If you’re looking to get into airsoft, you’re probably wondering are airsoft guns illegal. Laws surrounding airsoft can be tricky, since they vary from country to country, from state to state, and even between cities. Therefore, it’s impossible to answer the question for each state or city. Still, in this article, we’ll try to cover the legality of airsoft on a federal level in the US and in some major states.
Let’s dive deep into the legality of airsoft.
What Are Airsoft Guns?
But before looking into their legality, you need to know exactly what airsoft guns are. Basically, they’re toy guns designed in a way to closely resemble real guns in look and feel. Unlike real weapons, airsoft guns shoot tiny, plastic BBs that are mostly harmless, as long as the safety precautions are taken.
Due to their realism, they’re used in airsoft, which is a combat simulation game. It’s similar in concept to paintball, but the guns look much more realistically. Even though they look more realistic than paintball guns, they may be even safer and may hurt less, given that the BBs are much smaller and made of plastic.
Are Airsoft Guns Illegal?
Under federal law, airsoft and airsoft guns are completely legal in most of the US. However, certain states have their own laws which set additional conditions that airsoft players must respect. Therefore, be sure to look up the specific laws regarding airsoft for your place of living. Internationally, airsoft is legal in most of the world, with some notable exceptions.
Even though they’re legal to own and use for anyone, only people 18 years and older can buy an airsoft gun. This is true both for physical stores, as well as online. Also, airsoft guns must be sold with an orange tip installed on them, in order to differentiate them from real guns.
Airsoft guns are considered toys in US federal law, and not real guns. Therefore, they are not subject to regular gun laws. There are, however, some states where that’s not the case. And even in states where they’re considered toys, attempting to use airsoft guns for something like a robbery will probably see you charged with armed robbery, just as you would if you were to try to rob a store with real guns.
While they’re legal to own, in most states you shouldn’t use them outside of airsoft fields. Just carrying an airsoft gun in public can easily put you in trouble with the law. Worst of all, a police officer or a civilian may panic and pull out a real gun in order to defend themselves from you. Indeed, there are multiple cases of such incidents happening.
Do You Have To Be of a Certain Age To Play Airsoft?
In most of the US, there are no age requirements to play airsoft. You can own and use as many airsoft guns as you want, regardless of your age. The only restriction is on the buying of airsoft guns, which in only allowed for people 18 years and older. So, if you’re under 18, you’ll need someone that’s willing to buy the airsoft gun for you.
Do You Need a Permit for an Airsoft Gun?
You don’t need a permit to buy an airsoft gun in the US. As long as you’re 18 years or older, you can simply walk into an airsoft store and get yourself an airsoft gun, just as you would buy any other everyday product.
Airsoft Orange Tip Laws
In the US, all airsoft guns that are transported or being sold in stores need to have an orange tip on them, in order to distinguish them from real guns. However, once you buy an airsoft gun, in most states it’s up to you whether you want to keep the orange tip or you want to remove it. Still, while the orange tip may not look realistic, it will help other people know that it’s a toy gun, and not the real thing.
If you want to learn more about this, check out this comprehensive guide on do airsoft guns have to have orange tips.
Airsoft Gun Laws by State
Is Airsoft Legal in California?
Airsoft is legal in California, both for adults and for children (with parental permission). However, California has some relatively new laws regarding the look of the airsoft gun. This is specific to California and isn’t found in most other states. All airsoft guns in California must have a blaze orange ring on the barrel and fluorescent coloration over the trigger guard, as well as other required colorings.
To read more about California airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in California.
Is Airsoft Legal in Texas?
Airsoft is legal in Texas, both for adults and for children. In fact, Texas is among the most airsoft-friendly states in the US. The airsoft guns don’t need to have colored tapes as they do in California, but the orange tip when selling should be present. The only thing you should absolutely avoid is using airsoft guns in public.
To read more about Texas airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in Texas.
Is Airsoft Legal in New Jersey?
New Jersey airsoft laws are some of the most restrictive in the whole of the US. Airsoft guns have virtually the same treatment as real firearms in New Jersey. While airsoft guns aren’t technically illegal, to use one legally you’d have to get a permit just as you would for a real weapon. In order to own an airsoft gun in New Jersey, you must have a Firearms Purchaser Identification Card issued by your local police department. This is the same requirement that you would need for a real weapon.
Is Airsoft Legal in Louisiana?
Airsoft is perfectly legal in Louisiana, both for adults and for children, similar to most of the US. In fact, Louisiana doesn’t impose any additional requirements regulating airsoft, making it an extremely friendly state for airsofters. Therefore, you only need to follow US federal laws and you’re good to go. Still, different cities and parishes may have their own regulations, so you’ll need to look up the specific rules for the location where you want to play.
To read more about Louisiana airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in Louisiana.
Is Airsoft Legal in Indiana?
Airsoft is perfectly legal in Indiana, both for adults and for children. In fact, Indiana doesn’t impose any additional requirements regulating airsoft. Therefore, you only need to respect US federal laws and you’re good to go. Still, different cities and counties may have their own regulations, so you’ll need to look up the specific rules for the location where you want to play.
To read more about Indiana airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in Indiana.
Is Airsoft Legal in Utah?
Airsoft is perfectly legal in Utah, both for adults and for children. In fact, Utah doesn’t impose any additional requirements regulating airsoft, making it an extremely friendly state for airsofters. Therefore, you only need to follow US federal laws and you’re good to go.
Still, different cities and counties may have their own regulations, so you’ll need to look up the specific rules for the location where you want to play. This is especially true for the cities of Ogden, South Jordan, Centerville, North Ogden, and South Ogden.
To read more about Utah airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in Utah.
Is Airsoft Legal in Florida?
Airsoft is perfectly legal in Florida, both for adults and children (with permission from parents for children under 16 yeard old). Florida airsoft laws are rather lenient compared to some US states. Airsoft guns are not regarded as dangerous weapons in Florida, and as such there are no strict laws that restrict their usage.
To read more about Florida airsoft laws, check out this comprehensive guide to are airsoft guns legal in Florida.
You can also check these full guides to airsoft laws in Colorado, Michigan, and Ohio.
Conclusion
A common question beginners have is if airsoft is legal. That’s completely understandable, since airsoft laws differ widely between different countries, states and even different counties or cities in the same state. Therefore, in this article, we discussed the federal law regarding airsoft, as well as the laws in some of the larger states. You can find more information in the articles specific to different states.
FAQ
Is It Illegal To Sell Airsoft Guns on Craigslist?
While it’s not illegal to sell airsoft guns on craigslist, it could be against their own rules. Different keywords such as the word gun may trigger craigslist, which would likely result in your ad being taken down. If you avoid such words, it’s likely your ad won’t be removed, unless someone reports it. Your best option is to try and see if it’s taken down. If they keep taking it down, you can try alternative marketplaces such as the app HopUp or the r/airsoftmarket subreddit.
The founder of Airsoft Freaks and a passionate airsofter for more than 15 years. Get to know me better on my about page