Cal. VEH § 31600

For the purposes of this division “explosive” or “explosives” means any substance, or combination of substances, the primary or common purpose of which is detonation or rapid combustion and which is capable of a relatively instantaneous or rapid release of gas and heat. “Explosive” or “explosives” includes, but is not necessarily limited to, explosives as defined in Section 12000 of the Health and Safety Code, and any of the following:

(a) Dynamite, nitroglycerine, picric acid, lead azide, fulminate of mercury, black powder, smokeless powder, propellant explosives, detonating primers, blasting caps, commercial boosters, ammonium nitrate-fuel oil mixture (blasting agent), or any explosives as defined in Section 841 of Title 18 of the United States Code and published pursuant to Section 555.23 of Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations, when transported in a combined load with any explosive, as defined in this section.

(b) Substances determined to be division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, or 1.6 explosives as classified by the United States Department of Transportation.

(c) “Explosive” or “explosives” does not include small arms ammunition or any other division 1.4 explosive.

(d) This division shall not apply to special fireworks classified by the United States Department of Transportation as division 1.2 or 1.3 explosives when those special fireworks are regulated by and in conformance with Part 2 (commencing with Section 12500) of Division 11 of the Health and Safety Code.

(e) Nothing in this chapter supersedes any regulations for the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in Section 2402.7 or as regulated in Division 14.1 (commencing with Section 32000).