State-by-state body armor law comparison.
All 50 states + DC in one table. Every row links to the state profile with statute citations; six columns cover the purchase, possession, and enforcement rules procurement officers actually need to know.
| State | Tier | Civilian purchase | Online sale | Face-to-face | Profession gate | Broader felon rule | Dealer license | Age min |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Alabama | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Arkansas | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Arizona | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| California | Broader felon rule | — | — | — | ||||
| Colorado | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Connecticut | Face-to-face | — | — | — | ||||
| District of Columbia | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Delaware | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Florida | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Georgia | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Hawaii | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Iowa | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Idaho | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Illinois | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Indiana | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Kansas | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Kentucky | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Louisiana | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Massachusetts | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Maryland | Broader felon rule | — | — | — | ||||
| Maine | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Michigan | Broader felon rule | — | — | — | ||||
| Minnesota | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Missouri | Broader felon rule | — | — | — | ||||
| Mississippi | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Montana | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| North Carolina | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| North Dakota | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Nebraska | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| New Hampshire | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| New Jersey | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| New Mexico | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Nevada | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| New York | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Ohio | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Oklahoma | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Oregon | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Rhode Island | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| South Carolina | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| South Dakota | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Tennessee | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Texas | Broader felon rule | — | — | — | ||||
| Utah | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Virginia | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| Vermont | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Washington | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Wisconsin | Enhanced penalty | — | — | — | ||||
| West Virginia | Standard | — | — | — | ||||
| Wyoming | Standard | — | — | — |
How to read this table
- Civilian purchase — can a non-felon civilian lawfully buy body armor? Yes in every US jurisdiction at federal level; state-level layers may narrow.
- Online sale — can a retailer ship body armor to a consumer in this state without face-to-face?
- Face-to-face — is in-person transfer required (e.g., Connecticut)?
- Profession gate — is purchase limited to specific professions (NY, DC)?
- Broader felon rule — does state law prohibit possession for felonies not covered by the federal § 931 crime-of-violence definition?
Every row links to a state profile with statute citations and enforcement notes. Report corrections at /contact.