purchase a firearm," Isabel Maldonadl, a sophomore at Sacramento's Health Professions High School, said, "Is like awful."

The students then went on to the describe the process they're currently going through to get their driver license.

That remark sparked some disagreement among our viewers: Is one actually harder than the other? What does it take to buy a gun versus driving a car?

It varies by state, of course, but here's what we know about California.

Purchasing a Firearm

You must be at least 18 years old to purchase a rifle or shotgun and at least 21 to purchase a handgun.

To do so, you must first take a 30 question test to obtain a California Firearms Safety Certificate (FSC). It costs $25. You must get 75% (23 out of the 30 questions) correct in order to pass.

If you fail, you can take the test again with the same dealership after 24 hours.

Once you pass, you can then pick out a firearm to buy. Before purchasing, you must fill out the Firearms Transaction Record form and go through a NICS background check to make sure you're eligible to buy a gun. In most cases, a check will only take a couple of minutes.

From there, an instructor at the gun store will walk you through safe handling instructions and have you sign a completion form.

After that, you must wait 10-days before picking up your firearm.

Getting a Driver License (If You're 15-16 Years Old)

The first step to getting your driver license varies by age. Since the students discussing this issue were 15-16 years old, we will base it on them.

Given that, for a mid-teen to get a driver's license you must first get a California Driving Permit. You must be at least 15 ½ years old.

To get that permit, you must first complete a state-approved Driver Education course that is a minimum of 25 hours of classroom time. The cost is roughly $30-$40. You have to get roughly 80% of the questions correct in order to pass.

Once you've completed those steps, you make an appointment at your local DMV. There you submit your application, that you must have picked up at a DMV, which costs $35. You then take a vision exam and your Learner's Permit Exam. You must get roughly 80% (38 out of the 46 questions) correct in the written exam in order to pass.

According to the DMV, roughly 70% of people fail this test on the first try. If you do fail, you must wait 7 days before taking it again. You only get 3 tries.

Once you have your permit, you then must enroll in a behind-the-wheel training program. The DMV-suggested course costs $389.

Overall, you must log 50 hours of driver training with a licensed driver over 25 years old. (10 of those hours must also be at night.) You also must complete an additional 6 hours of driver training with a professional instructor.

After 6 months with a permit and completing those driving requirements, you can then apply for a provisional driver license. This is when you make an appointment at the DMV and take your behind-the-wheel road test. If you pass, you get your provisional license which means you can then drive solo without supervision.

With that license, there are restrictions for the first year. You cannot drive between the hours of 11pm and 5am and you cannot have any passengers under 20 years old in your car unless you're also with a licensed driver over 25 years old.

After one year driving under those circumstances, you then get your full driver license and are free to drive whenever and whomever you'd like.

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