Are you a fan of the paint? Just can’t wait to get together with your friends to get a game of paintball going?
If you are a paintball enthusiast, you need the right equipment. The primary pieces of equipment used in paintball are its markers and ammunition.
Paintball markers make a worthy investment to avid players of the game. Not so fast. Pertinent laws govern every facet of the game.
If you are looking for what legalities you should know before using up your savings on the latest paintball markers and ammo, read below.
This article will cover the age restrictions that come with paintball equipment. We will also go over some federal laws and state regulations involved in using, purchasing, and owning them.
Let’s get into it.
Contents
What Age Do You Have to Be to Buy Paintballs?
Technically? 18 and over. But you can be under 18 and still purchase paintballs provided you have a consent form from a parent or guardian.
The provision of consent legally binds the parent or guardian to all minors’ acts using the paintball equipment.
Without a parent or legal guardian present, only persons of legal age can purchase paintball equipment such as paintballs. This depends on what state you are in. In some cases, you would have to be even more specific, such as what town you are in.
Under the Federal firearms laws, paintball markers are not deemed as firearms. While these laws do not refer specifically to paintball guns, they are categorized under “gas guns.”
Gas guns are considered non-lethal and do not possess the necessary components to constitute a firearm. However, Federal laws explicitly allow each county to regulate paintball guns as the local government sees fit.
Federal laws do not allow any bans imposed on sales, rentals, or the commercial use of these guns. The counties are instead encouraged to impose age restrictions or the requirement of licensing the weapon.
Traditionally, this consideration encompasses all aspects of the marker, including its ammunition.
Suppose your local government categorizes paintball markers under imitation firearms. In that case, those considered minors will not be permitted to purchase the markers themselves, any of their parts, or ammo without their parent or guardian’s written consent.
Suppose you are in an area where paintball markers are not deemed an imitation firearm or dangerous weapon. In that case, anyone of any age can buy paintballs.
In California, paintball markers are considered imitation firearms. Therefore, they implement strict regulations on its handling and possession.
In most states, age restrictions implemented on minors only go as far as prohibiting the sale, rental, or reception of a paintball marker without the written consent of a parent or guardian.
There are only nine states with statutes that strictly regulate paintball equipment and activities, especially toward minors.
- California
- Delaware
- New Hampshire
- Illinois
- Virginia
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- New Jersey
- Rhode Island
Many of the strict regulations in these states focus on transport and handling in public areas.
All of these states will still allow someone under 18 to purchase paintballs with the necessary consent forms.
However, it is unlikely a minor can legally purchase paintballs in any of these states without the necessary consent form. But the final verdict is still at the discretion of independent business owners.
What is a paintball? It’s a non-toxic and harmless ball of paint. It is nothing but dye encased in gelatine. Commercial establishments that carry paintball equipment are more likely to adhere to state laws by implementing the age restriction on the guns and not on the harmless balls of goop.
If you are underaged and still wary, you can always buy paintballs online. Ask your parents to check these paintballs out with you.
These are some we like because of their reliability and accuracy.
The Virtue Ace Paintball .68 Cal is the ideal ammunition for tournaments, offering the accuracy that is needed in competitive plays.
- [Performance] - Devastating accuracy .68 Caliber paintballs | Tournament grade designed for competitive play
- [Quality] - Ultimate Breaking Dynamics | Breaks on target, not in pods, loader, or marker
- [Construction] - Pro-grade metallic shell and | Pro-grade bright fill | PEG fill (no oil)
Valken Fate Paintball .50 Cal is one of the most reliable paintballs in the market. They are designed to break on surface contact and not inside markers or containers.
- Shoots straight and breaks on target
- Bright marking fill, shell color may vary
- Environmentally-friendly ingredients
Do You Need to Be 18 to Buy a Paintball Gun?
You have probably seen almost all of your searches come up with yes. But we ran a more thorough examination, and this is what we found.
The truth is, while you do have to be of legal age to buy paintball guns, without needing consent from anyone. The legal age requirement differs from state to state and isn’t always 18 years old.
In Illinois, the legal age relevant in this case is 13. A 13-year-old can legally purchase and own the Tippmann Cronus Tactical Paintball Gun without parental consent.
In most states, including California, all a minor needs is a written consent form from a parent or guardian.
Many factors go into different considerations that are enacted by the governing bodies.
Suppose you do not have an adult with legal guardianship who can provide you with consent. In this case, you would have to look into your local county laws to tell if you have to be a certain age to buy a marker.
If you want to know more about the pertinent laws, here is an extensive guide to the legislation regulating paintball guns.
Here you can also find out more about the regulations of paintball guns in California.
Do You Need a License for Paintball Markers?
In some states, yes. The acquisition of a license for paintball guns is parallel to that of firearms.
If your county recognizes markers as a lethal weapon of any kind, then you will be required to register your gun for a license.
The license allows its holder to legally be in possession of a gun outside of regulated playing fields.
However, some states consider jurisdiction. While you might be licensed in one state, the license may be void in another state.
Licenses will not be granted to minors, with or without consent from parents or guardians. Yes, as discussed, minors with consent forms from legal guardians are allowed to own guns. The possession of these guns is limited to private properties and regulated playing fields.
A license is known as a permit to carry. These are not given to minors as they will not be allowed to transport markers in public areas.
Adults who are fully licensed can transport their guns, provided they are dismantled, unloaded, and encased. Again, depending on which state you are in, there are extenuating regulations.
Final Words
We hope this article proved helpful in knocking down old myths and has shed more light on vague explanations regarding age requirements.
Remember that you have to do your due diligence to be a responsible paintball equipment owner. Please familiarize yourself with your local laws and act on them responsibly.