What Are the Legalities of Carrying a Stun Gun?
Unlike firearms, stun guns are often acceptable for people within the United States to carry – mainly due to the fact that they are typically categorised as defensive weapons. Different States will dictate varying policies and legal responsibilities, but as the majority will permit their residents to carry these devices under the agreement that they may only be used defensively; the legalities are fairly minimal.
What are the legalities of carrying a stun gun?
In the majority of States, a stun gun can be carried by anyone aged over 18, although this can instead be 21 in particular regions. Furthermore, the individual must have a reason for carrying the device as well as making sure that it is sufficiently concealed at all times – unless it requires use. Finally, the voltage must comply with industry standards and it is not legal to tamper with the energy levels to enhance the current to greater amounts than the manufacturer defined.
In most States it can be legal to possess a stun gun with a power of up to 20,000 volts. Anything higher than this amount could be deemed lethal and so penalties of possessing a modified, or a high power stun gun can be quite severe. In some cases, the penalties can result in thousands of dollars needing to be paid as a fine. In other instances, prison sentences can be issued.
Stun guns are legal within a total of 42 States as of 2017, but certain States may be willing to offer alternative solutions to those that wish to protect themselves. In any event, an individual hoping to purchase a stun gun will need to demonstrate that they are completely free of felony records and even minor felonies such as shoplifting or theft can result in a complete ban on the use of these devices.
Is this still the case when buying online?
The majority of online stores that stock affordable stun guns will need to comply with State regulations and those that don’t are often shut down soon after they are caught. In order to purchase one of these defensive weapons online, the buyer will need to provide information pertaining to their criminal record – as well as a verifiable address.
Different suppliers will require varying information but it’s safe to say that in the majority of cases, all that will be needed when buying a stun gun online is proof of identify, residence and a clean criminal record. If a stun gun is purchased outside of these guidelines and the wielder is caught and cannot prove the legality of their purchase, then they might be fined on the spot, or given a penalty notice along with a court summons.