Now, let's talk about intent because this matters in most states. Let's say you are legally allowed to purchase body armor, how you use it matters.
For example, suppose I purchase body armor and wear it to the grocery store because I live in a bad part of town. In that case, my intent is to protect myself just in case something were to go wrong. This is legal in most states because the intention is non-criminal.
However, suppose I were to purchase body armor and wear it to commit a crime. In that case, my intent is based on criminal activity. In many states, if you carry a deadly weapon to commit a crime, you have committed a second crime by wearing body armor.
In the state of New York, according to Penal Code § 270.20, it's unlawful to wear "body vests" when committing violent felony offenses while in possession of a firearm. It's also illegal to wear a "body vest" if you were to act with someone who committed a violent felony, even if you didn't do anything violent yourself.
Purchasing Body Armor
Almost all states allow in-person and Internet transactions for the purchase of body armor. However, suppose you're a resident of Connecticut. In that case, the law states, "It is a class B misdemeanor to sell or deliver body armor without the transfer occurring in person."
This means, if you're an online retailer only, you can't sell to residents of Connecticut. You would have to go see them in person to make this sale. Of course, this could change, but as of the writing of this article, this is Connecticut law.
For everyone else, purchasing body armor is pretty simple, so long as you aren't a felon.
If you're interested in purchasing ballistic protection, we have a great selection of durable, lightweight body armor options.
As a reminder, we are not lawyers, and laws get updated. While this material may have been up to date as of the publication of this article, things do change. We advise you to talk to your local law enforcement agency if you have any questions about purchasing and using body armor in your state.
