Stun Gun Laws And Restrictions
We will not knowingly ship any stun device
to a location where they are prohibited by
law. These are the restrictions we are aware of.
However, we do not guarantee that they are
up to date. Ultimately, it's your
responsibility to ascertain the legality of
stun guns in
your area.
Frequently asked questions
about stun devices
STATES WHERE STUN GUNS ARE RESTRICTED OR
ILLEGAL:
CONNECTICUT
ILLINOIS
HAWAII
MASSACHUSETTS
MICHIGAN
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK
RHODE ISLAND
WISCONSIN
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CITIES WHERE STUN GUNS ARE RESTRICTED OR
ILLEGAL:
ANNAPOLIS, MD
BALTIMORE, MD
BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD
CHICAGO, IL
DENSION / CRAWFORD COUNTY, IA (*According to
Sheriff Tom Hogan*)
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PHILADELPHIA
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COUNTRIES THAT STUN GUNS ARE RESTRICTED:
AUSTRALIA
BELGIUM
CANADA
DENMARK
HONG KONG
INDIA (POLICE USE ONLY)
ITALY
JAPAN
NEW ZEALAND
NORWAY
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
UNITED KINGDOM
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PENAL CODES AFFECTING AIR TASER, STUN GUNS &
STUN BATONS.
STATE RESTRICTIONS:
CONNECTICUT: Legal with Restrictions
Connecticut Criminal Law Title 53 ? Crimes,
Title 53a ? Penal Code, title 54 Criminal
Procedure, Chapter 950 Section 53a-3
Definitions: (20) "Electronic defense
weapon" means a weapon which by electronic
impulse or current is capable of
immobilizing a person temporarily, but is
not capable of inflicting death or serious
injury.
§53-206. Carrying and sale of dangerous
weapons Any person who carries upon his
person? an electronic defense weapon, as
defined in 53a-3, or any other dangerous or
deadly weapon or instrument, unless such
person has been granted a written permit
issued and signed by the first selectman of
a town, the mayor or chief of police of a
city or the warden of a borough, authoring
such person to carry such weapon or
instrument within such city or borough,
shall be fined not more than five hundred
dollars or imprisoned not more than three
years or both. No permit shall be issued to
any applicant who has ever been convicted of
a felony. The issuing authority may request
the applicant's finger prints and full
information concerning his criminal record
and make an investigation concerning his
criminal record and make an investigation
concerning the suitability of the applicant
to carry any such weapon. Refusal of
fingerprinting by the applicant shall be
sufficient cause to refuse issuance of a
permit.
(b) any person who sells to another?
electronic defense weapon, as defined in
section 53a-3, shall, within 24 hours after
the deliver of such weapon or implement to
the person to whom sold, give written notice
of such sale or delivery, specifying the
article sold and the name and address of the
person to whom sold or delivered, to the
chief of police of the city, the warden of
the borough or the first selectman of the
town, within which such weapon or implement
is sold or delivered, as the case may be.
SUMMARY: Section 53-206(a) prohibits the
carrying of a Stunning Device on the person
unless that person has obtained a dangerous
weapons permit. However, there are no
state-wide permits, only local permits ? the
permit is only good in that particular town
and would be illegal elsewhere. Therefore
Stunning Devices can be sold and it can be
kept in your place of business or home, but
you cannot carry it on your person without a
permit which is only good within the limits
of the city in which it was issued.
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DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Illegal
District of Columbia Law. DC Code Ann. Title
6, Chapter 23. Firearms Control. Subchapter
I. General Provisions 6-2302.
(7) "Destructive device" means:
(B) "Any device by whatever name known which
will, or is designed, or may be readily
converted or restored, to expel a projectile
by the action of an explosive or other
propellant through a smooth bore barrel,
except a shotgun."
(D) Any device designed or redesigned, made
or remade, or readily converted or restored,
and intended to stun or disable a person by
means of electric shock.
Subchapter II. Firearms and Destructive
Devices. General Provision 6-2311.
Registration requirements:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this
chapter, no person or organization in the
District of Columbia ("District") shall
receive, possess, control, transfer, offer
for sale, sell, give, or deliver any
destructive device, and no person or
organization in the District shall possess
or control any firearm, unless that person
or organization holds a valid registration
certificate for the firearm.
Subchapter V. Sales and Transfer of
Firearms, Destructive Devices, and
Ammunition. General Provision 6-2351. Sales
and transfers prohibited. No person or
organization shall sell, transfer or
otherwise dispose of any firearm,
destructive device or ammunition in the
District except as provided in *** 6-2352,
or 6-2375.
SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning
Devices are banned in Washington, DC.
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HAWAII: Illegal
Hawaii State Law. Rev. Stats. Title 10,
Chapter 134. Firearms, Ammunition and
Dangerous Weapons. Part 1. General
Regulations. Chapter 134-1 Definitions.
"Electric gun" means any portable device
that is electrically operated to project a
missile or electromotive force.
Chapter 134-16 Restriction on possession,
sale, gift or delivery of electric guns.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person,
including a licensed manufacturer, licensed
importer or licensed dealer, to possess,
offer for sale, hold for sale, sell, give,
lend or deliver any electric gun.
(b) Any electric gun in violation of
subsection (a) shall be confiscated and
disposed of by the chief of police.
SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning
Devices are banned in Hawaii.
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ILLINOIS: Restricted
a. In order to possess a Taser or stun gun,
an individual must have a valid FOID card,
as is currently required for firearms.
b. Sellers of Taser or stun guns in the
state of Illinois must check the buyers FOID
card and keep the record of sale for ten
years, the same requirements for firearms
sales.
c. When a licensed firearms dealer sells a
Taser or stun gun, they must request a
background check of the buyer.
d. The 24-hour waiting period required for
long guns, shotguns, and rifles, will also
apply to taser and stun gun purchases.
SUMMARY:
Possession of stunning devices are banned in
the sate of Illinois without the proper
licensing, and are illegal within the city
limits of Chicago
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MASSACHUSETTS: Illegal
Massachusetts State Law. Ann. Laws of
Massachusetts. Chapter 140. Sale of
Firearms. Section 131J: Sale or possession
of electrical weapons; penalties. Section
131J. No person shall sell, offer for sale
or possess a portable device or weapon from
which an electric current, impulse, wave or
beam may be directed, which current,
impulse, wave or beam is designed to
incapacitate temporarily, injure or kill.
Whoever violates this provision of this
section shall be punished by a fine of not
less than five hundred nor more than one
thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not
less than six months nor more than two years
in a jail or house of correction, or both.
SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning
Devices are banned in Massachusetts.
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MICHIGAN: Illegal
The Michigan Penal Code Act 328 of 1931.
Chapter 750.224a Portable device or weapon
directing electrical current, impulse, wave,
or beam; sale or possession prohibited;
testing.
(1) A person shall not sell, offer for sale,
or possess in this state a portable device
or weapon from which an electric current,
impulse, wave or beam is designed to
incapacitate temporarily, injure, or kill.
(3) A person who violates this section is
guilty of a felony.
SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning
Devices are banned in Michigan.
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NEW JERSEY: Illegal
New Jersey State Law. New Jersey Stat. Ann.
Title 2C. New Jersey Code of Criminal
Justice. Chapter 39-1. Prohibited weapons
and devices.
(Section "r" summarized from Chapter
2C:39-1) "Weapon" means anything readily
capable of lethal use or of inflicting
serious bodily injury. The term includes,
but is not limited to all (4) stun guns; and
any weapon or (this section refers to tear
gas and has been updated in 1995) other
device which projects, releases, or emits
tear gas or any other substance intended to
produce temporary physical discomfort or
permanent injury through being vaporized or
otherwise dispensed in the air.
(t) "Stun gun" means any weapon or other
device which emits an electrical charge or
current intended to temporarily or
permanently disable a person.
Senate, No. 2871 -- L.1985, c. 360
Senate Bill No. 2781, as amended by the
Senate Law, Public Safety and Defense
Committee, prohibits as a crime of the
fourth degree the possession of a stun gun
by any person, including a law enforcement
officer. A crime of the fourth degree
carries a penalty of imprisonment for up to
18 months, a fine of up to $7,500, or both.
Prior to being amended the bill classified
possession of a crime in the third degree.
{Editor’s Note: According to Len Lawson of
NJ Legislative Council, (609) 292-4625) NJ
does not classify crimes in felonies versus
misdemeanors. The highest crimes are in
first degree on down to fourth degree. A
fourth degree penalty is a serious charge
and is generally considered a misdemeanor in
common terms. It is however an indictable
offense. A fourth degree crime does contain
"a presumption of non-custodial sentencing,"
meaning that there is not imprisonment if
there are no prior convictions. In some
cases the sentencing is obviated from one’s
record if there is a period of good behavior
following the charge.}
The committee amended the bill to include a
provision authorizing the Attorney General,
at his discretion, to exempt law enforcement
officers from the prohibition against
possession stun guns.
The bill also was amended by the committee
to include stun guns in the definition of
"weapon" in paragraph r. N.J.S. 2C:39-1.
(Chapter 2C:39-1)
(h) Stun guns. Any person who knowingly has
in his possession any stun gun is guilty of
a crime in the fourth degree.
SUMMARY: Possession is banned of Stunning
Devices in New Jersey.
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NEW YORK: Illegal
New York Consolidated Law (McKinney’s) Book
39. Penal Law.
Article 265. Firearms and Other Dangerous
Weapons 265.00
15-a. "Electronic dart gun" means any device
designed primarily as a weapon, the purpose
of which is to momentarily stun, knock out
or paralyze a person by passing an
electrical shock to such person by means of
a dart or projectile.
15-c. "Electronic stun gun" means any device
designed primarily as a weapon, the purpose
of which is to momentarily stun, cause
mental disorientation, knock out or paralyze
a person by passing a high voltage
electrical shock to such person.
Article 265.01 Criminal possession of a
weapon in the fourth degree. A person is
guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in
the fourth degree when: (1) He possesses any
firearm, electronic dart gun, electronic
stun gun
SUMMARY: Possession is banned of Stunning
Devices in New York.
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RHODE ISLAND: Illegal
General Laws of Rhode Island. Title 11,
Chapter 47. Statute Subsection 11-47-42.
Weapons other than firearms prohibited. -
(A) No person shall carry or possess or
attempt to use against another, any
instrument or weapon of the kind commonly
known as a *** stun gun ***. Any person
violating the provisions of this subsection,
shall be punished by a fine of not more than
five hundred dollars ($500), or by
imprisonment for not more than one (1) year,
or both such fine and imprisonment, and the
weapon so found shall be confiscated.
SUMMARY: Possession and use of Stunning
Devices are banned.
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WISCONSIN: Legal with Restrictions
Under the CCW (Carrying Concealed Weapons)
laws, the prohibition against possessing or
going armed with an electric weapon does not
apply to any of the following:
• A CCW licensee or an out-of-state
licensee.
• An individual who goes armed with an
electric weapon in his or her own dwelling
or place of business or on land that he or
she owns, leases, or legally occupies.
Wis. Stat. § 941.295(2g).
The prohibition against transporting an
electric weapon does not apply to any of the
following:
• A licensee or an out-of-state licensee.
• An individual who is not a licensee or
out-of-state licensee who transports an
electric weapon if the electric weapon is
enclosed within a carrying case.
Wis. Stat. § 941.295(2r).
If you are not specifically allowed to carry
an electric weapon (see above) you are only
allowed to carry an electric weapon in your
own dwelling or place of business or on land
that you own, lease, or legally occupy. Wis.
Stat. § 941.295(2g). You may also transport
the weapon if it is enclosed within a
carrying case. Wis. Stat. § 941.295(2r). The
possession or carrying of an electric weapon
in any other situations is a felony. Wis.
Stat. § 941.295(1m).
Electric weapons cannot be sold to persons
in Wisconsin who are not law enforcement,
armed forces on official duty or persons
without a recognized out-of-state CCW
license or a Wisconsin CCW license. Wis.
Stat. § 941.295(2)(d). A violation of this
statute is a felony. Wis. Stat. §
941.295(1m).
SUMMARY: You
need a CCW license or recognized out of
state license to legally carry stun guns in
Wisconsin. However, you can have a stun gun
in your home or business and even carry it
in your vehicle if it's in a closed case.
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CITY/COUNTY RESTRICTIONS:
ANNAPOLIS: Illegal
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BALTIMORE:
Illegal (Including Baltimore County)
Baltimore City Code 115. Stun guns and
similar devices. (e) It shall be unlawful
for any person, firm, or corporation to
sell, give away, lend, rent or transfer to
any individual, firm or corporation a stun
gun or other electronic device by whatever
name or description which discharges a
non-projectile electric current within the
limits of the City of Baltimore. It further
shall be unlawful for any person to possess,
fire or discharge any such stun gun or
electronic device within the City. Nothing
in this subsection shall be held to apply to
any member of the Baltimore City Police
Department or any other law enforcement
officer while in the performance of his or
her official duty (Ord. 385. 1985).
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CHICAGO: Illegal
Possession and sales of Stunning Devices are
banned in Chicago. (More information
required on City of Chicago Ordinance)
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HOWARD COUNTY, MD: Illegal
Sec. 8.404. Sale or possession of electronic
weapons prohibited. It shall be unlawful for
any person, firm, or corporation to sell,
give away, lend, rent or transfer to any
individual, firm or corporation an
electronic weapon within the limits of
Howard County. It further shall be unlawful
for any person to possess, fire, discharge
or activate any electronic weapon within the
limits of Howard County. (C.B. 38 1985).
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PHILADELPHIA: Illegal
Philadelphia City Ordinance. Statute 10-825
Stun Guns. (1) Definitions. (a) Stun Gun.
Any device which expels or projects a
projectile which, upon coming in contact
with a person, is capable of inflicting
injury or an electric shock to such person.
(2) Prohibited conduct. Nor person shall
own, use, possess, sell or otherwise
transfer any "stun gun." (3) Penalty. Any
person violating any provision of this
section shall be subject to a fine or not
more than three hundred (300) dollars and
/or imprisonment for not more than ninety
(90 days.)
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NEW YORK CITY: Illegal
Administrative Code of the City of New York
10-135 Prohibition on sale and possession of
electronic stun guns.
a. As used in this section, "electronic stun
gun" shall mean any device designed
primarily as a weapon, the purpose of which
is to stun, render unconscious or paralyze a
person by passing an electronic shock to
such person, but shall not include an
"electronic dart gun" as such term is
defined in section 265.00 of the penal law.
b. It shall be unlawful for any person to
sell or offer for sale or to have in his or
her possession within the jurisdiction of
the city any electronic gun.
c. Violation of this section shall be a
class A misdemeanor. [Exemptions under this
section are provided for police officers
operating under regular department
procedures or guidelines and for
manufacturers of electronic stun guns
scheduled for bulk shipment. NOTE: The
electronic stun gun is not a "firearm" under
the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 because
it does not "...expel a projectile by the
action of an explosive..."]
SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning
Devices are banned in New York City
