A Few Tips about Traveling With Body Armor

June 30, 2022

UARM

There is a number of reasons why someone would be traveling with body armor. For one, there are those for whom their job requires them to have body armor and they need to be sure that it will arrive with them. Also, staying safe while you travel is becoming a rising concern. But, unlike having body armor in your home state, or moving them in a private vehicle, getting into planes, buses, and ships with armor can be tricky. To ensure that you will be able to travel, you will need to look up 3 things:

Laws in the destination country
A policy of the transport company
Weight and apparel restrictions

Because these laws and policies vary significantly it is impossible to make a single statement about what is and what isn’t possible. The best way to figure that out is to check for your situation in particular. Primarily, check if the place you are traveling to has more restrictive laws than your current location. Then, contact the airline you want to travel with via email and ask them would you be able to get on their plane with body armor on.

Are You Allowed to Travel With Body Armor?

In the United States, provided that you are not a convicted felon, you are allowed to travel virtually anywhere. Even when it comes to restrictive laws in states like New York, actual owning of body armor is not illegal, or traveling with it. But, there are two laws that can prevent you from wearing some types of body armor, especially in other countries or in air transit. First of all, there are public disturbance laws. In most places in the world, and in every single airport in the US, wearing full body armor with fatigues without being a part of the active military will leave you charged with disturbing the public. This will also apply if you are wearing any overt body armor vest or something looking like it, even if the ballistic inserts aren’t inside. But, in most cases you can fly with covert body armor and most airlines and places will have no issues with the armor. Ballistic materials are safe to carry on board and you are not disturbing anyone. The other question is weight, and those carrying a bulletproof suitcase or bulletproof luggage should be aware of it. Ballistic material is relatively heavy, and if you are using plates it might break the weight limit. You can fly with body armor in this case, but you will need to pay extra for the weight.

Traveling with Body Armor on

Always make sure that you are asking for permission before attempting to board anything with body armor on. While it is not against the law in most cases, it might be against policy and you might be designated as a security risk and prevented from boarding. A bullet proof suitcase or bulletproof luggage will be easier to transport. But, you will need to be able to remove the plates from the luggage for it to pass the scanner. Your overall approach will determine can you fly with body armor and having all of the information and approval in advance will mean a lot. A simple printed email where the carrier allows it will go further than any legal technicality. And, if you have full body armor you won’t be able to wear it on the plane. But, if it’s legal in the country you are traveling in you can store your body armor in your luggage.

Transporting Soft Body Armor

If you are simply transporting body armor in general it is always easiest to carry your vest and any auxiliary armor in your luggage. A full body armor would be as easy to transport as any other piece of apparel. But, if you wish to transport your luggage on your person or in your hand carry, you might face some opposition. Even with the law saying that you can fly with your body armor in your body armor carry bag, there might be issues with the airline itself, or with airport security. Because of this, make sure to tell your airline in advance that you will be carrying a body armor carry bag with armor inside. In those cases, even when it comes to international flights, there are usually zero problems when moving the body armor around.

Moving Hard Plates

Moving hard plates is frequently regulated, especially when it comes to Level IV ceramic plates. Even when it comes to US regulation you wouldn’t be able to move packed body armor around and would need an ITAR number to show that you are licensed to move the hardware out of the country. Other countries have limitations on such armor where only police and military can wear it. Because of that, it is essential to either check the laws of the country you are going in first, or get the necessary paperwork before you set out to travel.

FAQ

Is it legal to travel with body armor?

Traveling with body armor is legal in the United States. But, it might be illegal in other countries, and most TSA agents and airlines will deny you access if wearing full body armor on the grounds of disturbing other passengers.

Checked Luggage or Hand Luggage?

Provided that possession itself is legal, carrying body armor in a body armor carry bag or general checked luggage will be preferable. For hand luggage, body armor vests are discouraged, but bullet proof suitcases or bulletproof luggage, including inserts and laptop casings is almost always allowed. It is still best to check in advance and have the email response printed.

Can You Wear Your Body Armor During The Flight?

Yes if the armor is covert and isn’t disturbing anyone. This means that most overt body armor will get you denied by the airline if you can’t cover it with civilian clothes. Weight restrictions for people with body armor might also apply, as additional clothes weight would also be regarded as hand luggage.

What Is The Best Way To Pack Your Body Armor For Travel?

The best way is to have a body armor carry bag that would house all of the items neatly and easily to find. Such bags are easier to carry and transport in general and would ensure that none of the gear gets damaged in transport.