What Self-Defense Weapons Are Legal in Arizona?

No one thinks that something bad is going to happen to them, but it is never a guarantee that you will not one day find yourself in a tricky situation. Although you may not know if, what, or when you may find yourself in trouble, it is best to prepare yourself for the potential to act in self-defense. Self-defense often involves the use of physical force to protect oneself or another person from harm. Understanding self-defense is important for people of all ages and genders, as it can help to prevent violence and increase the safety of yourself and those around you. The first step to preparing is to understand the intricacies of Arizona’s self-defense laws and get the answers to questions like “What self-defense weapons are legal in Arizona?”

What You Need To Know About Self-Defense in Arizona.

Although the term “self-defense” seems pretty straightforward and easy to understand there isn’t just one self-defense law. Instead, the protections for self-defense are outlined in many different laws, doctrines, and definitions. It is important to have an understanding of the many different aspects of Arizona legislation that gives you the right to defend yourself using reasonable force to protect yourself, your property, and others around you. Below are a few of the most common statutes of self-defense legislation. It is important to understand how they apply to you.

Arizona’s Castle Doctrine

Arizona Revised Statute §13-411(D), more commonly referred to as Arizona’s Castle Doctrine is a law that justifies threatening or using physical or deadly physical force in a person’s “home, residence, place of business, land the person owns or leases, conveyance of any kind or any other place in this state where a person has a right to be.”

Stand Your Ground

Stand-your-ground laws are colloquial names given to laws that protect citizens’ rights to defend themselves using deadly, physical force under specific circumstances. Arizona’s “stand your ground” law is defined in Arizona Revised Statute §13-405 and grants the right for an individual to use self-defense “When and to the degree a reasonable person would believe that deadly physical force is immediately necessary to protect himself against the other’s use or attempted use of unlawful deadly physical force.”

Reasonable Person Standard

Many of the self-defense laws hinge upon the “reasonable person standard” which outlines that a person must use an appropriate amount of caution and act sensibly. This standard means that in self-defense cases, the defendant is required to prove the actions they took in self-defense fall within the “presumption of reasonableness” or a “presumption of fear.”

Arizona Open Carry

One of the most common forms of self-defense weapons is personal guns. In the United States, many states have enacted laws that allow individuals to carry firearms in public for self-defense. Arizona is one such state.

#1 Handgun

Arizona has constitutional carry gun laws that allow any residents who are over the age of 18 to legally open-carry a gun without any special permits, licenses, or registration cards. Constitutional carry laws also allow for any resident over the age of 21 to conceal carry a firearm, again without any permits, license, or registration card. Although Arizona has some of the least restrictive firearm laws, there are still a few places where you are not allowed to carry your gun, like on school grounds, polling locations, hydroelectric or nuclear power stations, correctional facilities, or any other location prohibited by federal law.

Common Weapons For Self Defense

While some people feel comfortable carrying a firearm for self-defense, not everyone is willing or able to do so. There are a variety of other options available for those who wish to protect themselves, each with advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs.

#2 Stun Guns & Tasers

Stun guns and tasers are very popular alternatives as self-defense weapons. Both use electrical currents to immobilize attackers and are non-lethal forms of self-defense weapons. It is legal to own and carry both stun guns and tasers without a permit in Arizona.

#3 Pepper Spray

Pepper spray is another very common, non-lethal self-defense weapon. Pepper spray canisters sometimes called “Pepper spray guns” are generally conveniently sized to make them easy to carry in bags, purses, or on keychains, making them especially popular self-defense weapons for women. It is legal to buy, carry, and use pepper spray in Arizona for self-defense.

#4 Knives

Unlike stun guns or pepper spray, knives can be considered deadly weapons; however, that does not mean that it is illegal to carry knives for self-defense. Any person carrying a self-defense knife must abide by the same laws regulating concealed carry. For any citizen aged 21 and older, there are no restrictions for the length of the blade, closure type, or the number of edges a knife may have. Someone below the age of 21 cannot carry any knife larger than a pocket knife with a blade less than 4 inches.

Flagstaff Firearms & Weapons Crime Law Firm

Despite our best efforts, it is impossible to guarantee that you will never be faced with a potentially dangerous situation. Because of this many people will choose to carry a self-defense weapon. Carrying a self-defense weapon is not without risk. You need to know how and when it can be used properly to avoid hurting yourself or those around you while defending against an attacker, Arizona’s self-defense laws can be difficult to navigate and many people have questions like “Are self-defense weapons legal?”

Once you understand all of the intricacies of Arizona’s self-defense laws, you will not only know what weapons are legal to carry but also be able to make the best decisions about which suits your needs best. The attorneys at Antol & Sherman, PC are Flagstaff’s go-to resource for anyone looking to learn more about Arizona’s self-defense laws. If you have questions contact us today!

Our Flagtaff lawyers are ready to hear your case and provide the highest level of legal representation – ensuring your rights are fully protected.