Yes, tasers are legal in Arizona. Any adult can buy, own, and carry a taser or stun gun without a permit, a license, a background check, or registration, and you can carry one openly or concealed. The main things to know are that using one against a police officer is a class 4 felony, using one during any crime brings separate charges, and sellers of certain projectile-firing models have to keep a sales record.
Who Can Buy and Carry One
Arizona’s taser statute, ARS 13-3117, does not set a minimum age, does not require a background check, and does not bar felons or any other specific group from possessing a stun gun. That is a sharp contrast with the state’s firearm laws, which do restrict certain people from gun possession. The ownership threshold here is low.
No permit or state license is needed to buy one, and no concealed weapons permit is needed to carry one hidden on your person. For devices that qualify as “authorized remote stun guns,” the manufacturer must offer a training program, but the statute does not make completing that training a condition of ownership.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions
What the Law Actually Covers
Arizona uses the term “remote stun gun” rather than “taser” or “stun gun,” and the definition is broad. It covers any electronic device designed to incapacitate a person or animal with an electrical charge, whether delivered by direct contact, by wired probes launched from the device, or by a spark or plasma arc.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions Handheld contact stun guns and projectile models like the Taser brand both fall inside it.
The statute then creates a narrower subset, the “authorized remote stun gun,” defined by voltage and energy limits, serialized projectiles, coded tracking material that disperses on deployment, and a manufacturer training program.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions This subset matters mainly because the sales recordkeeping rules apply to it specifically. The use rules and penalties below apply to both categories.
Where You Cannot Carry One
Some locations are off-limits regardless of state law. Federal buildings, courthouses, airports past security, and military installations generally prohibit electronic control devices. Schools and school-sponsored events may also restrict them under district policies.
If you are flying, the TSA prohibits stun guns in carry-on luggage. You can put one in checked baggage, but the batteries have to be removed or the device otherwise rendered inoperable, and you have to declare it to the airline at check-in. Lithium battery models carry additional airline-specific rules worth confirming before you pack.
Using a Taser in Self-Defense
Arizona’s justification statutes allow you to use physical force to defend yourself when a reasonable person would believe unlawful physical force is imminent. The force has to be proportional to the threat. A taser sits on the non-lethal end of that spectrum, so it is more likely to be considered proportional to a physical assault than a firearm would be in the same situation.
Arizona does not impose a duty to retreat before using non-deadly force, so you are not required to walk away from a confrontation before defending yourself with a stun gun. Context still matters, though. If you had an easy chance to avoid the confrontation entirely and chose to engage, that can undercut a self-defense claim later.
The line most people cross is using a taser after the threat is over. Deploying one on someone who is already restrained, retreating, or no longer a threat turns self-defense into criminal assault. The same goes for pre-emptive use before any threat has actually formed. Courts look at whether a reasonable person in your position would have deployed the device at that moment.
Penalties for Illegal Use
One use is singled out for serious punishment: knowingly using or threatening to use a stun gun against a law enforcement officer performing official duties is a class 4 felony.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions
The statute also confirms that using a stun gun during a crime does not shield you from prosecution for that crime.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions Deploying a taser while committing an assault or a robbery means you still face charges for the underlying offense, and the taser use itself can support additional charges such as aggravated assault under Arizona’s general criminal statutes.
If You’re Buying or Selling One
Sellers of authorized remote stun guns have to keep an accurate sales record identifying the purchaser and verify the buyer’s identity with a government-issued ID. Violating that requirement is a petty offense, the lowest-level criminal violation in Arizona, carrying a fine but no jail time.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions
Secondary sales are exempt. If you buy a used device from a private party, neither side has a statutory obligation to file records with the manufacturer.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions
The Rules Are the Same Across Arizona
ARS 13-3117 declares stun gun regulation a matter of statewide concern, which means cities and counties cannot pass stricter ordinances of their own.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-3117 – Remote Stun Guns; Sales Records; Use; Classification; Definitions The rules in Phoenix are the rules in Tucson, Flagstaff, and every unincorporated county in between.