Stun Gun Laws
Is Stun Gun Legal In District of Columbia?
Stun Gun in DC is Legal with Restrictions.
Legal with Restrictions Civilian possession of stun guns and TASER-type electronic control devices is legal in the District of Columbia, and no registration certificate is required. D.C. Code Section 7-2501.01(9)(E) expressly excludes a stun gun from the definition of firearm, so the registration requirement in Section 7-2502.01(a) does not apply. Note on older sources: DC did prohibit civilian stun guns before 2017, by treating an electric-shock incapacitating device as a destructive device. That provision was repealed by D.C. Law 21-281, the Stun Gun Regulation Amendment Act of 2016, effective May 19, 2017. Sources describing a DC ban are out of date. Age: 18 or older. Brief possession by a minor for self-defense against an immediate threat of harm is not a violation (Section 7-2502.15(a)). Use: Limited by statute to the exercise of reasonable force in defense of person or property (Section 7-2502.15(b)). Restricted locations: Possession is prohibited, absent specific permission, in buildings or offices occupied by the DC government, its agencies or instrumentalities; penal institutions, secure juvenile residential facilities, and halfway houses; buildings occupied by a children's facility, preschool, or public or private elementary or secondary school; and any building or grounds clearly posted by the owner or occupant to prohibit carrying a stun gun (Section 7-2502.15(c)). Training: None required. Dealers: A vendor selling more than five stun guns in any 12-month period must obtain a stun gun endorsement on its basic business license (Section 7-2502.16). Statute date: May 19, 2017 (Section 7-2502.15 credits: added May 19, 2017, D.C. Law 21-281, Sec. 2(d), 64 DCR 1648). No amendment since; D.C. Law 24-347 (April 21, 2023) amended Section 7-2501.01 only and did not touch the stun gun provisions. Official source (Council of the District of Columbia): https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/7-2502.15 Verified against that source: August 26, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change. Confirm current requirements with District of Columbia authorities or your own counsel before purchasing or carrying.