No. Pepper spray is illegal in every part of the UK. In England, Wales and Scotland, pepper, CS and PAVA sprays are prohibited weapons under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968; in Northern Ireland the same ban is in Article 45 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004. Possessing one can mean up to 10 years in prison, even if you only wanted it for self-defence. A personal alarm is the legal alternative police recommend.
Updated 4 October 2026 · Sources: legislation.gov.uk, CPS, GOV.UK, Ask the Police · Next review: January 2027
If someone is threatening you or you feel unsafe right now, move towards people and light and call 999. If you can\'t speak, see how to make a silent 999 call.
Is pepper spray legal in the UK?
No. The Firearms Act 1968 bans “any weapon of whatever description designed or adapted for the discharge of any noxious liquid, gas or other thing”. Pepper spray, CS gas and PAVA spray all fall under this, so buying, owning, carrying or selling one is an offence without special government authority. Wanting it only for self-defence is not a legal excuse.
What self-defence items are legal, grey or illegal?
Use this traffic-light guide. ▲ green means legal to carry, ▬ amber means a grey area or legal only in limited cases, ▼ red means illegal. For the full list, including knives, see what you can legally carry for self-defence in the UK.
What is the penalty for carrying pepper spray in the UK?
In England, Wales and Scotland, possessing pepper spray can be tried in either court: the maximum is 10 years in prison and a fine in the Crown Court (Firearms Act 1968, Schedule 6). Northern Ireland\'s maximum is also 10 years (Firearms (NI) Order 2004, Schedule 5). CPS guidance confirms it carries no mandatory minimum sentence. Using it on someone can add an assault charge.
Is pepper spray legal in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
No. Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 covers Scotland as well as England and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own law, the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, whose Article 45(1)(f) bans any weapon designed or adapted to discharge electricity or any noxious liquid, gas or other thing. The wording differs, but the result is the same.
Key: ▲ same as the rest of the UK, ▬ similar with different wording, ▼ a different law.
Are dye sprays or “criminal identifier” sprays legal in the UK?
They sit in a grey area. Ask the Police says some sprays that only mark an attacker with coloured dye may be allowed if they are designed and used as intended, but no court has tested them, so police cannot confirm they are legal. You could be arrested and held while the product is checked, and spraying someone and injuring them may be assault.
Can I bring pepper spray back from holiday?
No. GOV.UK lists “self-defence sprays, for example pepper spray and CS gas” as banned goods you cannot bring into the UK, even if you bought them legally abroad. Ask the Police also warns that self-defence products bought outside the UK are more likely to be illegal here. Leave it behind before you travel home.
Pepper spray myths and facts
What can I carry instead of pepper spray?
The legal options focus on drawing attention and getting help, not on hurting anyone. A loud personal alarm, a charged phone with emergency SOS set up, and someone who knows where you are cover most situations. Getting away towards people and calling 999 is almost always safer than confronting an attacker.
What should I do if I already have pepper spray?
- Stop carrying it straight away, including in your bag or car.
- Don\'t sell it, give it away or post it: supplying one is also an offence.
- Call your local police on 101 (or ask at the front desk of a police station) and ask how to hand it in.
- Replace it with a personal alarm and a phone set up for emergencies.
Not sure whether to call 999 or 101? See 999 or 101: how to report a crime.
Is the UK going to legalise pepper spray?
There are no plans in law to change it as of October 2026. A Parliament petition, “Legalise pepper spray in England”, closed on 3 May 2026 with 6,829 signatures, below the 10,000 needed for a government response, and later petitions on the same idea were rejected as duplicates. The Firearms Act ban remains in force.
Frequently asked questions
No. Sellers abroad may ship it, but possessing it in the UK is an offence and GOV.UK lists self-defence sprays as goods you cannot bring into the country. Products sold online as “UK legal” are usually dye or gel sprays, whose legal status police say is untested.
They are different chemicals, but the law treats them the same. Both are weapons designed to discharge a noxious liquid or gas, so both are prohibited under section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968.
Yes, the law allows reasonable force to protect yourself or others. But carrying a banned weapon is a separate offence, whatever happens. The safest option is usually to get away and call 999. Our guide to legal self-defence items covers this.
Sources
- legislation.gov.uk: Firearms Act 1968, section 5
- legislation.gov.uk: Firearms Act 1968, Schedule 6 (penalties)
- legislation.gov.uk: Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2004, Article 45
- CPS legal guidance: Firearms
- GOV.UK: banned and restricted goods
- Ask the Police: are there any legal self-defence products?
- UK Parliament petition: Legalise pepper spray in England
General information for the UK, not legal advice. Laws change: check GOV.UK or a solicitor for your situation. In an emergency, always call 999.
Keep reading
A legal way to get help fast
Safety App UK turns your phone into a legal safety tool. Send an SOS by button or shake (or automatically in higher-crime zones) with your live location and live video to a trusted circle, plan safer routes on a live safety map built from police data and community reports, and find police stations and Ask for Angela venues nearby. It does not call the emergency services. Free for 7 days, then £2.99 a month. For ages 16+.