Is It Legal to Carry a Personal Alarm?
Short answer: yes. A personal alarm makes noise and light. It is not a weapon, so you can carry one in the UK, Ireland, the US and Australia without a licence. Sprays are a different story.
United Kingdom
Personal alarms are legal to carry anywhere in the UK. Pepper spray and CS spray are illegal to carry, so a personal alarm is one of the few legal self-defence products.
Ireland
Personal alarms are legal to carry. Pepper spray is banned under the Firearms Acts, which treat it as a weapon, so carrying one can lead to a criminal charge.
United States
A personal alarm can be carried in every state with no permit. Pepper spray is legal in all 50 states, but many set limits on canister size, sale or who can buy it (New York and Massachusetts are the strictest), and it is not allowed in carry-on bags.
Australia
Personal alarms, also called personal duress alarms, are legal to carry across Australia. Pepper spray is a prohibited weapon in most states and territories; Western Australia allows it only with a reasonable excuse and New South Wales only with a permit.
Can I take a personal alarm on a plane?
Airlines set their own rules, so check before you fly. Keep the pin firmly in so it cannot go off in your luggage.
General information, not legal advice. Laws change; check local rules if you are unsure.
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