Is it lawful to wear a ballistic full-face mask in public?

All over the world, there is special clothing for professionals like doctors, lawyers, engineers, and importantly, military or law enforcement officers. Most times, you can tell an average military officer by body armor, camouflage, and a weapon.

However, there is general uncertainty as to whether you can dress like military personnel in public. While in many countries, there is no law stopping you from putting on a camouflage, in others, like Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, it’s unlawful to put them on. Nevertheless, the rules are not so clear when it comes to wearing full body armor and tactical helmets.

Basically, the legality of wearing tactical helmets in public depends on where you are. It is lawful to both buy and wear body armor and a tactical helmet in places like the United Kingdom and the US. Yet, in some other territories such as Canada and Australia, you may only wear full armor or a ballistic face mask with authorization.

On the other side of the divide, in countries in the European Union, Asia, and Africa, it is completely illegal to wear full body armor and a tactical helmet. Even in countries where it is lawful to use a ballistic face mask, there are some conditions to follow. Some of these conditions prevent people wearing a tactical helmet from falsely presenting themselves as military officers. Also, it is unlawful to commit an offense while wearing full body armor. 

Besides, while military personnel may wear ballistic full-face masks in public, they must not wear them intentionally to cause panic to citizens. Moreover, officers are discouraged from wearing body armors and tactical helmets just for leisure purposes. So, before you purchase or wear a ballistic full-face mask, be sure the laws of your country permit you.

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