Launchers and Projectile Laws

Legal No Alabama statute specifically restricts civilian possession of an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher. General noxious-substance and defense-spray statutes govern misuse of a defense spray against a person, not possession of the device itself. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Ala. Code § 13A-6-27; § 13A-7-27 Official source: https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/docs/13A-6-27.pdf This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Alabama authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

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Legal with Restrictions Zarc sells only the kinetic-only (non-OC) launcher configuration in California, and that configuration is legal to purchase, possess, and use. Kinetic-only (sold in this state): Cal. Penal Code Section 16250 defines a "BB device" as any instrument that expels a projectile through air, gas, or spring action. No caliber ceiling applies, and no state permit is required for an adult purchaser. Sale to a minor without parental permission is a misdemeanor under Section 19910. OC-loaded (not sold in this state): California law bars any tear gas weapon that expels a projectile. Cal. Penal Code Section 22810(e)(1) states: "No person shall purchase, possess, or use any tear gas weapon that expels a projectile, or that expels the tear gas by any method other than an aerosol spray." The civilian self-defense authorization in Section 22810(a) is limited to aerosol containers of 2.5 ounces or less and does not extend to a launcher-format device. This is a flat statutory prohibition, not a permit or size restriction that can be satisfied — which is why Zarc does not offer an OC-loaded configuration to California customers. Pending litigation: Section 22810(e)(1) is the subject of a federal constitutional challenge filed December 3, 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. As of August 26, 2026 no ruling or injunction has been confirmed. This page will be updated if the law changes. Statute: Cal. Penal Code Section 16250, Section 19910 (kinetic-only, sold); Section 22810(e)(1) (OC-loaded, not sold — statutory prohibition) Official source (California Legislative Information): https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&sectionNum=22810 Verified against that source: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change. Confirm current requirements with California authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

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Legal with Restrictions Private possession of a CO2-powered launcher is not prohibited in Connecticut, but carrying one on your person in public should not be assumed lawful. Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 53-206(a) makes it a class E felony to carry upon the person any BB gun or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument. In State v. Hardy the Connecticut Supreme Court held that an air or CO2 powered pistol is a deadly weapon under Section 53a-3(6), because that definition does not require the shot to be discharged by gunpowder. No permit path exists: the dangerous-weapon permit statute, Section 53-206a, was repealed effective October 1, 1999. The relevant exemptions are narrow - carrying a BB gun on your own property or on property where the owner has authorized it, including transport to and from, and supervised Scouting activities. OC payload: Connecticut has no statute that defines, authorizes, or aerosol-limits self-defense spray or oleoresin capsicum, so an OC projectile receives neither separate authorization nor separate prohibition under state law. Age and prohibited persons: No state age minimum or prohibited-person rule specific to this device class was located. The 21-and-over condition in Section 53-206(b) applies to electronic defense weapons, and the criminal-possession statute at Section 53a-217 is keyed to firearms. Statute last amended: 2021 (Section 53-206 history ends "P.A. 21-31, S. 2"). Official source (Connecticut General Assembly, Chapter 943): https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_943.htm#sec_53-206 Verified against published text: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Connecticut municipalities are not preempted for this device class, so local ordinances may add restrictions. Confirm current requirements with Connecticut authorities or your own counsel before carrying this product outside private property.

Legal with Restrictions Adults 18 and older may purchase and possess a CO2-powered launcher in Delaware, but the criminal code very likely classifies it as a projectile weapon, which is a deadly weapon. Del. Code tit. 11, Section 222(28) defines a projectile weapon to include an airgun that discharges or projects a pellet, slug, or bullet larger than .177 caliber, and Section 222(6)a. lists a projectile weapon among deadly weapons. Age: Section 1448(a)(5) bars persons under 21 from deadly weapons but expressly excepts deadly weapons, including projectile weapons other than firearms, if the person is 18 or older. Section 1445(a)(2)-(3) separately restricts transferring a projectile weapon to, or a parent permitting possession by, a child under 16 absent consent or direct supervision by someone 21 or older. Concealed carry is treated far more strictly than open carry: under Section 1442, carrying a concealed deadly weapon without a Section 1441 license is a class G felony, unless the weapon is a firearm or a projectile weapon, in which case it is a class D felony. Open carry is not addressed by Section 1442. Prohibited persons: Section 1448(a) covers felony convictions, certain mental-health adjudications, domestic-violence convictions, protective orders, and fugitives. Location: Possession of a projectile weapon in a Safe School Zone is a class E felony under Section 1457A. Section 1460 prohibits possession while under the influence. OC payload: Section 222 defines disabling chemical spray in terms not limited to aerosol cans, and Section 1443 provides that disabling chemical spray is not a dangerous instrument. That does not exempt the launcher itself from the projectile weapon classification. Statute last amended: July 30, 2025 (Section 222 history ends "85 Del. Laws, c. 119, Sec. 1" - SB 108, 153rd General Assembly, approved July 30, 2025). Section 1442 history ends "84 Del. Laws, c. 525, Sec. 4." Official source (Delaware Code): https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/c002/index.html#222 Verified against that source: August 26, 2026 (site states it includes acts enacted as of July 21, 2026). This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Delaware authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

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Legal Idaho's "deadly weapon" definition expressly excludes pepper spray, and an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher meets neither the deadly-weapon nor the explosive-propelled "firearm" definition. No age, permit, or carry restriction specific to this device was found. Idaho law does not separately address launcher-delivered versus canister-delivered OC. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Idaho Code § 18-3302(2)(b)-(d) Official source: https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/title18/t18ch33/sect18-3302/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Idaho authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

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Legal Maine's statute criminalizes the unjustified use of a disabling chemical device against a person; it does not criminalize possession or ownership of an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher. No age minimum or permit requirement was found. Maine law does not separately address a launcher device as opposed to the chemical substance itself. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: 17-A M.R.S. § 1002 Official source: https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec1002.html This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Maine authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted Maryland groups "chemical mace, pepper mace, or a tear gas device" together and prohibits openly carrying any of them with unlawful intent to injure. It does not ban simple possession or ordinary self-defense carry. Maryland's statute does not define "tear gas device" as to launcher versus aerosol delivery, so whether this specific product configuration is treated the same as a canister spray has not been confirmed by any state agency or court. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-101 Official source: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/Statute_Web/gcr/4-101.pdf This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Maryland authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Status not settled - confirm before purchasing or carrying Massachusetts has no statute that squarely addresses CO2-powered projectile launchers. We are not able to state the legal status of a pepper-ball or kinetic launcher in Massachusetts with confidence, and we recommend confirming with the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services, your local licensing authority, or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying one. OC-loaded configuration: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140, Section 121 defines self-defense spray as "chemical mace, pepper spray or any device or instrument which contains, propels or emits a liquid, gas, powder or other substance designed to incapacitate" - language broad enough on its face to reach a device propelling an OC payload. Section 122D, however, describes the covered items as chemical mace, pepper spray or other similarly propelled liquid, gas or powder, which reads as aerosol-oriented. No case or agency guidance resolves which reading governs. If the self-defense spray framework applies, persons 18 and over may purchase and possess without a firearms card, persons under 18 need a self-defense spray permit under Section 121F, prohibited persons under Section 121F(j) may not possess, and retail sale requires a seller license under Section 122. Kinetic-only configuration: The self-defense spray statutes would not apply. The closest framework is the air rifle and BB gun scheme in ch. 269, Sections 12A-12B, under which no person under 18 may possess such a device in a place to which the public has a right of access unless accompanied by an adult or holding a sporting licence plus a police chief's permit, and no person may discharge a projectile into, from, or across any street, alley, public way, or railroad. Open question: The definition of "firearm" in ch. 140, Section 121 was rewritten in 2024 and now reads "designed to or may readily be converted to expel a shot or bullet," with no propellant qualifier. Whether that reaches a CO2 launcher has not been resolved by any authority we located, and it is the highest-consequence open question for this state. Massachusetts weapons law is restrictive by default. Its silence on CO2 launchers should not be read as permission. Statute last amended: July 25, 2024 (Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, "An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws," approved by the Governor July 25, 2024, which rewrote both the firearm and self-defense spray definitions in Section 121). The official section pages publish no per-section amendment history or currency date. Official source (Massachusetts General Laws): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section122D Definitions: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter140/Section121 Verified against those sources: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Massachusetts authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

UNVERIFIED Michigan generally bans gas-dispersing devices but exempts a "self-defense spray or foam device" as defined by its chemical formulation. The exemption's caption and cross-references consistently use "spray or foam device" language, raising a genuine, unresolved question of whether a launcher-fired OC round qualifies for this exemption or falls outside it. This has not been resolved by any Michigan case, agency opinion, or other authority we located. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: MCL § 750.224(1)(e), (3)(a); § 750.224d(1) Official source: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-750-224d This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Michigan authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

UNVERIFIED Minnesota's civilian safe harbor for tear gas/OC compounds is expressly limited to devices "propelled from an aerosol container." A compressed-gas launcher does not obviously fit that description, though no statute explicitly bans it either. Whether this device configuration falls inside or outside the safe harbor has not been resolved by any Minnesota case, agency opinion, or other authority we located. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Minn. Stat. § 624.731 Official source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/624.731 This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Minnesota authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Mississippi's weapons statutes enumerate specific prohibited items (knives, brass knuckles, firearms, explosives) with no chemical, tear-gas, or launcher provision. No statute was found restricting civilian possession of an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Miss. Code Ann. § 97-37-1 et seq. Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-97/chapter-37/general-provisions/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Mississippi authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Missouri's "gas gun" possession ban expressly excludes any device that ejects a repellant or temporary incapacitating substance (i.e., OC) rather than lethal poison gas -- a clean statutory exclusion for this product category. No age minimum or permit requirement was located. Carry restrictions in specific locations such as schools and courthouses may still apply under Missouri's general weapons statute. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 571.010(10); § 571.020.1(3) Official source: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=571.010 This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Missouri authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal No Montana statute addresses tear gas, chemical-agent, or launcher devices as a category. The only adjacent provision, "destructive device," requires explosive or incendiary content or propulsion, which a compressed-gas OC launcher does not meet. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Mont. Code Ann. § 45-8-332 Official source: https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0450/chapter_0080/part_0030/sections_index.html This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Montana authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

UNVERIFIED No Nebraska statute defining or regulating tear gas, OC, or chemical-agent devices was found at all -- notable in itself, and distinct from a state with an explicit exemption. Because no statute addresses this device category either way, we are not able to confirm a permissive status with confidence. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Neb. Rev. Stat. Ch. 28 (Offensive Weapons / Explosives articles) Official source: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=28-1201 This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Nebraska authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Nevada's "tear gas" definition expressly excludes substances whose active ingredient is composed of natural substances that cause no permanent injury -- OC fits this carve-out, so Nevada's tear-gas permit/prohibition scheme does not apply. A separate concealed-carry question under Nevada's "pneumatic guns" provision has not been fully researched and should be confirmed before carrying concealed. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: NRS 202.370(2); 202.380 Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/nevada/chapter-202/statute-202-370/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Nevada authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal New Hampshire's "aerosol self-defense spray weapon" statute imposes no permit, age, or possession restriction (those apply only to electronic defense weapons). No New Hampshire statute reaches a launcher device either. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: RSA 159:20-23 Official source: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XII/159/159-20.htm This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with New Hampshire authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Illegal New Jersey's only civilian exemption for a chemical self-defense device is written narrowly for a pocket-sized device dispensing no more than 3/4 ounce, vaporized in the air. A compressed-gas launcher firing a discrete OC projectile does not fit this exemption. Possession outside the exemption falls under New Jersey's general fourth-degree prohibited-weapon offense. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: N.J.S.A. 2C:39-1(r); 2C:39-5(d); 2C:39-6(i)(1) Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2c/section-2c-39-6/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with New Jersey authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal New Mexico's "deadly weapon" definition is an enumerated list of cutting and bludgeoning implements plus explosive-propelled firearms; no tear-gas or chemical-device statute exists in New Mexico's criminal code. No statute was found restricting civilian possession of an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: NMSA 1978 § 30-1-12(B); § 30-7-16(E)(4) Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/new-mexico/chapter-30/article-1/section-30-1-12/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with New Mexico authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted A CO2-powered launcher does not fall within New York's self-defense spray device framework. N.Y. Penal Law Section 265.20(a)(14) and 10 NYCRR Section 54.2 both define that term as "a pocket sized spray device which contains and releases a chemical or organic substance which is intended to produce temporary physical discomfort or disability through being vaporized or otherwise dispensed in the air" - language directed at aerosol containers, not a projectile-firing platform. The regulation caps a compliant device at 0.75 ounces net weight. Outside New York City: A launcher is not a firearm under Penal Law Section 265.00(3), which reaches weapons designed to expel a projectile by action of explosive. New York State's general air-gun provision is Penal Law Section 265.05, which makes it unlawful for a person under sixteen to possess any air-gun, spring-gun, or other weapon in which the propelling force is a spring or air. New York City is materially different: NYC Administrative Code Section 10-131(b)(1) makes it unlawful to sell, offer to sell, or possess any air pistol or air rifle or similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or air, with a narrow licensed exception only for sales delivered outside the city. Treat these launchers as prohibited for ordinary possession within the five boroughs. Age and purchase: The Section 265.20(a)(14) spray exemption applies to persons 18 and over and is unavailable to anyone previously convicted of a felony or any assault crime, and the licensed-dealer purchase channel in Section 265.20(a)(15) likewise applies to spray devices. Neither extends by its terms to a launcher. Treat 18 as the practical minimum and obtain advice before carrying in public. OC projectiles: Penal Law Section 270.05 limits its safe harbour to a self-defense spray device as defined in paragraph fourteen, so OC projectiles carry unresolved exposure under that section. Statute date: Penal Law Section 265.20 - most recent revision effective May 29, 2026. 10 NYCRR Part 54 - effective May 21, 1997. NYC Administrative Code Section 10-131 - code current through Local Law 2026/134, enacted August 18, 2026. Official source (New York State Senate, consolidated laws): https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/265.20 Health Department regulations: https://regs.health.ny.gov/content/part-54-requirements-self-defense-spray-devices New York City: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-6218 Verified against those sources: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local rules change. Confirm current requirements with New York State or New York City authorities, or your own counsel, before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted North Carolina's tear-gas statute, defined by physiological effect (which covers OC), allows non-felon civilian self-defense possession only if the device/container capacity is 150cc or less, the cartridge or shell capacity is 50cc or less, and the device cannot discharge more than 50cc at once. Zarc's specific fill volumes and launcher capacity must be confirmed internally against these caps before this is treated as unqualified "Legal" -- if the caps are exceeded, the status is Illegal, not Restricted. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-401.6 Official source: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_14/GS_14-401.6.html This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with North Carolina authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted North Dakota's "dangerous weapon" definition expressly includes compressed-gas-propelled projectile devices and any projector of a noxious substance. The state's self-defense exemption is written only for hand-held spray or aerosol, not a launcher, so whether that exemption extends to a launcher-delivered OC round has not been confirmed by any North Dakota case or agency opinion. Concealed carry without a license is a class A misdemeanor. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: N.D. Cent. Code § 62.1-01-01(1) Official source: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t62-1c01.pdf This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with North Dakota authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Ohio's civilian possession ban applies only to "dangerous ordnance" -- firearms, explosives, and military-type ordnance. A compressed-gas OC launcher does not fit that category, and no statewide statute regulates this device category. Note: Cleveland has a local ordinance restricting discharge (not possession) that may apply separately. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11; § 2923.17 Official source: https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2923.17 This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Ohio authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Oklahoma's concealed-carry prohibited-weapons list does not name tear gas, OC, or chemical-agent devices. The only OC-specific statute criminalizes discharging such a device against an on-duty first responder, not general possession. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: 21 Okla. Stat. § 1272; § 1272.3 Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/title-21/section-21-1272/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Oklahoma authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted Oregon's "tear gas weapon" definition explicitly covers any device, portable or fixed, intended for the projection or release of tear gas or oleoresin capsicum -- this squarely includes an OC-loaded launcher. Oregon's operative offenses criminalize unlawfully discharging the device against a person, not ownership or possession. No explicit statutory self-defense carve-out was found for the discharge offense; general justification doctrine likely applies but is not written into the statute itself. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: ORS 163.211; 163.212; 163.213 Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors163.html This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Oregon authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Pennsylvania's "firearm" definition is explosive-propelled only, and its enumerated "offensive weapons" list does not include tear gas or chemical-agent devices. No Pennsylvania statute specifically regulates this device category. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 908 Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2023/title-18/chapter-9/section-908/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Pennsylvania authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

UNVERIFIED Rhode Island broadly authorizes adults 18 and older to carry a non-lethal noxious substance or liquid for self-defense without specifying a delivery mechanism. No statute expressly addresses a launcher-delivered projectile as distinct from a spray. It is a reasonable reading that a launcher is covered, but this has not been confirmed by primary text or case law. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-57; § 11-47-42 Official source: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/statutes/title11/11-47/11-47-57.HTM This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Rhode Island authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Restricted South Carolina generally bans civilian possession of a tear-gas machine or gun but carves out a self-defense exception capped at 50cc per cartridge, shell, or container, and 50cc maximum device firing capacity. Zarc's specific fill volumes and launcher capacity must be confirmed internally against this 50cc cap. Whether OC counts as "tear gas" under this statute (as opposed to CS or CN only) has also not been confirmed by any state agency opinion or court. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: S.C. Code Ann. § 16-23-470 Official source: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c023.php This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with South Carolina authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal An OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher does not meet South Dakota's "firearm" definition (gunpowder-propelled only) or its "controlled weapon" definition (machine gun or short shotgun only). No dedicated tear-gas or chemical-device statute exists in South Dakota law. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: SDCL § 22-14-6; § 22-1-2 Official source: https://www.sdlegislature.gov/api/Statutes/22-14-6.html This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with South Dakota authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal Tennessee's "firearm" definition is explosive-propelled only, and its "prohibited weapons" list does not name tear gas or chemical-agent devices. No prohibition on an OC-loaded compressed-gas launcher was found. This addresses the OC-loaded (chemical-agent) configuration only; the kinetic-only (non-OC) configuration is addressed separately. Statute: T.C.A. § 39-17-1302; § 39-11-106(a) Official source: https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-39/chapter-17/part-13/section-39-17-1302/ This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with Tennessee authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

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Treat as prohibited - do not purchase or carry in the District of Columbia A CO2-powered launcher firing kinetic or OC projectiles appears to be prohibited in the District of Columbia. DC's self-defense spray authorization does not cover it: D.C. Code Section 7-2502.13(a) permits self-defense spray only where it is propelled from an aerosol container, is labelled with clearly written instructions as to its use, and is dated to indicate its anticipated useful life. Outside that carve-out, the destructive device definition at Section 7-2501.01(7)(B) reaches any device which will, or is designed to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant through a smooth bore barrel, and subparagraph (C) separately reaches any device containing tear gas or a chemically similar lacrimator. The only pneumatic exclusion saves a pneumatic, spring, or B-B gun which expels a single projectile not exceeding .18 inch in diameter, which does not cover .50 or .68 calibre launcher rounds. Registration is not available as a cure: Section 7-2502.01(a) bars any person from receiving, possessing, controlling, transferring, offering for sale, selling, giving, or delivering any destructive device. Unlike firearms, there is no registration certificate pathway. Separate carry ban: 24 DCMR Section 2301.3 provides that it is unlawful to carry or possess outside any building in the District an air rifle, air gun, air pistol, B-B gun, spring gun, or any similar type gun. Transport by a person 18 or older is permitted only when unloaded and securely wrapped. Even on the most favourable reading of the code provisions above, lawful defensive carry in public is not available. Note for comparison: stun guns and self-defense spray are treated differently in DC and are not subject to this prohibition. Do not generalise from one product category to another in this jurisdiction. Statute dates: Section 7-2501.01 last amended April 21, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-347, Sec. 2(a), 70 DCR 928). Section 7-2502.01 last amended April 21, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-347, Sec. 2(b)). Section 7-2502.13 last amended May 19, 2017 (D.C. Law 21-281, Sec. 2(b), 64 DCR 1648). 24 DCMR Section 2301 traces to Commissioners' Order No. 64-1397F (September 29, 1964) and Article 9 of the Police Regulations (May 1981), with no later amendment listed. Official source (Council of the District of Columbia): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/7-2501.01 Prohibition: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/7-2502.01 Self-defense spray: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/7-2502.13 DC regulations: https://dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/SectionList.aspx?SectionNumber=24-2301 Verified against those sources: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice, and reflects a reading of the statutory text rather than a published enforcement position. Laws change. Confirm with District of Columbia authorities or your own counsel before making any decision.

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Legal

Legal with Restrictions No Alaska statute prohibits the purchase, possession, or carry of a CO2-powered launcher firing kinetic or OC projectiles. A compressed-gas launcher is not a "firearm" under Alaska law: the definition at Alaska Stat. Section 11.81.900(b) was construed in Kinnish v. State, 777 P.2d 1179 (Alaska App. 1989) to require discharge by explosive means, so no firearm permit, license, or background check applies. Age: Alaska Stat. Section 11.61.210(a)(6) makes it a class A misdemeanor to sell a firearm or defensive weapon to a person under 18. Treat 18 as the minimum age. Permit: None required. Carry: Alaska Stat. Section 11.61.210(a)(7)-(8) prohibit possession of a deadly or defensive weapon on school grounds, school buses, or at school events without permission from the school's chief administrative officer. Local ordinances may be stricter. Anchorage Municipal Code 8.25.030 restricts discharging any firearm, air rifle, or air pistol within the municipality, so check local rules before carrying or using. Statute revision date: the Alaska Legislature's statute viewer does not publish a per-section amendment note. The text was read against the Alaska Statutes 2025 edition (34th Legislature). Definition paragraph numbering shifts between editions because definitions are inserted alphabetically, so rely on the defined term rather than the paragraph number. Official source (Alaska State Legislature): https://www.akleg.gov/basis/statutes.asp?title=11#11.81.900 Verified against that source: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change. Confirm current requirements with Alaska authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal with Restrictions Vermont does not prohibit the purchase, possession, or carry of a CO2-powered launcher firing kinetic or OC projectiles. Note that this reflects the absence of a statute on point rather than an affirmative authorization: Vermont has no statute regulating OC/pepper spray, chemical self-defense agents, or CO2 projectile devices as a category. Not a firearm: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, Section 4016(a)(3) defines a firearm as a weapon that expels a projectile by the action of an explosive, which a compressed-gas device is not. Note that this definition is written "as used in this section" and is specific to the courthouse provision, so it is persuasive rather than a general Title 13 definition. Age: No state age minimum was located for this device class. Retailer policies and shipping rules apply separately. Permit: None required. Restricted locations and conduct: Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 13, Section 4004 makes it an offense to knowingly possess a dangerous or deadly weapon in a school building, on a school bus, or on school property, and Section 4016(b) bars carrying one into a courthouse. Section 4004 does not define the term in-section, and the courthouse definition is use-dependent, so whether a launcher is covered can turn on how it is used or intended to be used. Section 4003 penalizes carrying a dangerous or deadly weapon with intent to injure another. Because a launcher is not a firearm under the definition above, Vermont's municipal firearms preemption statute may not prevent towns from regulating it. Check local ordinances. Statute last amended: May 21, 2018 (Section 4004 history: amended 1989, No. 143 (Adj. Sess.), Sec. 1; 1999, No. 113 (Adj. Sess.), Sec. 11; 2017, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), Sec. 3, eff. May 21, 2018). Section 4016 was added eff. June 2, 1993. Official source (Vermont Statutes Online): https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/13/085/04004 Courthouse provision: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/13/085/04016 Verified against those sources: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change. Confirm current requirements with Vermont authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.

Legal with Restrictions Virginia has no statute prohibiting the purchase, possession, or carry of a CO2-powered projectile launcher, and no Virginia statute names this product category directly. Not a concealed-carry firearm: Va. Code Section 18.2-308(A)(i) reaches only a weapon designed to propel a missile by action of an explosion of combustible material, which a compressed-gas device is not. Pneumatic gun framework: A kinetic launcher most plausibly falls under Va. Code Section 15.2-915.4(E), which defines a pneumatic gun as any implement designed as a gun that will expel a BB or pellet by action of pneumatic pressure, and expressly includes paintball guns. Local rules matter here: Va. Code Section 15.2-915.4(A) allows any Virginia county, city, or town to prohibit by ordinance the shooting of pneumatic guns in areas so heavily populated as to make it dangerous, and to impose supervision requirements on users under 16 and parental-consent conditions on users 16 and older. Where a launcher may be discharged depends on your locality. Age and permit: Virginia sets no statewide minimum age and requires no permit to buy, possess, or carry. Any age condition comes from a local pneumatic gun ordinance. Discharge and location limits: Va. Code Section 18.2-282(A) makes it unlawful to point, hold, or brandish any firearm or any air or gas operated weapon in a manner inducing fear. Va. Code Section 18.2-283.1 bars bringing a gun or other weapon designed to propel a projectile into a courthouse. Va. Code Section 18.2-312 addresses the unlawful release of noxious gases and expressly does not prevent use of such agents in the protection of person, life, or property. Statute last amended: 2011 (Va. Code Section 15.2-915.4 history: 2004, c. 930; 2011, c. 832). Official source (Code of Virginia): https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title15.2/chapter9/section15.2-915.4/ Verified against that source: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws and local ordinances change. Confirm your locality's ordinances and current requirements with Virginia authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.