California Code of Regulations
Title 19 - Public Safety
Division 1 - State Fire Marshal
Chapter 10 - Explosives
Subchapter 2 - Administration
Article 2 - Sale, Use, Handling, Possession, and Storage of Explosives
Section 1559.5 - "E" Definitions

(a) Explosives shall mean any substance, or combination of substances, the primary and common purpose of which is detonation or rapid combustion and which is capable of relatively instantaneous or rapid release of gas and heat, or any substance, the primary purpose of which, when combined with any other substance, is to form a substance capable of the relatively instantaneous or rapid release of gas and heat. This shall include combined plosophoric compounds.

(b) Explosives--Class A shall mean possessing detonating or otherwise maximum hazard; such as but not limited to, dynamite, nitroglycerin, picric acid, lead azide, fulminate of mercury, black powder, more than 1000 blasting caps, and detonating primers.

(c) Explosives--Class B shall mean that in general these explosives function by rapid combustion rather than detonation and include some explosive devices such as flash powders, and liquid or solid propellant explosives which include some smokeless powders.

(d) Explosives--Class C shall mean and include certain types of manufactured articles which contain Class A or Class B explosives, or both, as components but in restricted quantities. For the purposes of this part, Class C explosives shall mean 1,000 or less blasting caps and detonating cord.

(e) Explosive-Actuated Power Devices shall mean any tool or special mechanized device which is actuated by explosives, but not to include propellant-actuated power devices. Examples of explosive-actuated power devices shall include but shall not be limited to jet tappers and jet perforators, shaped charges, and similar devices.