A bulletproof car is not a common thing. Why would it be? When it comes to car safety, many features come from manufacturers to give owners peace of mind. There is safety technology like smart braking, lane departure warning, and some cars even have functions that will make noise if the driver is distracted or falling asleep. The one thing all these technologies have in common is that they are designed to help prevent accidents.

Accident prevention is great as it is the most likely emergency that can happen while driving. But how would those safety systems help if a small army of armed individuals attacked you? We can’t think of any standard safety equipment that would help in a live-fire situation.

For someone who has many enemies or is a VIP, a bulletproof car or armored car is the ultimate in car safety. The question is, how does someone get a bulletproof car? Are bulletproof cars illegal? Here are the facts.

Is it illegal to have a bulletproof car?

According to Armormax, a leading armored vehicle manufacturer and retailer, it is not illegal for civilians to own a bulletproof car or an armored car. Depending on state and local laws, it might even be legal to have additional countermeasures on a bulletproof car owned by a civilian.

Countermeasures such as electrified door handles to keep out unwanted intruders. Yes, taser car door handles are a real thing. Cars can also be equipped with run-flat tires, a smokescreen emitter, and even road tack dispenser systems. If a buyer so chooses, they can commission Armormax to equip their vehicle with a system that drops tire-shredding tacks when activated remotely. All this time, we thought something like that only existed in James Bond films.

One of the most extreme options that a customer can add is bomb blankets. Despite the name, these blankets are not meant to keep your bombs warm at night. Bomb blankets protect the bottom of the car from explosives by catching shrapnel.

Armormax offers different levels of protection which vary by ammunition. For example, an armor level of “B4” will protect against handgun rounds up to .44 magnum caliber. The maximum level is “B7,” which protects against high-caliber, armor-piercing rounds such as those used in sniper rifles.

How much does a bulletproof car cost?

The cost to bulletproof a car can vary between $10,000 and $100,000 or more, depending on the armor level and options. Keep in mind that this price range just considers the material and work of bulletproofing a car, not the vehicle itself. It is possible to buy cars directly from manufacturers with armor pre-installed.

As a rule of thumb, it is safe to assume that adding bulletproof armor to any car will not be cheap. Frankly, anyone who needs a bulletproof car should not expect it to be cheap. The last thing you would want is to have armed assassins shooting at your car only to find out that the manufacturer of your only protection decided to cheap out on materials.

This article was originally published on August 29, 2021, and was updated on June 21, 2024.