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Body armor possession laws by state

People search “Body armor possession by state”, “Body armor possession laws by state”, and “Body armor map” when a road trip, boat, bike, or load is about to cross a line. This page is the 50-state index for body armor possession. Colors and quotes are written for someone in that state today, not for what that state demands of its own registered vehicles.

Open the Body armor difference map

How states differ

Civilian soft/hard body armor while you travel here.

  • Civilian purchase / delivery heavily restricted (NY-style)
  • In-person / credential sale limits (CT-style)
  • Civilian possession legal if you are not a prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931)

Searches this page is meant to answer

If you typed any of these — or a close variant with a state name — this is the Crosstatelaws topic that should show up:

  • Body armor possession by state
  • Body armor possession laws by state
  • Body armor laws by state
  • Body armor possession map
  • Body armor possession traveling across state lines
  • does body armor possession change by state
  • is body armor legal
  • body armor banned states
  • New York body armor law
  • can I wear body armor traveling
  • Body armor possession in California / Texas / Florida / New York
  • is body armor possession legal while traveling

All 50 states

One-line traveler summary for each state. Open the map for the quoted rule and footnotes.

Alabama (AL)
Alabama: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Alaska (AK)
Alaska: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Arizona (AZ)
Arizona: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Arkansas (AR)
Arkansas: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
California (CA)
California: civilians not prohibited from firearms may possess body armor; persons barred from guns face armor limits (AB 92 / related rules).
Colorado (CO)
Colorado: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Connecticut (CT)
Connecticut: body-armor sales must be face-to-face with a Connecticut firearms credential (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-341b) — no online ship-to-CT.
Delaware (DE)
Delaware: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Florida (FL)
Florida: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Georgia (GA)
Georgia: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Idaho (ID)
Idaho: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Illinois (IL)
Illinois: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Indiana (IN)
Indiana: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Iowa (IA)
Iowa: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Kansas (KS)
Kansas: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Kentucky (KY)
Kentucky: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Louisiana (LA)
Louisiana: civilian body armor is legal to possess for non-prohibited persons; wearing/possessing it in a school zone is a separate crime (La. R.S. 14:95.9).
Maine (ME)
Maine: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Maryland (MD)
Maryland: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Massachusetts (MA)
Massachusetts: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Michigan (MI)
Michigan: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Minnesota (MN)
Minnesota: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Mississippi (MS)
Mississippi: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Missouri (MO)
Missouri: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Montana (MT)
Montana: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Nebraska (NE)
Nebraska: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Nevada (NV)
Nevada: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
New Hampshire (NH)
New Hampshire: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
New Jersey (NJ)
New Jersey: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
New Mexico (NM)
New Mexico: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
New York (NY)
New York: civilian body-armor purchase / delivery restricted to ~30 eligible professions (Penal Law § 270.21) — ordinary travelers should not buy or import armor here.
North Carolina (NC)
North Carolina: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
North Dakota (ND)
North Dakota: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Ohio (OH)
Ohio: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Oklahoma (OK)
Oklahoma: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Oregon (OR)
Oregon: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Pennsylvania (PA)
Pennsylvania: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Rhode Island (RI)
Rhode Island: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
South Carolina (SC)
South Carolina: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
South Dakota (SD)
South Dakota: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Tennessee (TN)
Tennessee: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Texas (TX)
Texas: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Utah (UT)
Utah: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Vermont (VT)
Vermont: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Virginia (VA)
Virginia: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Washington (WA)
Washington: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
West Virginia (WV)
West Virginia: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Wisconsin (WI)
Wisconsin: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).
Wyoming (WY)
Wyoming: civilian body armor is legal to possess if you are not a violent-felony prohibited person (18 U.S.C. § 931).

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Not legal advice. Confirm statutes before you travel. Disclaimer.