Dec 08, 2025

Are Bulletproof Jackets Legal in the US? (2025 State-by-State Guide)

Before buying body armor, many customers ask the same question:

“Is a bulletproof jacket legal where I live?”

The answer for most civilians is YES.

Body armor is legal to buy and own in the United States—with very few restrictions.

This 2025 guide breaks down everything you need to know so you can feel confident and informed.

Is It Legal for Civilians to Buy Bulletproof Jackets?

YES. In almost all states, law-abiding adults can purchase and wear bulletproof clothing, including:

• Bulletproof jackets

• Bulletproof vests

• Soft body armor

• Bulletproof backpacks

• NIJ Level IIIA apparel

No special permits, background checks, or paperwork are required.

Innocent Armor ships to all states except where local laws prohibit ownership by certain individuals.

Who Cannot Own Body Armor?

Across the U.S., the main restriction applies to convicted felons who are prohibited from owning body armor.

If you’re not a felon, you can legally purchase from Innocent Armor.

States With Additional Body Armor Restrictions

Only a few states add extra rules:

Connecticut

• Body armor cannot be purchased online.

• Must be purchased face-to-face in a physical store.

Innocent Armor cannot ship directly to CT customers due to this law.

New York

• NY law changed in 2022 and expanded in 2023.

• Soft body armor (like jackets, vests, tees with NIJ IIIA) cannot legally be sold to regular civilian buyers.

• To stay compliant, Innocent Armor must not ship NIJ IIIA products to NY unless the buyer provides proof of an eligible profession.

Other States

All remaining states allow online purchase, possession, and wearing of soft body armor with no special requirements.

Can You Wear a Bulletproof Jacket in Public?

Yes. Bulletproof clothing is legal to wear:

• In public

• While commuting

• At work

• On school campuses (for backpacks)

• During travel

There is no requirement to disclose that you’re wearing armor.

Is It Legal to Travel With Bulletproof Apparel?

Yes. TSA allows soft body armor in:

• Carry-on luggage

• Checked bags

• Worn on your body through security

Many frequent travelers choose IA jackets because they blend in and offer discreet protection on the move.

Why Innocent Armor Is Compliant With All U.S. Laws

• We use NIJ-certified Level IIIA material, the highest soft armor rating.

• We do not sell restricted rifle plates.

• We follow all federal and state shipping requirements.

• We provide discreet, civilian-friendly protection designed for everyday life.

Final Thoughts

Bulletproof jackets are legal in the United States, easy to purchase, and a smart way to enhance personal safety in 2025. With only minimal restrictions in a few states, most civilians can confidently own and wear body armor every day.

🔗 Explore Innocent Armor’s collection of NIJ Level IIIA jackets and protective apparel today.

excellent product , not to heavy and jacket fits well ! Excellent company to do business with , Response time on an email I sent them was within 1 hour ........Great company !!!!!!!

Nice Bullet Resistant Jacket

PROS: The design of this bullet resistant (BR) jacket is as depicted on the website. It is stylish without conveying a "tactical" look, making it more inconspicuous, which lends itself to increasing your personal security, which is the whole point of using a jacket like this in the first place. The quality of the jacket is good. It appears well made, and it seems durable, but durability will be better determined over time. Also, I believe that the jacket is true to size, but as an online purchase I was unable to try on a large and extra large size for comparison. I'm a large, but I ordered the extra large, and I believe that I made the right choice as the extra room allows for a sweatshirt to be worn underneath the jacket. At the same time this size still allows a larger jacket to be work over this BR jacket, thus completely concealing the BR nature of this jacket. The panels do "print" slightly, but I didn't list this under cons because this is probably unavoidable simply due to the presence of the jacket's three BR panels, which consist of one Level IIIa 19x16" rear panel, as well as pair of smaller BR front panels -- an 18x10" on one side and an 18x13.5" "overlap" panel that partially resides under the front zipper (when the jacket is zipped up). Also unknown as of yet is whether this very slight panel printing (barely noticeable, IMO) may lessen over time as the jacket conforms to my body. Another Pro: the flexibility of the sleeves is quite good, preserving the wearer's full range of arm movement (for me anyway).

CONS: One of the front panels, the larger 18x13.5" "over lap" panels that provides the frontal protection under the zipper, came with the label affixed to the wrong side, requiring the reinstallation of this panel with the label facing away from the wearer's body (opposite of the label's instruction) so that it fit inside the pouch properly. Also, the zipper is "left-side" or female oriented instead of right side for a male wearer/user. This is a nit-picky "con" complaint, but on the other hand, zipping up or unzipping the jacket is counter-intuitive -- it goes against muscle memory of decades of operating jacket/coat zippers.

The jacket's pros far outweigh the cons. I'm happy with the purchase. If I wasn't, I would have returned it. Overall it's a keeper. I recommend this product, and rated it five stars as this is a new product so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and know they will probably address the few "wrinkles" in this jacket design, the most irksome to me being the zipper issue.

4.5 Stars

Items came in excellent condition. Satisfied with the our order.

Michael, huge thanks for the 2nd purchase and the awesome review! The Indigo Denim Jacket looks 🔥 and we’re glad it delivers. Tag us @innocentarmor if you post—would love to share. Need anything at all, we’re here for you. —Team IA

Very pleased!

This is my first time getting a product like this. I’m very pleased. It fits well and seems quite discreet and trim for what it is.

(I had to return the L which was a bit too big for me But the IA team was super helpful and smooth with that process.)

Hi there,

Thank you so much for your review! We're thrilled to hear that you are pleased with your first experience with our Bulletproof Men's Down Vest. We take pride in providing a discreet and well-fitting product for our customers.

We apologize for the inconvenience with the size, but we're glad our customer service team was able to assist you with the return process. We always strive to make sure our customers are satisfied.

Thank you for choosing our brand and for your kind words. We truly appreciate it.

Best,
Customer Service Team at IA

Awesome Fathers Day Gift

I got this for my dad because the vest is suited to his style of clothing and we both share of love of really cool tactical stuff. I ordered the vest, and it came within like 2 days so I was able to give it to my dad before he went out of town. Thank you Innocent Armor for making this Father’s Day a really cool one!

Thank you so much for your review! We're thrilled to hear that our Bulletproof Men's Down Vest was the perfect Father's Day gift for your dad. We take pride in creating products that are both stylish and functional for our customers. We're glad to have made your Father's Day a memorable one. Thank you for choosing Innocent Armor!

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