All Comparison Tables
Stand Your Ground & Self-Defense Laws
Compare self-defense laws including Stand Your Ground, Duty to Retreat, and Castle Doctrine provisions with statute citations for all 50 states.
50 States3 data columnsLast updated: 2025-12-01
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| State | Law Type | Statute Citation | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| AL - Alabama | Stand Your Ground | Ala. Code § 13A-3-23 | No duty to retreat in any place legally occupied |
| AK - Alaska | Stand Your Ground | Alaska Stat. § 11.81.335 | No duty to retreat if lawfully present |
| AZ - Arizona | Stand Your Ground | A.R.S. § 13-411 | No duty to retreat; defensive display of firearm permitted |
| AR - Arkansas | Stand Your Ground | Ark. Code § 5-2-607 | No duty to retreat if lawfully present and not engaged in unlawful activity |
| CA - California | Stand Your Ground (case law) | CALCRIM No. 505, 506 | No statutory SYG but jury instructions recognize no duty to retreat |
| CO - Colorado | Castle Doctrine + Limited SYG | C.R.S. § 18-1-704.5 | Make My Day law for home; limited SYG elsewhere via case law |
| CT - Connecticut | Duty to Retreat | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-19 | Duty to retreat if safe; no retreat required in home |
| DE - Delaware | Duty to Retreat | 11 Del. C. § 464 | Duty to retreat except in dwelling; castle doctrine applies |
| FL - Florida | Stand Your Ground | Fla. Stat. § 776.013 | No duty to retreat; immunity from prosecution; burden on state at hearing |
| GA - Georgia | Stand Your Ground | O.C.G.A. § 16-3-23.1 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present |
| HI - Hawaii | Duty to Retreat | HRS § 703-304 | Duty to retreat if safe; castle doctrine for dwelling |
| ID - Idaho | Stand Your Ground | Idaho Code § 18-4009 | No duty to retreat; justifiable homicide in defense |
| IL - Illinois | Duty to Retreat (limited) | 720 ILCS 5/7-1 | No explicit duty to retreat but courts may consider it; castle doctrine |
| IN - Indiana | Stand Your Ground | Ind. Code § 35-41-3-2 | No duty to retreat; includes defense against unlawful entry |
| IA - Iowa | Stand Your Ground | Iowa Code § 704.1 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2017) |
| KS - Kansas | Stand Your Ground | K.S.A. § 21-5222 | No duty to retreat; applies in occupied vehicle and dwelling |
| KY - Kentucky | Stand Your Ground | KRS § 503.055 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present |
| LA - Louisiana | Stand Your Ground | La. R.S. § 14:20 | No duty to retreat; justifiable homicide if reasonable belief |
| ME - Maine | Duty to Retreat | 17-A M.R.S. § 108 | Duty to retreat except in dwelling; castle doctrine |
| MD - Maryland | Duty to Retreat | Case law (Crawford v. State) | Duty to retreat except in home; castle doctrine applies |
| MA - Massachusetts | Duty to Retreat | Case law (Commonwealth v. Toon) | Duty to retreat if safe; no duty in own dwelling |
| MI - Michigan | Stand Your Ground | MCL § 780.972 | No duty to retreat if honestly and reasonably believes threat |
| MN - Minnesota | Duty to Retreat | Minn. Stat. § 609.065 | Duty to retreat except in dwelling (expanded 2017) |
| MS - Mississippi | Stand Your Ground | Miss. Code § 97-3-15 | No duty to retreat in place lawfully present |
| MO - Missouri | Stand Your Ground | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 563.031 | No duty to retreat; extended castle doctrine (2016) |
| MT - Montana | Stand Your Ground | Mont. Code § 45-3-110 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully located |
| NE - Nebraska | Duty to Retreat | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1409 | Duty to retreat if safe; castle doctrine for dwelling |
| NV - Nevada | Stand Your Ground | NRS § 200.120 | No duty to retreat (2011 amendment) |
| NH - New Hampshire | Stand Your Ground | N.H. RSA § 627:4 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2011) |
| NJ - New Jersey | Duty to Retreat | N.J.S.A. § 2C:3-4 | Duty to retreat except in dwelling; strict requirements |
| NM - New Mexico | Stand Your Ground (case law) | State v. Couch, 1946-NMSC-014 | No duty to retreat per case law; no specific statute |
| NY - New York | Duty to Retreat | N.Y. Penal Law § 35.15 | Duty to retreat except in dwelling; castle doctrine |
| NC - North Carolina | Stand Your Ground | N.C.G.S. § 14-51.3 | No duty to retreat in home, vehicle, or workplace |
| ND - North Dakota | Stand Your Ground | N.D.C.C. § 12.1-05-07 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2021) |
| OH - Ohio | Stand Your Ground | Ohio Rev. Code § 2901.09 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2021) |
| OK - Oklahoma | Stand Your Ground | 21 Okl. St. § 1289.25 | No duty to retreat; presumption of fear in dwelling/vehicle |
| OR - Oregon | Castle Doctrine Only | ORS § 161.219 | No statutory SYG; castle doctrine for dwelling only |
| PA - Pennsylvania | Stand Your Ground | 18 Pa.C.S. § 505(b)(2.3) | No duty to retreat with firearm if lawful possession and place |
| RI - Rhode Island | Duty to Retreat | Case law (State v. Hanes) | Duty to retreat; castle doctrine for dwelling |
| SC - South Carolina | Stand Your Ground | S.C. Code § 16-11-440 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present |
| SD - South Dakota | Stand Your Ground | SDCL § 22-18-4 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2006) |
| TN - Tennessee | Stand Your Ground | Tenn. Code § 39-11-611 | No duty to retreat if lawfully present and not engaged in crime |
| TX - Texas | Stand Your Ground | Tex. Penal Code § 9.32 | No duty to retreat; castle doctrine extends to vehicle |
| UT - Utah | Stand Your Ground | Utah Code § 76-2-402 | No duty to retreat; force-on-force provision |
| VT - Vermont | Stand Your Ground (case law) | State v. Hatcher (2015) | No duty to retreat per long-standing case law; no statute |
| VA - Virginia | Stand Your Ground (case law) | Case law (Foote v. Commonwealth) | No statutory SYG but case law supports no duty to retreat for non-aggressors |
| WA - Washington | Stand Your Ground (case law) | State v. Studd (1999) | No duty to retreat per case law; RCW 9A.16.050 for justified force |
| WV - West Virginia | Stand Your Ground | W. Va. Code § 55-7-22 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2008) |
| WI - Wisconsin | Castle Doctrine Only | Wis. Stat. § 939.48 | Duty to retreat in public; castle doctrine for dwelling (2011) |
| WY - Wyoming | Stand Your Ground | Wyo. Stat. § 6-2-602 | No duty to retreat in any place lawfully present (2018) |
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and may not reflect the most recent legislative changes. Always verify current law with official state sources or consult a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction.