Is Body Armor Legal? Laws by State (2026)

Quick Answer

Body Armor has a complicated legal status across the U.S. It's legal in 1 state, restricted in 49, and banned in 0 as of 2026. The rules change at every state line.

1 Legal

49 Restricted

0 Illegal

Last verified: April 2026 · About our research

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Body Armor Laws by State (2026 Guide)

Complete state-by-state breakdown and interactive map

Body Armor Legality Map

Legal

Restrictions

Illegal

Unverified

All 50 States

State	Status	Summary
Alabama	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Alabama for civilians without felony convictions. No signi...	Details →
Alaska	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal to purchase and wear in Alaska for civilians without felony convictions. No significant legislative ...	Details →
Arizona	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Arizona for civilians without felony convictions. No signi...	Details →
Arkansas	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Arkansas for civilians without felony convictions. The law...	Details →
California	RESTRICTED	Body Armor is legal with restrictions in California. However, California Penal Code Section 31360 makes it a felony for ...	Details →
Colorado	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Colorado for civilians without felony convictions. There h...	Details →
Connecticut	RESTRICTED	Connecticut restricts body armor purchases to in-person transactions only. Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 53...	Details →
Delaware	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Delaware for civilians without felony convictions. No sign...	Details →
Florida	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Florida for civilians without felony convictions. No signi...	Details →
Georgia	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Georgia for civilians without felony convictions. No signi...	Details →
Hawaii	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Hawaii for civilians without felony convictions. No signif...	Details →
Idaho	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal to purchase and wear in Idaho for civilians without felony convictions. No significant legislative c...	Details →
Illinois	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Illinois for civilians without felony convictions. There w...	Details →
Indiana	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Indiana for civilians without felony convictions. No signi...	Details →
Iowa	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Iowa for civilians without felony convictions. There have ...	Details →
Kansas	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Kansas for civilians without felony convictions. No signif...	Details →
Kentucky	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal for civilians in Kentucky but with restrictions. Purchasing online may be prohibited, or wearing dur...	Details →
Louisiana	RESTRICTED	Body Armor is legal in Louisiana. Purchasing online may be prohibited, or wearing during commission of a crime carries e...	Details →
Maine	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Maine for civilians without felony convictions. There have...	Details →
Maryland	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Maryland for civilians without felony convictions. No sign...	Details →
Massachusetts	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Massachusetts for civilians without felony convictions. No...	Details →
Michigan	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Michigan for civilians without felony convictions. No sign...	Details →
Minnesota	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Minnesota for civilians without felony convictions. No sig...	Details →
Mississippi	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Mississippi for civilians without felony convictions. Ther...	Details →
Missouri	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Missouri for civilians without felony convictions. There h...	Details →
Montana	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal to purchase and wear in Montana for civilians without felony convictions. There have been no signifi...	Details →
Nebraska	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Nebraska for civilians without felony convictions. There h...	Details →
Nevada	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Nevada for civilians without felony convictions. No signif...	Details →
New Hampshire	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in New Hampshire for civilians without felony convictions. No...	Details →
New Jersey	LEGAL	Body armor is legal to purchase and wear in New Jersey for civilians without felony convictions. While there have been l...	Details →
New Mexico	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in New Mexico for civilians without felony convictions. The l...	Details →
New York	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal for civilians in New York but with restrictions. Purchasing online may be prohibited, or wearing dur...	Details →
North Carolina	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in North Carolina for civilians without felony convictions. N...	Details →
North Dakota	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in North Dakota for civilians without felony convictions. The...	Details →
Ohio	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Ohio for civilians without felony convictions. No signific...	Details →
Oklahoma	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Oklahoma for civilians without felony convictions. No sign...	Details →
Oregon	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Oregon for civilians without felony convictions. No signif...	Details →
Pennsylvania	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Pennsylvania for civilians without felony convictions. No ...	Details →
Rhode Island	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Rhode Island for civilians without felony convictions. No ...	Details →
South Carolina	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in South Carolina for civilians without felony convictions. N...	Details →
South Dakota	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in South Dakota for civilians without felony convictions. The...	Details →
Tennessee	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Tennessee for civilians without felony convictions. No sig...	Details →
Texas	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Texas for civilians without felony convictions. There have...	Details →
Utah	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Utah for civilians without felony convictions. No signific...	Details →
Vermont	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Vermont for civilians without felony convictions. There ha...	Details →
Virginia	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Virginia for civilians without felony convictions. No sign...	Details →
Washington	RESTRICTED	Body Armor is legal with restrictions in Washington. There is no state law prohibiting body armor ownership. However, un...	Details →
West Virginia	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in West Virginia for civilians without felony convictions. No...	Details →
Wisconsin	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal with restrictions to purchase and wear in Wisconsin for civilians without felony convictions. No sig...	Details →
Wyoming	RESTRICTED	Body armor is legal to purchase and wear in Wyoming for civilians without felony convictions. There have been no signifi...	Details →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Body Armor legal in the United States?

Body Armor has a complicated legal status across the U.S. It's legal in 1 state, restricted in 49, and banned in 0 as of 2026. The rules change at every state line.

How many states allow body armor?

As of 2026, body armor is legal in 1 state, restricted with conditions in 49 states. Use the map and table on this page to check your specific state.

Can you travel across state lines with body armor?

Crossing state lines changes which laws apply. If body armor is legal in your home state but illegal in the state you're entering, you can face criminal charges the moment you cross the border. This applies to driving, flying, and shipping.