Legality of Body Armor / Ballistic Vests

[BlackReef]

So I've been doing all this research the last couple of days on MOLLE Plate Carriers and Rifle plates for SHTF situations.

Talked to a LEO family friend earlier and he told me that it's a felony to have any of that stuff as a civilian. I asked for PC and he couldn't tell me. Then he started to change his tone and told me that it might be illegal ONLY if you are a felon.

Could someone share details on this please?

Thanks

[NeoWeird]

Perfectly legal to own as a civilian.

Felons and people on probation (I believe) can not have them.

If wearing armor in the comission of a felony, it's an additional felony.

[CalNRA]

So I've been doing all this research the last couple of days on MOLLE Plate Carriers and Rifle plates for SHTF situations.

Talked to a LEO family friend earlier and he told me that it's a felony to have any of that stuff as a civilian. I asked for PC and he couldn't tell me. Then he started to change his tone and told me that it might be illegal ONLY if you are a felon.

Could someone share details on this please?

Thanks

no penal code, not illegal.

[Matt C]

Perfectly legal to own as a civilian.

Felons and people on probation (I believe) can not have them.

If wearing armor in the comission of a felony, it's an additional felony.

Also IIRC it bumps a Misdemeanor up to a Felony. Also, it has to be a "violent" felony to incur a prohibition.

[Librarian]

Perfectly legal to own as a civilian.

Felons and people on probation (I believe) can not have them.

If wearing armor in the comission of a felony, it's an additional felony.

Right, on felons, but it's a sentence enhancement for wearing it while committing a 'violent offense' :

12022.2. (a) Any person who, while armed with a firearm ...
(b) Any person who wears a body vest in the commission or
attempted commission of a violent offense, as defined in subdivision
(b) of Section 12021.1, shall, upon conviction of that felony or
attempted felony, in addition and consecutive to the punishment
prescribed for the felony or attempted felony of which he or she has
been convicted, be punished by an additional term of one, two, or
five years. The court shall order the middle term unless there are
circumstances in aggravation or mitigation. The court shall state
the reasons for its enhancement choice on the record at the time of
the sentence.
(c) As used in this section, "body vest" means any
bullet-resistant material intended to provide ballistic and trauma
protection for the wearer.

12370. (a) Any person who has been convicted of a violent felony,
as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5, under the laws of the
United States, the State of California, or any other state,
government, or country, who purchases, owns, or possesses body armor,
as defined by Section 942 of Title 11 of the California Code of
Regulations, except as authorized under subdivision (b), is guilty of
a felony, punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 16
months, or two or three years.

Other than that, no restriction in state law. Manufacturers seem sometimes to prefer to keep sales only to LEO.

[SJgunguy24]

If you can buy a handgun, you can buy body armor. That is the easiest way to explain it.

[hawk81]

I guess the cop can't have body armor either, since he is also a civilian. Cops are not the military, they are civilian law enforcement. Oh and you can own body armor.

[Max-the-Silent]

If you're not a felon and not wearing armor during the commission of a criminal act, there is no law against purchase/possession/wearing of body armor by civilians.

If you come across military body armor for sale, it could be that said armor was "liberated" and would be considered stolen property, but that's a different issue.

[Miltiades]

Avoiding bullets

Talked to a LEO family friend earlier and he told me that it's a felony to have any of that stuff as a civilian.

You should have asked the LEO if it is also a felony to stand behind a brick wall, which has the same bullet deflecting effect.

[DDRH]

You should have asked the LEO if it is also a felony to stand behind a brick wall, which has the same bullet deflecting effect.

[dadoody]

So I've been doing all this research the last couple of days on MOLLE Plate Carriers and Rifle plates for SHTF situations.

Talked to a LEO family friend earlier and he told me that it's a felony to have any of that stuff as a civilian. I asked for PC and he couldn't tell me. Then he started to change his tone and told me that it might be illegal ONLY if you are a felon.

Could someone share details on this please?

Thanks

Armor is legal except for felons. No armor 4 felons ;__;

[Jpach]

So what your saying is that I shouldnt wear my body armor while selling bootleg videos that I made myself while also wearing body armor?

[Matt C]

So what your saying is that I shouldnt wear my body armor while selling bootleg videos that I made myself while also wearing body armor?

Or say, parking in a handicapped spot. Kinda would be funny to catch a felony for that though, imagine telling the other guys in prison what you did...

[leelaw]

So what your saying is that I shouldnt wear my body armor while selling bootleg videos that I made myself while also wearing body armor?

Or say, parking in a handicapped spot. Kinda would be funny to catch a felony for that though, imagine telling the other guys in prison what you did...

Neither of those are violent crime, and one is an infraction.

They are not eligible for the sentence enhancement of wearing body armor while committing specific violent crimes.

[savs2k]

i heard body armor expires is this true and if so why? They might have been messing around with me though. Never looked into it.