All statutory references are to the 2020 version of the Florida Statutes. The law is continually changing and some provisions referenced on this website may become outdated, as each section is only reviewed and updated once a year. It is always best to consult an attorney about your legal rights and responsibilities regarding your particular case.

When considering whether to use pepper spray, keep in mind that aggressive or threatening use of a “self-defense chemical spray” not deemed self-defense could be regarded as assault or even aggravated assault, potentially resulting in fines or jail time.

If you are a resident of Florida and carry a knife for work, or a knife, pepper spray or stun gun for self-defense, you must know Florida’s laws on concealed and open carry of these weapons.

You may only use pepper spray for self-defense. No one is allowed to use pepper spray against a law enforcement officer under any circumstance. Even pointing a pepper spray canister at a police officer in a threatening way may be considered an illegal intent to discharge a weapon, which is punishable by law.

Knives for work like box cutters and multi-tools can be carried concealed (in your pocket or clothing) or otherwise. Generally, if a blade is shorter than four inches, it is legal to carry it concealed without a license.

No one under 16 years old may use a stun gun or Taser. Adults may face misdemeanor charges for allowing minors to use or possess electric weapons.

It is legal to buy, carry, or use pepper spray in Florida if the container holds no more than two ounces. Anyone may carry a concealed carry pepper spray in Florida without a permit, as long as it meets the size requirement and is used only for self-defense.

The Florida Supreme Court defined a pocket knife as a “type of knife occurring frequently in the community which has a blade that folds into the handle and that can be carried in one’s pocket.”

Virtual reality with a controller differs from one system to the next, but at their core, they all come with a set of buttons, triggers, and often a thumbstick. These buttons allow you to grab and interact with things in the virtual world, from throwing a ball to pushing a button to holding and firing a gun. The controllers are designed to help create a more immersive and interactive experience by using either the Lighthouse tracking system (used by Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro), which uses two base systems that should be installed in your play area to use as a point of reference for the headset and controller, or an inside-out tracking system (used by the Oculus Quest 2), which uses infrared LEDs in the rings of the controller to triangulate the positions of the controllers in the virtual space.

Under Florida law, it is illegal to manufacture, display, sell, own, or possess any ballistic knife. If found with a ballistic knife, you will be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor.

In Florida law, it is illegal to give a knife (besides a pocket knife) to anyone younger than 18. Violating this law could warrant first-degree misdemeanor charges.

Unless otherwise authorized, you cannot carry a knife onto the following premises, regardless of concealed carry permit status:

Stun guns and Tasers temporarily incapacitate a person with an electrical charge. A stun gun delivers a painful shock only where it makes contact with a person, while a Taser shoots darts from a distance to deliver an electrical current. Tasers are capable of actually disrupting a person’s neuromuscular system, depending on their strength.

The benefit of the system the Oculus Quest 2 uses is that it makes VR with controllers cheap, so in the event that you have to replace a controller for any reason, you will pay less money to replace an Oculus controller as opposed to any other headset.

It is possible to play games without a VR controller on several of the latest gaming systems, such as the Oculus Quest 2, which comes with native hand-tracking support. This means that the headset has cameras built into it that can detect a person’s natural gestures while they interact with the world. However, VR with controllers is still the norm and the best way to get a good experience in VR for most people. The Oculus has added a recent tracking rate update that increased it from 30 Hz to 60 Hz, but it is still far from perfect, and not all VR apps support hand controls.

Some Florida counties regulate knives slightly differently than the state law, so it’s important to check your local laws as well as state laws.

Another controller-less option is the Leap Motion Controller. It provides an affordable option for a controller-less experience, at around $100, and through its use of two cameras and three infrared LEDs, it can map out your entire play space. This option can be used to enable hand-tracking in the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, and some PC systems. Even still, like the Oculus Quest 2, this is still not a perfect option.

Knives, pepper spray, Tasers, and stun guns are common self-defense tools used across Florida. If you are considering carrying one of these, make sure you first know the legal restrictions and requirements to avoid breaking any laws.

As with pepper spray, it is illegal to use a stun gun or Taser in a threatening way unless self-defense. If found guilty of brandishing an electric weapon, you could be convicted of a first-degree misdemeanor. The offense becomes a felony if near a school, under indictment, or using an electric weapon against a police officer.

When considering whether to use pepper spray, keep in mind that aggressive or threatening use of a “self-defense chemical spray” not deemed self-defense could be regarded as assault or even aggravated assault, potentially resulting in fines or jail time.

Almost all knives in Florida are legal to own and open carry, including pocket knives, multi-tools, “butterfly” knives, belt knives, cane knives, bowie knives, throwing stars, and throwing knives.

A ballistic knife is the only type that’s 100% illegal in Florida. Ballistic knives can fire a detachable blade a significant distance by deploying a trigger, lever, or switch. The difference between these knives and others is that the blade can become completely detached from the hilt or base.

Despite all of the advancements in technology, VR with a controller is still the best option to get the best experience possible across systems, but with advances in technology coming rapidly, there’s always the possibility that in the future, VR controllers won’t be necessary at all.

If a knife has a blade longer than four inches, a concealed carry weapons permit is required to carry it. If you carry a concealed knife that is significantly larger than four inches, you could be charged with a crime.

Under Florida law, both types of devices are considered “electric weapons.” Other electric weapons do require a concealed carry permit by Florida law.

Automatic knives, switchblades, and butterfly knives are legal to own in Florida. They can be legally carried in the open similar to other knives. If you want to concealed carry any automatic knife, regardless of the blade size, you must possess a concealed carry permit.

You can only legally buy and carry non-lethal stun guns and Tasers in Florida without a license for self-defense purposes. Additionally, if a minor commits a crime that would have been a felony performed by an adult, they cannot carry a stun gun or Taser before their 24th birthday or until the court expunges their criminal record. Felons also may not possess stun guns or Tasers.

Florida categorizes pepper spray as a “self-defense chemical spray,” a very distinct category from tear gas guns or other chemical weapons. Tear gas guns and other chemical weapons are entirely illegal for civilian ownership.

The material in this site represents general information on the laws in Florida and should not be deemed legal advice. Any use of the Site DOES NOT create or constitute an attorney-client relationship between The Florida Bar or any employee of or other person associated with The Florida Bar and a user of the Site. As the law differs in each legal jurisdiction and may be interpreted or applied differently depending on your location or situation, the information or use of documents on the Site is not a substitute for the advice of a lawyer. It is intended as an educational resource for understanding the laws that might impact new adults as they encounter various life experiences.

When you buy your own virtual reality (VR) headset, it will come with controllers designed to work specifically with that model headset. These controllers are an integral part of the VR experience, as they make it easy for the system to determine where your hands are in relation to the headset and help to register hand and finger movements in a virtual environment.