castle doctrine

The castle doctrine is a legal doctrine stating that if a party is in their own home, that party does not have a duty to retreat prior to using reasonable force (including deadly force if necessary) as self-defense. More generally, the castle doctrine is an exception to the duty to retreat doctrine so long as the other requirements of the particular jurisdiction's self-defense statute are met. Under the castle doctrine, if a person is under an imminent threat of serious physical harm or danger by a guest (or an intruder) in their home, they do not have to attempt to safely escape the situation prior to using physical force; the homeowner may immediately use force to eliminate the threat in their home. There are 20 U.S. States that utilize the castle doctrine, and the exact language and specifications vary by state. For example, in North Carolina, the castle doctrine may extend to a person’s home, workplace, and car (see: N.C.G.S. § 14-51.2). In contrast, Illinois limits the castle doctrine to a person’s home (see: 720 ILCS 5/7-2).

[Last reviewed in May of 2026 by the Wex Definitions Team]

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• firearms

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