Knife Laws
52 articles
A
Alabama Knife Laws (2026): What Is Legal to Carry
Alabama has no general knife-carry ban and no blade-length limit. See what Ala. Code 13A-11-50, 13A-11-72, and 13A-11-57 actually restrict.
Alaska Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry Rules Explained
Alaska exempts pocket knives from its concealed weapon law. See when disclosure to police is required, minor rules, and school restrictions.
Arizona Knife Laws (2026): Carry Rules and Preemption
Arizona has no blade-length limit and exempts pocket knives from its concealed weapon law. See restricted places and statewide preemption.
Arkansas Knife Laws (2026): Intent-Based Carry Rules
Arkansas only bans carrying a knife with intent to unlawfully use it as a weapon. See the 3-inch definition, exceptions, and penalties.
C
California Knife Laws (2026): Four Blade-Length Rules
California sets four different blade-length thresholds for four contexts, from 2 inches for switchblades to no number at all for dirk or dagger carry.
Colorado Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry and Exceptions
Colorado bans concealed carry of a knife as its statute defines it: a blade over 3.5 inches, or any other dangerous cutting instrument. See exceptions.
Connecticut Knife Laws (2026): Open and Concealed Carry
Connecticut bans carrying certain knives whether open or concealed, with a long exceptions list. School and capitol rules use a different definition.
D
D.C. Knife Laws (2026): Possession and Carry Rules
D.C. bans switchblade possession outright; other knives are reached by an intent-based ban and a carrying statute the code never defines for knives.
Delaware Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Switchblades, and Bans
Delaware bans switchblade possession under one statute even though a related statute was repealed. See the concealed-carry rule, bans, and restricted zones.
F
Florida Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Pocketknives, Schools
Florida excludes a common pocketknife from 'weapon' but the concealed-carry offense uses a different definition that names dirk, not knife.
G
Georgia Knife Laws (2026): The 12-Inch Rule Explained
Georgia only regulates a knife over 12 inches, and since 2022 no license is required to carry one. School zones use a 2-inch rule instead.
H
Hawaii Knife Laws (2026): Switchblade and Butterfly Rules
Hawaii bans concealed carry of a dirk, switchblade, or butterfly knife, not open carry or ownership. See the exact statutes, defenses, and penalties.
I
Idaho Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Blade Length, Preemption
Idaho excludes knives with a blade 6 inches or less from its deadly-weapon law and lets most adults carry concealed without a license.
Illinois Knife Laws (2026): Switchblades and Intent Rule
Illinois bans switchblades outright but has a FOID-card exception. Carrying an ordinary knife needs unlawful intent, except in public buildings.
Indiana Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Blade Rules, and School Bans
Indiana has no general knife-carry statute. Learn the two narrow bans that do apply: detachable-blade knives and knives on school property.
Iowa Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Intent, and Blade Rules
Iowa allows carrying most knives, open or concealed, and preempts local knife ordinances statewide. Learn when carrying becomes a crime and the ballistic-knife ban.
K
Kansas Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Preemption, and School Rules
Kansas requires unlawful intent to criminalize knife carry, and preempts local knife ordinances statewide. See the school and felon rules too.
Kentucky Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Age Rules, and Exceptions
Kentucky exempts ordinary pocket and hunting knives from its weapons laws entirely. Learn the concealed-carry, age, and school-property rules.
Knife Laws by State (2026): Carry Rules, Blade Limits, Penalties
Compare knife laws in all 50 states and DC: what you can own, open and concealed carry rules, blade-length limits, preemption, and penalties.
L
Louisiana Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Preemption, and School Rules
Louisiana bans concealing a knife only if it functions as a dangerous weapon, and preempts local knife ordinances statewide. See the school rules too.
M
Maine Knife Laws (2026): Concealment, Display, and Exceptions
Maine bans threatening display or concealment of a bowie knife, dirk, or stiletto. Its preemption law is firearms-only, so towns may still regulate knives.
Maryland Knife Laws (2026): Concealed vs. Open Carry Rules
Maryland bans concealing certain knives outright but requires intent to injure for open carry. See the school, sale, and preemption rules too.
Massachusetts Knife Laws (2026): Section 10(b) and the Canjura Ruling
Massachusetts bans carrying listed knife types under c.269 section 10(b). See the 2024 Canjura switchblade ruling, school and airport rules, and penalties.
Michigan Knife Laws (2026): Concealed and Vehicle Carry Rules
Michigan bans daggers, dirks, and stilettos concealed on the person, or carried any way in a vehicle, plus knives over 3 inches with unlawful intent.
Minnesota Knife Laws (2026): Switchblades, Schools, and Intent
Minnesota bans switchblade possession and knives carried for unlawful purposes. See the school and courthouse felony rules under Minn. Stat. 609.66.
Mississippi Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry and School Rules
Mississippi bans concealed bowie, dirk, butcher, and switchblade knives, with home and sports exceptions. See the broad school-property misdemeanor rule.
Missouri Knife Laws (2026): Restricted Areas and the Switchblade Trap
Missouri has no general knife-carry ban. See the restricted-area rules and why the switchblade statute only applies with a federal-law violation.
Montana Knife Laws (2026): Preemption and the Firearm-Only Definition
Montana defines concealed weapon as a firearm, so knives are exempt, plus a direct statewide knife preemption law. See the school and prisoner rules.
N
Nebraska Knife Laws (2026): Minors, Prohibited Persons, and Preemption
Nebraska restricts concealed knife carry only for minors under 21 and prohibited persons. See the broad statewide preemption reaching local knife rules.
Nevada Knife Laws (2026): Machete, Concealed Carry, and Preemption
Nevada bans concealed machetes outright, and courts have held its dangerous-weapon catch-all can reach an ordinary knife too. Schools and jails add more rules.
New Hampshire Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Felons, and Preemption
New Hampshire has no general knife ban but restricts felons, courthouses, and minor sales, and its preemption statute names knives directly. Full breakdown.
New Jersey Knife Laws (2026): Possession Ban and Minor Sales
New Jersey bans named knives without lawful purpose, but a broader catch-all, an unlawful-purpose felony, and a certain-persons ban reach further. Full breakdown.
New Mexico Knife Laws (2026): Switchblade Ban and Concealed Carry
New Mexico bans switchblade possession outright and restricts concealed carry of named knife types statewide. See the school, university, and preemption rules.
New York Knife Laws (2026): Switchblade Ban After the Gravity Knife Repeal
New York's 2019 gravity knife repeal did not touch its switchblade ban. See both possession tracks, school rules, and the museum exemption for knives.
North Carolina Knife Laws (2026): Pocket Knife Rule and Schools
North Carolina exempts an enclosed pocket knife from its concealed-carry ban, but that exemption stops at courthouse doors. See the school and parade rules too.
North Dakota Knife Laws (2026): The 6-Inch Rule and Licensing
North Dakota's permitless carry covers firearms, not knives. A 6-inch blade or named type still needs a license to carry concealed. Full statute breakdown.
O
Ohio Knife Laws (2026): Preemption, Schools, and Ballistic Knives
Ohio excludes an unused knife from its concealed-weapon law, bans ballistic knives outright, and has preempted local knife ordinances statewide since 2022.
Oklahoma Knife Laws (2026): Carry Rules, Intent Felony, Preemption
Oklahoma's carry statute no longer names bowie knives, but a felony intent statute, a college-campus machete ban, and local preemption still reach knives.
Oregon Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Intent Felony, Delgado
Oregon bans concealed carry of a switchblade or dagger; a separate felony covers any knife carried with intent to injure, and a 1984 ruling limits bans.
P
Pennsylvania Knife Laws (2026): Schools, Courts, No General Ban
Pennsylvania's general weapons law no longer names knives, but a separate school statute bans them outright and courts still ban daggers.
R
Rhode Island Knife Laws (2026): 3-Inch Blade and Intent Rules
Rhode Island bans concealed knives over three inches and daggers carried with unlawful intent; its preemption law covers only firearms.
S
South Carolina Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Schools, Penalty
South Carolina has no general knife-carry restriction, but a 2-inch school-property felony and a 5-year violent-crime sentencing add-on both still apply.
South Dakota Knife Laws (2026): No General Carry Restriction
South Dakota has no standalone knife-carry ban; knives are reached only through a general weapon definition used in courthouse, school, and felony statutes.
T
Tennessee Knife Laws (2026): Carry, School Property, Preemption
Tennessee has no general knife-carry ban; a 2014 law removed the switchblade ban, leaving school property and intent-to-commit-a-crime rules as the exceptions.
Texas Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Location-Restricted Knives
Texas has no general knife-length limit; a 2017 law replaced the named-knife-type ban with a 5.5-inch rule for restricted places and minors only.
U
Utah Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Schools, Preemption
Utah has no general knife-carry ban; restrictions are location-specific (schools, airports) or status-specific (minors, intoxication), state preempts local rules.
V
Vermont Knife Laws (2026): 2025 Switchblade Repeal, Carry
Vermont repealed its switchblade ban in 2025; carrying a knife is generally legal unless done while committing a felony, in a school, or in a courthouse.
Virginia Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Stiletto Knife
Virginia bans concealed carry of a stiletto knife and similar items; current law uses stiletto, not switchblade, and preempts local knife rules only at airports.
W
Washington Knife Laws (2026): Spring Blade, Intimidation Rule
Washington bans spring-blade and gravity knives outright, plus a broad intimidation catch-all; no statewide preemption or blade-length limit for knives.
West Virginia Knife Laws (2026): Pocketknife Rule, Carry
West Virginia knife law: the pocketknife exclusion and where it stops, permitless carry at 18, school/courthouse offenses, and preemption reaching knives.
Wisconsin Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Schools, Preemption
Wisconsin excludes a knife from its concealed-weapons statute, but school premises and a felon-specific offense apply. Preemption lets cities ban knives in buildings.
Wyoming Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Schools, Preemption
Wyoming has no knife-specific statute, but its concealed-carry ban turns on a functional 'deadly weapon' test that can reach a knife used or intended as one.