|
State |
Police Use |
Consumer Use |
Main Citation
|
Restriction(s) |
|
Alabama |
Legal |
Legal |
13A-1-2 Dangerous instrument or deadly
weapon definition |
|
|
Alaska |
Legal |
Legal |
11.81.900 Defensive weapon = electric
stun gun not designed to cause death or
serious physical injury |
•Under
18 and On school grounds if under 21
without permission from school
prohibited (11.61.210)
•Class
C felony if carried when violating a
protective order (11.61.200)
|
|
Arizona |
Legal |
Legal |
13-105 Dangerous instrument or deadly
weapon definition |
|
|
Arkansas |
Legal |
Legal |
5-1-102 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
California |
Legal |
Legal |
244.5 Assault with a stun gun or Taser
[stun gun and Taser are different] |
Cannot possess Taser in state or local
public building or public open meeting
(171b (a) (5)) or in sterile area of
airport (171.5) |
|
Colorado |
Legal |
Legal |
18-12-101 Stun gun = device capable of
temporarily immobilizing a person by the
infliction of an electrical charge;
18-12-106.5 Use of stun guns during
crime |
Use of stun gun in commission of
criminal offense is a Class 5 felony
(18-12-106.5) |
|
Connecticut |
Legal |
Legal in home |
53a-3 Electronic defense weapon = a
weapon which by electric impulse or
current is capable of immobilizing a
person temporarily, but is not capable
of inflicting death or serious physical
injury. |
Carrying of electronic defense weapon
unless peace officer is punishable by
fine of less than $500 or less than 3
years in prison or both (53-206);
•Cannot
have in vehicle (29-38);
•Criminal
use of electronic defense weapon is
Class D felony (53a-216);
|
|
Delaware |
Legal |
Legal |
222 Dangerous instrument or deadly
weapon or firearm definition |
|
|
District of Columbia |
Legal |
Legal with firearm registration
|
7-2501.01 Destructive device = any
device intended to stun or disable a
person by means of electric shock |
•No
person/organization may possess unless
they hold a valid registration
(7-2502.01)
•No
manufacturing of destructive device
within District and dealer must have
license (7-2504.01)
•LE
and military permitted use
|
|
Florida |
Legal |
Legal |
790.001 Electric weapon or device =
through use of electrical current;
intended for offensive or defensive
purposes, destruction of life, or
infliction of injury
Remote stun gun = nonlethal device with
tethered range less than 16 feet |
•Cannot
carry electric weapon or device in
concealed manner but can carry for
self-defense purposes a nonlethal remote
stun gun (790.01)
•Must
be authorized to have on school ground
or at school functions (790.115)
•Use
by under 16 only with adult supervision;
adult subject to penalty (790.22)
|
|
Georgia |
Legal |
Legal |
16-11-106 For this section, the term
"firearm" includes stun guns and Tasers
which are powered by electrical charging
units such as batteries and emit an
electrical charge in excess of 20,000
volts; capable of incapacitating a
person by an electrical charge |
•Not
expressly mentioned in concealed weapons
statute (16-11-126)
•Expressly
mentioned to be prohibited from being
carried in school safety zones, at
school functions, or on school property
(16-11-127.1)
|
|
Hawaii
|
Legal |
Prohibited |
134.1 Electric gun = any portable device
electrically operated to project a
missile or electromotive force |
•Electric
guns are not to be possessed, sold,
given, or delivered except to law
enforcement (134.16)
•Unlawful
possession of electric gun is a
misdemeanor (134.17)
|
|
Idaho |
Legal |
Legal |
Use 18 USC 930 Dangerous weapon
definition |
|
|
Illinois |
Legal |
Legal in home |
720 ILCS 5/24-1 Stun gun or Taser = any
device powered by electrical charging
units which fires barbs and upon hitting
a human sends out a current disrupting
normal functioning |
•Cannot
carry/possess with unlawful intent or
concealed unless at home or principal
place of business (5/24-1)
•More
unlawful use limitations listed
punishable at various levels (5/24-1)
|
|
Indiana |
Legal |
Legal |
35-41-1-8 Deadly weapon = Taser or
electric stun weapon readily capable of
causing serious bodily injury;
35-47-8-3 Taser = designed to
emit electronic charge or shock through
use of projectile and used to
temporarily incapacitate a person |
•Tasers
are subject to requirement of handgun
license (35-47-8-4) |
|
Iowa |
Legal |
Legal |
702.7 Dangerous weapon definition |
|
|
Kansas |
Legal |
Legal |
21-4201 Criminal use of weapons defined |
•Weapons
as to schools includes electronic
devices designed to discharge
immobilizing levels of electricity aka
stun gun (72-89a01) |
|
Kentucky |
Legal |
Legal |
500.080 Dangerous instrument and deadly
weapon definition |
|
|
Louisiana |
Legal |
Legal |
Title 14 §2 Dangerous weapon definition |
|
|
Maine |
Legal |
Legal |
17 AMRS §2 Dangerous weapon definition
|
|
|
Maryland |
Legal |
Legal |
4-101 Dangerous weapon definition |
|
|
Massachusetts |
? |
Prohibited |
Ch. 140 § 131J Electrical weapons |
•No
person shall sell or possess electrical
weapons; punishable by fine between
$500-1000 or 6mos-2yrs in prison or both |
|
Michigan |
Legal
|
Legal for bail agent, private
investigator, or properly trained
aircraft pilot or crew
|
750.224a Portable device/weapon
directing electrical current |
•Device
capable of electro-muscular disruption
must contain identification and tracking
system that is traceable to the
purchaser through the manufacturer
•Permitted
possession and use by a peace officer,
employee of department of corrections
authorized by director, local
corrections officer authorized by county
sheriff, probation officer, court
officer, bail agent, license private
investigator, or properly trained
aircraft pilot or crew.
|
|
Minnesota |
Legal |
Legal |
624.731 Electronic incapacitation
devices = portable device designed to
temporarily immobilize or incapacitate
persons by means of electric pulse or
current |
•A
person may use with reasonable force in
defense of person or property
•Devices
must be according to local licensing
requirement
|
|
Mississippi |
Legal |
Legal |
97-37-1 Deadly weapons definition |
|
|
Missouri |
Legal |
Legal |
556.061 Dangerous instrument and deadly
weapon definitions
|
|
|
Montana |
Legal |
Legal |
45-2-101 Weapon definition |
|
|
Nebraska |
Legal |
Legal |
28-109 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
Nevada |
Legal |
Legal |
202.253 Weapon definition |
|
|
New Hampshire |
Legal |
Legal |
159:20 Electronic defense weapon = an
electronically activated non-lethal
device producing an electrical charge
sufficient to immobilize or incapacitate
a person temporarily |
•Felon
possessing shall be guilty of Class B
felony (159:21)
•Sales
are restricted to persons 18 and over
(159:22)
•Use
against a LE officer or another person
with intent to commit a crime is
punishable as a misdemeanor or felony
(159:23)
|
|
New Jersey |
Prohibited
|
Prohibited
|
2C:39-1 Weapon = Stun gun, emits an
electrical charge or current intended to
temporarily or permanently disable a
person |
•Any
person who knowingly has in his
possession any stun gun is guilty of a
crime of the 4th degree (2C:39-3 |
|
New Mexico |
Legal |
Legal |
30-1-12 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
New York |
Legal |
Prohibited |
265.00 Electronic dart gun = designed to
momentarily stun, knock out or paralyze
a person by passing an electrical shock
by means of a dart or projectile;
Electric stun gun = designed to stun,
cause mental disorientation, knock out
or paralyze a person by passing a high
voltage electrical shock
|
•Possession
is a Class A misdemeanor (265.01)
•Possession
by person with any previous conviction
is a Class D felony (265.02)
•Exemption
for LE (265.20)
|
|
North Carolina |
Legal |
Legal |
No definition statute |
•Must
be carried openly
•Stun
guns not allowed openly on educational
property (14-269.2)
•Stun
guns not allowed to be carried openly by
felons (14-415.1)
|
|
North Dakota |
Legal |
Legal |
62.1-01-01 Dangerous weapon includes
stun gun |
•Possession
in liquor establishment or gaming site
prohibited (62.1-02-04)
•Other
than LE, cannot carry in concealed
manner (62.1-04-02)
|
|
Ohio |
Legal |
Legal |
2923.11 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
Oklahoma |
Legal |
Legal |
No definition statute |
•Use
of electronic dart gun while committing
felony shall be guilty of separate
offense (1287)
•Electric
dart gun not listed in Unlawful Carry
statute (1272)
|
|
Oregon |
Legal |
Legal |
161.015 Physical force includes the use
of an electrical stun gun
|
•Knowing
discharge of electrical stun gun against
a LE officer, EMT… is a Class C felony |
|
Pennsylvania |
Legal |
Legal |
908 Offensive weapon = any stun gun,
Taser or other electronic or electric
weapon
908.1 Electronic incapacitation device
|
•Possession
or use of electronic incapacitation
device for unlawful purpose constitutes
a 2nd degree felony with intent or 1st
degree misdemeanor otherwise (908.1)
•A
person may use with reasonable force in
defense of person or property (908.1)
•No
person prohibited from possessing
firearm may possess electronic
incapacitation device (908.1)
|
|
Rhode Island |
? |
Prohibited |
11-47-42 Stun gun |
•No
person shall carry or possess or attempt
to use against another
•No
person shall carry concealed upon his
person
•Punishable
by fine less than $1,000 or imprisonment
for less than 1 year or both and weapon
shall be confiscated
|
|
South Carolina |
Legal |
Legal |
16-23-10 Definitions of pistol and crime
of violence |
|
|
South Dakota |
Legal |
Legal |
22-1-2 Stun gun = battery-powered,
pulsed electrical device of high voltage
or low/no amperage that can disrupt the
central nervous system and cause
temporary loss of person's voluntary
muscle control
|
•Commission
of felony while armed with stun gun is
Class 5 felony (22-14-13.1) |
|
Tennessee |
Legal |
Legal |
39-11-106 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
Texas |
Legal |
Legal |
46.01 No applicable definition
|
|
|
Utah |
Legal
|
Legal
|
76-10-501 Dangerous weapon definition |
|
|
Vermont |
Legal
|
Legal
|
4003/4016 Dangerous weapon definition |
|
|
Virginia |
Legal
|
Legal
|
18.2-308.1 Stun weapon = emits an
electronic charge exceeding 5 milliamp
60 hertz shock and used for temporarily
incapacitating a person
Taser = emits electronic charge or shock
through use of projectile and used to
temporarily incapacitate a person |
•Possession
or transportation of Taser by convicted
felon is Class 6 felony (18.2-308.2) |
|
Washington |
Legal
|
Legal
|
9.41.250 Dangerous weapon definition
|
|
|
West Virginia |
Legal |
Legal |
61-7-2 Deadly weapon definition |
|
|
Wisconsin |
Legal |
Prohibited |
941-295 Electric weapon = intended to be
used and reasonably capable of producing
death or serious bodily injury |
•Selling,
transporting, manufacturing or going
armed with electric weapon is a Class H
felony
•Not
applicable to peace officers, military,
and corrections personnel
|
|
Wyoming |
Legal |
Legal |
6-1-104 Deadly weapon definition |
