Is it legal for me to own body armor?
Body Armor FAQs
This is a topic that is often discussed, and we get asked before someone dedicates their hard earned money to an armor purchase. The big questions is "Is it legal for me to own body armor". Generally the answer is most often "yes". However there are certain circumstances where it may be illegal. Some states have their own quirky laws as well that we will talk about later on in this post.
The Answer is no. You may not purchase, take ownership of, or use body armor. This covers almost all scenarios that you can imagine. This is all Federal Regulations. It can also be regulated at the state level which will be discussed below. Unless you have a prior written request as a work requirement you can not own or use body armor.
Per 18 U.S.C. 931 PROHIBITION ON PURCHASE, OWNERSHIP, OR POSSESSION OF BODY ARMOR BY VIOLENT FELONS
(a) IN GENERAL—Except as provided in subsection (b), it shall be unlawful for a person to purchase, own, or possess body armor, if that person has been convicted of a felony that is—
(1) a crime of violence (as defined in section 16); or (2) an offense under State law that would constitute a crime of violence under paragraph
(1) if it occurred within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.
(b) AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be an affirmative defense under this section that—
(A) the defendant obtained a prior written certification from his or her employer that the defendant’s purchase, use, or possession of body armor was necessary for the safe performance of lawful business activity; and
(B) the use and possession by the defendant were limited to the course of such performance.
(2) EMPLOYER.—In this subsection, the term “employer” means any other individual employed by the defendant’s business that supervises the defendant’s activity. If that defendant has no supervisor, prior written certification is acceptable from any other employee of the business.
State laws may vary. For example in the state of Louisiana it is illegal to wear Body Armor on school grounds or during a school function per state statute
RS 14:95.9 – Wearing or possessing body armor, by a student or nonstudent on school property, at school-sponsored functions, or in firearm-free zones
Intent matters! Generally speaking, if you were to wear body armor solely for personal protection and no malicious actions or criminal acts were committed than it is legal.
On the other hand if you commit a crime, regardless of the severity, it is often used as a “sentence enhancement”. This could allow for additional charges, additional sentancing length, or the upgrade of charges (from misdemeanor to felony)
- Body Armor can be purchased in-store/face to face in all 50 states without need for background or identity checks.
- Body Armor can be purchased online (shipped) to 49 states (Shipping armor to Connecticut is illegal).
- Body Armor can be purchased at gun shows, trade shows, exhibits, courses, etc.
Body Armor Laws State by State
There are no other body armor laws in Alabama. Adults can buy and use bulletproof vests, except adults with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vests except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Arizona, like most states, has body armor laws that make it illegal to wear body armor when committing a crime. It doesn’t affect retailers of body armor.
Possessing body armor is Class A Misdemeanor in Arkansas if you are convicted of manslaughter, murder, assault, aggravated robbery, or battery. The law doesn’t affect retailers of body armor. Anyone in Arkansas can buy and use bulletproof vests except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in California except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Colorado except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Connecticut implements the toughest body armor laws out of all states in the US. Residents are prohibited from purchasing or selling body armor with the exception of face to face sale. It means that if you are selling body armor online, you are not allowed to sell to residents of Connecticut.
This is a Class B misdemeanor in Connecticut that is punishable by 6-month imprisonment, a $1,000 fine, or both to deliver or sell body armor except when the transferee personally meets with the transferor to complete the delivery or sale. The law exempts deliveries or sales to:
- sworn members or authorized officials of the State Police, local police departments, Board of Parole or Pardons, and the Division of Criminal Justice;
- authorized officials of Department of Administrative Services or municipal who purchase body armor for agencies mentioned above;
- armed forces or National Guard’s members;
- authorized officials of Judicial Branch who purchase body armor for the probation officers.
Delaware, like most states, has body armor laws that make it illegal to wear body armor when committing a crime. Retailers of body armor are not affected by this.
Florida, like most states, has body armor laws that make it illegal to wear body armor when committing a crime. Retailers of body armor are not affected by this.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Florida except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Georgia, like most states, has a law put in place that makes wearing body armor illegal while trafficking drugs or during commission of violent crimes. It doesn’t affect retailers of body armor.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Georgia except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Hawaii except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Idaho except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
There are no additional body armor laws in Illinois in relation to retailers. Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Illinois except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online. But, individuals are not allowed to wear body armor when in possession of dangerous weapons other than firearms during attempted commission or commission of any offense. Unlawful body armor use is Class A misdemeanor.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Indiana except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online. People who intentionally or knowingly use body armor when committing felony will commit unlawful body armor use, which is a Class D felony. The new law states that people who intentionally or knowingly use body armor when committing felony commit unlawful body armor use, which is a Level 6 felony. The law doesn’t affect retailers, only criminals.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Iowa except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
In Topeka City, Kansas, it is not legal to carry, wear, or possess bulletproof vests during parades, rallies, demonstrations, assemblies, and protests. The statute doesn’t affect retailers.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Kansas except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Kentucky except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Body armor laws in Maryland mandate that anyone with prior conviction for drug trafficking or crime of violence is not allowed from possessing, purchasing, or using bulletproof body armor with no permit issued by Secretary of the Maryland State Police.
People with prior conviction for drug trafficking crime or crime of violence may, with good cause shown, file a petition with the Secretary for permit to purchase, possess, and use bulletproof body armor.
Massachusetts, like most states, has body armor laws that make it a felony to wear body armor when committing a crime. Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Massachusetts except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Michigan except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Minnesota except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Mississippi except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Missouri except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Montana except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can buy and use bulletproof vest in Nebraska except those with felony conviction. Bulletproof vests and other body armor can be bought face to face or online.
Anyone can use and buy bulletproof vest, unless she or he has been convicted of felony. The bulletproof vests and other body armor may be bought face to face or online.
It has laws in place, which make committing crimes while wearing bulletproof vests a felony, yet New Hampshire doesn’t have laws in place, which prohibit selling bulletproof vests. A person will be considered guilty of class B felony if he attempts or commits any felony while wearing and using body armor.
Adults can use and buy a bulletproof vest unless they are convicted of felony. Bulletproof vests and some types of body armor can be bought over the internet or at local stores. In addition to that, people can be charged separately just by wearing bulletproof vest while carrying out a criminal act. In New Jersey, practical effects are more jail fines and time. The separate penalties have different variety depending on the underlying crime’s seriousness.
Anybody can use and buy bulletproof vests, unless they have been convicted of felony. People can buy all body armor and bulletproof vests face to face or online.
Adults can use and buy a bulletproof vest unless adults have been convicted of felony. Buying body armor and bulletproof vests can be done face to face or over the internet. In accordance to the law of New York in unlawful wearing of bulletproof vests, people are guilty of unlawful wearing of body vests when acting either alone or with some people they commit violent felony offenses defined in the law while possessing firearms, shotguns or rifles and in furtherance and in the course of crimes they wear a body vest. Unlawful wearing of vests is class E felony.
Like most states, North Carolina basically has laws in place that make it illegal to wear body armors during the crime committed. It doesn’t affect the body armor retailers. Adults can buy and use bulletproof vests unless adults have been convicted of felony. Bulletproof vest and some body armor types can be bought over the internet or face to face.
Anybody can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Other types of body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought over the internet or face to face.
It doesn’t have other body armor laws. When compared to some states, adults can buy and utilize bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felon. The online market and local markets are the best places to buy the different kinds of body armor and bulletproof vests.
Like numerous states, Oklahoma has laws in place that make them a felony to wear body armors during the crime was committed. It doesn’t affect the ones who sell the body armor. Anybody in Oklahoma can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. If you are wondering where to buy body armor and bulletproof vests, you can buy them in local stores or online.
Anybody can use and buy bulletproof vests, unless they have been convicted of felony. Other types of body armor and bulletproof vests may be bought face to face or over the internet.
It doesn’t have extra body armor laws. In this state, adults can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Bulletproof vests and other kinds of body armor can be bought over the internet or in local stores.
Adults in Rhode Island can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they are adults who are convicted of felony. Other body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought in various local stores or online stores. Back in year 2012, the General Assembly of the state passed a certain bill, which forbids anybody convicted of felony that’s a crime of violence from possessing or purchasing body armors. It doesn’t affect the one who are selling the bulletproof vests.
Like numerous states, South Carolina also has a law in place, which makes it illegal for people to wear body armor during the crime committed. However, it doesn’t have an impact to the retailers of the body armors. Adults can buy and use bulletproof vests unless adults have been convicted of felony. Other types of body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought in a local or online store.
Anybody can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Other kinds of body armors and bulletproof vests can be bought face to face or over the internet.
It has law in place, which makes it not legal to wear body armors during the crime committed. Unlawful wearing of the vests is class E felony. It doesn’t affect those who sell the body armors. In the state of Tennessee, adults can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Bulletproof vests and all kinds of body armors can be bought in the online or local market.
Anybody can use and buy bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. The local market and online market has every type of bulletproof vest and all types of body armors.
Anybody can utilize and purchase bulletproof vests unless they have felony conviction. The bulletproof vests and some kinds of body armor can be bought face to face. There are also some online stores that offer these.
It doesn’t have any extra body armor laws. Adults can buy and utilize bulletproof vests in Vermont unless they have been convicted of felony. The other types of body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought in a local store. They can also be purchased in online stores.
It has an extra body armor law like lots of states. Anybody who commits crime of felony violation or violence has in their possession a knife or firearm and wearing body armor made to minimized the effects of the impacts of projectile or bullets will be guilty of class 4 felony. This law doesn’t affect the retailers. Adults can use and purchase bulletproof vests unless that adults have been convicted of felony. Other types of body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought in a local store or in the online market.
Anybody can use and purchase bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. The other kinds of body armor and bulletproof vests can be bought locally or through different online stores.
Anybody who wear or equipped with body armor while committed felony offense, an element of this is force, the physical harm to another, threat of force, or the presentment or use of firearms or some deadly weapons are guilty of felony. This doesn’t affect the retailers of the body armors. In the state of West Virginia, adults can consider purchasing and using bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Some kinds of body armor and bulletproof vests may be bought face to face or online.
Adults can buy and use bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. Bulletproof vests as well as some kinds of body armor can be bought in local stores or in online stores. However, in this state, donning bulletproof vests during felony conviction or a person attempted felony may result to addition felony conviction or add extra years to the prison sentence. This law basically affects particular individuals who could wear bulletproof vests, yet doesn’t affect the retailers. laudantium cum accusamus ullam voluptatibus commodi numquam, error, est. Ea, consequatur.
Anybody can use and buy any kinds of bulletproof vests unless they have been convicted of felony. The best place to get other body armor and bulletproof vests is in local stores and in online stores.
