Tasers and stun guns are not illegal in any state, but whether you can legally buy, own, or carry one where you live depends on rules that differ sharply from state to state. Every state now permits civilian possession in some form. What varies is the fine print: age minimums, permits, background checks, where you can carry the device, and who is barred from having one at all. Rhode Island still lists stun guns in its prohibited-weapons statute, but a federal judge has ruled that portion unenforceable. Hawaii lifted its ban in 2022 and replaced it with the strictest purchase requirements in the country.1No state completely bans civilian ownership of stun guns and tasers anymore.
Rhode Island’s Ban Is Unenforceable
Rhode Island’s statute still groups stun guns with blackjacks, metal knuckles, and bludgeons as prohibited weapons, and on paper possession is a criminal offense. A federal judge struck down the stun gun portion of that law as a Second Amendment violation, and the state can no longer enforce it against stun guns. The rest of the prohibited-weapons list still stands. As of 2025, the legislature has not amended the statute to match the court ruling, so the written law and the enforceable law diverge. Possession is legal in practice, though the text on the books says otherwise.
Hawaii’s Regulated Purchase Process
Hawaii treats electric guns closer to firearms than to over-the-counter self-defense tools. You cannot order one online and have it shipped to your door. The full set of rules:
- You must be at least 21 years old.
- You can only buy through a business or individual licensed by the county.
- The seller must run a criminal history check, and you sign a declaration under penalty of law confirming the results and that you have no disqualifying convictions.
- Before purchase, you complete an in-person informational briefing covering safe handling, legal restrictions, the dangers and limitations of the device, and proper disposal. You and the person giving the briefing both sign a certification.
States That Require a Permit or License
Several states let you own a stun gun but attach a permit or credential requirement, especially for carrying it outside the home.
- Connecticut requires you to be at least 21 and to hold a valid firearm credential, such as a handgun permit, long gun eligibility certificate, or ammunition certificate. Selling or transferring a stun gun to someone without a valid credential is a felony.
- Illinois requires a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card to possess a stun gun or taser anywhere in the state. The same card that covers firearms covers electronic weapons.
- Wisconsin allows you to keep a stun gun in your dwelling or workplace without a license, and to transport one in a carrying case. Carrying it on your person outside the home or business without a concealed carry license is a Class H felony.
Delaware, Kansas, Mississippi, and North Carolina require a concealed carry permit specifically to carry a stun gun or taser concealed. Home-only possession in those states generally does not require a permit. Massachusetts allows stun guns under a separate statutory framework that includes storage requirements and usage rules.
Age Minimums
Most states set the purchase and possession minimum at 18. Hawaii requires 21, and Connecticut effectively requires 21 through its firearm-credential rule. A handful of states allow minors above a certain age to possess a stun gun at home with parental consent, but independent purchase by a minor is prohibited almost everywhere. If you are buying one for a younger family member, check your state’s rules on parental authorization and home-only possession before completing the sale.
States That Require a Background Check
Background checks tied to stun gun purchases are the exception, not the rule. Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Minnesota require some form of criminal history screening before a sale. In Minnesota, retailers must run a background check on anyone buying an electronic incapacitation device. In Illinois, the screening happens through the FOID card application rather than at the point of sale. In most other states, proof of age at the counter is all that’s required.
Who Cannot Own a Stun Gun
Even in permissive states, certain categories of people are barred from possession. The disqualifiers that appear most often across state laws:
- Felony convictions. California, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and others explicitly bar anyone with a felony conviction from possessing a stun gun.
- Controlled substance addiction. California specifically bars anyone addicted to narcotics from purchasing or possessing one, and several other states use similar language.
- Prior misuse of a stun gun or similar device.
- Mental health adjudications. Nevada and other states bar possession by anyone a court has deemed mentally ill.
These are state-level rules. Federal firearms law under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) bars felons and controlled substance users from possessing firearms, but most stun guns are not classified as firearms federally, so the federal ban does not directly reach them. State laws fill the gap on their own.
Where You Cannot Carry a Stun Gun
Legal ownership does not mean you can carry the device anywhere. Schools are the most consistently restricted location. Illinois specifically bans stun guns in schools and parks. Government buildings, courthouses, and secure areas of airports are off-limits in most jurisdictions.
Federal buildings apply regardless of what your state permits. Under 18 U.S.C. § 930, knowingly carrying a “dangerous weapon” into a federal building is punishable by up to one year in prison, and the penalty rises to two years for a federal courthouse. The statute defines “dangerous weapon” broadly enough to include a stun gun. A civilian concealed carry permit does not create an exception.
National park land works differently. You may possess a weapon in a national park unit as long as you are not otherwise prohibited and your possession complies with the law of the state the park sits in. Federal facilities inside the park, though, such as visitor centers and ranger stations, still fall under the federal building rule. It is possible to carry lawfully on a trail and commit a federal offense by walking into the visitor center.
Traveling and Flying With a Stun Gun
No federal safe-passage law covers stun guns the way one covers firearms. If you drive through a state that requires a permit you do not hold, you can be charged for simple possession during transit. Plan the route around the rules of every state you will cross.
For air travel, the TSA prohibits stun guns and tasers in carry-on baggage without exception. They may go in checked luggage only if the device is rendered inoperable against accidental discharge, typically by removing the battery, and you must declare it to the airline at check-in. Many stun guns and tasers use lithium batteries, which carry their own FAA restrictions: lithium-ion batteries are capped at 100 watt-hours per battery, and spare lithium batteries must travel in carry-on baggage, not checked. The individual TSA officer at the checkpoint has the final call on whether the device clears.
Legal Ownership Is Not Legal Use
Every state that allows civilian ownership limits use to genuine self-defense against an immediate threat of bodily harm. The general standard: you reasonably believed you were in danger, you used proportional force, and a reasonable person in your position would have responded similarly. Using a stun gun to settle an argument, intimidate someone, or in any situation without an actual threat converts a legal defensive tool into an assault weapon under the law.
The consequences track that shift. Assault with a stun gun can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the state and the circumstances. A felony conviction can permanently disqualify you from owning a stun gun in the future under the same felon-in-possession rules most states already maintain. The device is designed to buy you time to get away, not to win a fight.