Are Pistol Crossbows Legal?

Whether a pistol crossbow is legal depends on four separate questions that most buyers roll into one: can you own it, can you carry it, where can you shoot it, and can you hunt with it. In most of the United States the answer to the first is yes with no licence, while the answer to the last is usually no. In Canada the answer to the first is no for almost every model sold as a pistol crossbow. In the UK you can buy one at 18 today, but the law is about to change.

This guide walks through those four questions for the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, with shorter notes on Europe, and then shows you how to get a binding answer for your own address. It is for anyone about to spend $95 to $600 on a pistol crossbow for target shooting, and for the parent or gift-giver who needs to know whether the box is even allowed through the door.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws differ by country, state, province, county and city, and they change. Jurisdiction: overview of the US, Canada, UK and Australia. Last checked: October 29, 2026. Verify the current rule with the authority named for your area before you buy, and treat their written answer as the only binding source.

The Four Questions Behind "Is It Legal?"

A pistol crossbow is a short, one-handed crossbow, typically with a 50 to 150 lb draw weight, a short power stroke and light bolts. Every model in my pistol crossbow reviews sits well below big-game kinetic energy levels, which is one reason hunting rules treat them differently from full-size crossbows. The law, though, rarely asks about energy. It asks these four things, and you need an answer to each.

If you only remember one thing from this page, remember that a "yes" to ownership tells you nothing about the other three.

Are Pistol Crossbows Legal in the United States?

There is no federal law that prohibits owning, buying or selling a crossbow of any size. Crossbows are not firearms under federal law, so there is no background check, no licence and no federal age limit; most retailers set their own 18-plus policy. That is where the simple part ends.

State weapons law

States and cities regulate crossbows under their general weapons codes, not their hunting codes, and the wording differs. New York's Penal Law, for example, lists crossbows among dangerous weapons for the purpose of barring possession by people with felony convictions. New York City's Administrative Code restricts crossbows within the five boroughs, and sources disagree on whether that amounts to a possession ban or a ban on carrying and using them in public, so a resident should ask the NYPD License Division or a lawyer before buying. Other cities have ordinances on carrying or discharging "projectile weapons" that catch pistol crossbows along with slingshots and air rifles.

Public carry and transport

Even where ownership is unrestricted, carrying a cocked pistol crossbow in public can fall under concealed-weapon or dangerous-weapon statutes. The safe practice everywhere is the one wildlife agencies already require for hunters: transport it unloaded and uncocked, in a case, out of reach in a vehicle. Our crossbow hunting laws by state guide covers transport rules in detail.

Shooting in your yard

Whether you can shoot in a backyard is a municipal question. Many cities prohibit discharging any projectile weapon within city limits or within a set distance of a dwelling; many townships and rural counties do not. Look for the words "projectile", "missile" or "bow" in your city code, and if you cannot find a rule, ask the city clerk or police non-emergency line before the first shot.

Hunting with a pistol crossbow

This is the near-universal no. State regulations I checked bar pistol-style crossbows for deer and turkey (Iowa, for example, prohibits "one-handed pistol-grip crossbows" for those species), list "hand-held pistol-type crossbows" as prohibited equipment (Maine), or exclude "crossbow pistols" from legal big-game gear (Idaho). Where a state allows crossbows for small game, a minimum draw weight or a stock requirement often excludes pistol models anyway. Treat a pistol crossbow as a target tool unless your agency says otherwise in writing.

Are Pistol Crossbows Legal in Canada?

Mostly no, and this is the rule that catches the most buyers out. Under Canada's Criminal Code, a crossbow that is designed or altered to be aimed and fired with one hand, or that has an overall length of 500 mm (about 19.7 inches) or less, is a prohibited device. Possession, import and sale of a prohibited device is an offence, and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority lists one-handed crossbows as illegal items under the Code. Full-size crossbows are not firearms in Canada and need no licence, so a buyer who knows the full-size rule can easily assume the small one is fine.

The practical test: if the product is marketed as a pistol crossbow, has a pistol grip with no shoulder stock, or measures 500 mm or less tip to tip, assume it is prohibited in Canada and do not order it from a foreign retailer. The Steambow AR-6 Stinger II and the SAS Prophecy 80 are both one-handed designs of the kind the definition describes. Hunting with any crossbow is a provincial matter on top of that. If you are unsure about a specific model, contact the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program before you buy.

Are Pistol Crossbows Legal in the UK?

Today, yes for adults. Under the Crossbows Act 1987, as amended, it is an offence to sell or hire a crossbow with a draw weight of 1.4 kg or more to anyone under 18, and an offence for an under-18 to buy or possess one except under the supervision of someone 21 or over. No licence or registration is required for adults, and the Act applies to pistol crossbows exactly as it does to full-size ones. Hunting live quarry with any crossbow is illegal in the UK.

That is the position as of the last-checked date, and it is changing. In March of this year the government confirmed that it intends to ban the sale of crossbows, introduce a licensing scheme for existing owners with suitability checks, and prohibit broadhead hunting arrows, with a consultation on the mechanism to follow. No commencement date had been published when this page was checked. If you are in England, Wales or Scotland, check GOV.UK for the current status before buying, and expect that a pistol crossbow bought legally today may need a licence to keep.

Are Pistol Crossbows Legal in Australia?

Crossbows are classed as prohibited or controlled weapons in every Australian state and territory, and pistol crossbows are singled out in several because they are concealable. In general an adult can own one only with a permit or licence, usually tied to membership of an approved archery or crossbow club, and Western Australia moved to prohibit new ownership outright in 2011 with existing owners required to register. Importing a pistol crossbow without the right permit is an offence at the border. Start with your state police weapons licensing branch; in the ACT, for instance, a Permit for the Use of Prohibited Weapons is the relevant document.

Rules in Other Countries

A short tour, because readers write in from everywhere. These are starting points, not answers.

If your country is not listed, search the national police or customs site for "crossbow" and "prohibited weapon" and read the definition section, not the summary.

Age Limits and Buying for Someone Else

Age rules are the second most common way a pistol crossbow purchase goes wrong. The UK sets 18 in law. In the US there is no federal age, most retailers require 18, and some states include crossbows in their minor-and-dangerous-weapon statutes. In Canada and Australia the question does not arise for pistol models because ownership itself is restricted.

If you are buying as a gift, the rule that applies is the one where the recipient lives and will use it, not where you order from. Our crossbow safety rules for beginners guide is the right companion for a first-time owner once legality is settled, and the best crossbows for beginners roundup covers full-size options where a pistol model is not permitted.

Self-Defence Is Not a Legal Reason to Own One

Buyers sometimes ask whether a pistol crossbow is a legal self-defence weapon. The legal position of using any weapon against a person is a matter for local law and the facts of the moment, and no product page can answer it. The practical position is simpler: the models I have reviewed launch light bolts at 165 to 340 FPS, most hold a single bolt, and reloading takes both hands and several seconds. Treat a pistol crossbow as a target tool, and if you want to understand what those speeds mean in practice, read how fast does a crossbow bolt travel. If self-defence is your actual concern, speak to local police about what is lawful where you live.

Checklist: How to Check the Rule for Your Address

Do this once, in this order, and keep the answers.

1. National law first. Confirm whether one-handed or short crossbows are prohibited devices (Canada), licensed items (Ireland, Australia) or unrestricted (US, UK for adults).
2. State or provincial weapons law. Search the penal or criminal code for "crossbow". Note any age limit, felony bar or concealed-weapon wording.
3. City or county ordinance. Search the municipal code for "crossbow", "bow", "projectile" and "discharge". This is the layer most buyers skip and the one that governs backyard shooting.
4. Wildlife agency. Only if you intend to hunt. Use the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies directory to find your US state agency, and read the equipment definitions, not just the season table.
5. Ask in writing. Email the agency or the police licensing unit with the make, model, draw weight and overall length, and keep the reply.

What the Specs Tell You, and What They Do Not

Three numbers on a product listing matter legally: overall length, whether it is designed to be fired with one hand, and draw weight. Overall length decides the Canadian prohibition; a stock-mounted model over 500 mm such as the EK Archery Adder is a different legal object from a true pistol, even though both sit in the pistol category. The UK's 1.4 kg draw-weight threshold means every real pistol crossbow is covered by the Act. Draw weight also decides most hunting questions, and no pistol model I have tested meets the 75 to 125 lb minimums that states set for deer.

What the specs do not tell you is whether your city allows you to shoot it. A 55 lb Steambow AR-6 Stinger II and a 150 lb Ballista Bat are the same thing to a discharge ordinance. Use the cocking effort estimator to compare models on effort once you know a model is allowed; it will not help you decide whether it is.

Common Mistakes

• Assuming the full-size rule covers the pistol. Canada is the clearest example: full-size crossbows need no licence, one-handed ones are prohibited.
• Reading only the hunting regulations. They say nothing about ownership, carry or backyard use.
• Treating "ships to your country" as legal clearance. It is not.
• Forgetting the city layer. A state may allow ownership while the city bans discharge within its limits.
• Buying for a minor without checking the age rule. The UK's 18 limit applies to possession as well as purchase.
• Carrying it cocked in public "just to the range." Case it, uncocked, every time.
• Relying on a forum answer from another jurisdiction. The rule changes at the border, and sometimes at the county line.

Final Recommendation

Decide legality before you decide on a model. In most of the US a pistol crossbow is legal to own, legal to carry cased, sometimes legal to shoot at home and almost never legal to hunt with; in Canada it is a prohibited device; in the UK it is legal for adults today with licensing on the way; in Australia it needs a permit. Check all four questions for your exact address, get the answer in writing, and only then open the pistol crossbows hub to choose between the models I have tested. If a pistol model is not allowed where you live, a full-size crossbow usually is, and our crossbow hunting laws by state guide is the place to start.