Automatic Knife Laws by State
| State | Possession | Carry |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Legal – State Code: Title 13A Criminal Code | Legal Allowed if not concealed – State Code: Section 13A-11-50 |
| Alaska | Illegal – State Code: Article 2, Section 11.61.200 | Illegal- State Code: Article 2, Section 11.61.200 |
| Arizona | Legal – State Code: Arizona Criminal Code 13-3102 | Legal – State Code: 13-3102 A-1 |
| Arkansas | Legal - Act 83 of 2007 (H 1235) Feb, 2010 | Legal – Act 83 of 2007 (H 1235) Feb, 2010 |
| California | Legal – State Code: California Penal Code 653k | Legal Allowed if blade is under 2 inches. State Code: 653k |
| Colorado | Legal – Exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques. – State Code: Criminal Code Section 18-12-101 | Illegal Exception for Firefighters, EMT, & First Responders – State Code: Criminal Code Section 18-12-101 |
| Connecticut | Legal – State Code: Sec. 53-206′‘ | Illegal if blade is over 1.5 inches – State Code: Sec. 53-206 |
| Delaware | Illegal – State Code: Crimes & Criminal Procedure – Chapter 11 Section 222 | Illegal – State Code: Chapter 11 Section 222 |
| Florida | Legal – State Code: 790.001 | Legal – State Code: 790.001 |
| Georgia | Legal – State Code: 16-11-126 | Legal – State Code: 16-11-126 |
| Hawaii | Illegal – State Code: §134-51 | Illegal – State Code: §134-51 |
| Idaho | Legal – State Code: 18-3302 | Legal Allowed – Illegal if intoxicated or exhibit any deadly or dangerous weapon in a rude, angry or threatening manner – State Code: 18-3302 |
| Illinois | Legal – State Code: Criminal Code 720 ILCS 5/24-1 | Illegal – State Code:720 ILCS 5/24-1 |
| Indiana | Illegal – State Code: IC 35-47-5-2 Sec.2.(2) | Illegal – State Code: IC 35-47-5-2 Sec.2.(2) |
| Iowa | Legal – State Code: Crime Control and Criminal Acts – Definitions. 702.7 | Legal if not concealed – State Code: 724.4 |
| Kansas | Illegal – State Code: Article 42. Crimes Against the Public Safety Weapons Control. Section 21-4201 | Illegal – State Code: Section 21-4201 |
| Kentucky | Legal – State Code: 500.080 Definitions for Kentucky Penal Code | Legal concealed carry allowed with “concealed deadly weapons permit” State Code: 527.020 |
| Louisiana | Illegal – State Code: Louisiana – R.S. 14:95 | Illegal – State Code: Louisiana – R.S. 14:95 |
| Maine | Illegal – State Code: Maine – Chapter. 43 17-A Section 1055 | Illegal – State Code: Maine – Chapter. 43 17-A Section 1055 |
| Maryland | Illegal – State Code:§ 4-105 | Illegal State Code: § 4-101 (a).(5).(ii).2 |
| Massachusetts | Illegal – State Code: GENERAL LAWS PART IV. TITLE I. Chapter 269: Section 10 | Illegal – State Code: GENERAL LAWS PART IV. TITLE I. Chapter 269: Section 10 |
| Michigan | Illegal – State Code: 750.226a. | Illegal – State Code: 750.226a. |
| Minnesota | Illegal, but exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques. – State Code: Section 609.66 Subdivision 1 | Illegal – State Code: Section 609.66 Subdivision 1 |
| Mississippi | Legal – State Code: Crimes Section § 97-37-1 | Allowed if not concealed or intoxicated – State Code: Crimes Section § 97-37-1 |
| Missouri | Illegal, but exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques. – State Code: Chapter 571, Weapons Offenses 571.020.1.(7) | Illegal – State Code: Chapter 571, Weapons Offenses 571.020.1.(7) |
| Montana | Illegal, but exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques. – State Code: 45-8-331 | Illegal – State Code: 45-8-331 |
| Nebraska | Legal – State Code: Crimes and Punishments. 28-1201 | Legal Allowed if not concealed – State Code: Crimes and Punishments. 28-1201 |
| Nevada | Allowed with permit – State Code: NRS 202.355 | Illegal – State Code: NRS 202.355 |
| New Hampshire | Legal – State Code: 159:16 HB 1665 (May 2010) | Legal – State Code: 159:16 HB 1665 (May 2010) |
| New Jersey | Illegal – State Code: Code of Criminal Justice – 2C:39-3 | Illegal – State Code: Code of Criminal Justice- 2C:39-3e] |
| New Mexico | Illegal – State Code: Criminal Offenses – 30-1-12 | Illegal – State Code: Criminal Offenses – 30-1-12 |
| New York | Legal – for the purpose of hunting or fishing if possessed by a person who has a valid hunting or fishing license – State Code: Penal Law Section 265.01 | Legal – for the purpose of hunting or fishing if possessed by a person who has a valid hunting or fishing license – State Code: Penal Law Section 265.01 |
| North Carolina | Legal – State Code: 14-269″ | Legal Allowed if not concealed – State Code: 14-269″ |
| North Dakota | Legal – State Code: Criminal Code – Weapons – 62.1-04-02 | Legal Allowed if not concealed – State Code: Criminal Code – Weapons – 62.1-04-02 |
| Ohio | Legal (purchases only allowed through online retailers)- State Code: § 2923.12 | Illegal – State Code: § 2923.12 |
| Oklahoma | Legal – State Code: §21-1272. | Illegal – State Code: §21-1272. |
| Oregon | Legal – State Code: 166.240 | Legal Allowed if not concealed – State Code: 166.240 |
| Pennsylvania | Illegal, but exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios. – State Code: Pa. C.S.A. 18.908 | Illegal – State Code: Pa. C.S.A. 18.908 |
| Rhode Island | Legal – State Code: 11-47-42 | Legal – State Code: 11-47-42 |
| South Carolina | Legal – State Code: 16-23-460 | Illegal – State Code: 16-23-460 |
| South Dakota | Legal – State Code: 22-14-19 | Legal – State Code: 22-14-19 |
| Tennessee | Illegal, exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques – State Code: 39-17-1302 (c) (1) | Illegal – State Code: 39-17-1302 |
| Texas | Illegal, but exception made for collectors and/or possession as curios or antiques – State Code: Health, Safety & Morals – 46.02 | Illegal – State Code: Health, Safety & Morals – 46.02 |
| Utah | Legal – State Code: Offenses Against Public Health and Safety – 76-10-504 | Legal Allowed if not concealed; concealed carry allowed with permit or license – State Code: Offenses Against Public Health and Safety – 76-10-504 |
| Vermont | Legal – State Code: Ch. 85 Weapons – T.13-4003 | Legal(Illegal if blade is over 3 inches) – State Code: Ch. 85 Weapons – T.13-4003 |
| Virginia | Legal(purchases only allowed through online retailers) – State Code: 18.2-308 | Illegal- State Code: 18.2-308 |
| Washington | Illegal – State Code: RCW 9.41.250 | Illegal – State Code: RCW 9.41.250 |
| West Virginia | Legal – State Code: §61-7-2 | Legal Allowed if not concealed; concealed carry allowed with permit or license – State Code: §61-7-2 |
| Wisconsin | Illegal – State Code: 941.24 | Illegal – State Code: 941.24 |
| Wyoming | Legal -State Code: Statutes 6-8-104 | Legal Allowed if not concealed -State Code: Statutes 6-8-104 |
IMPORTANT NOTES:
1) These are abridged extracts ONLY from those state laws
explicitly mentioning knives.
2) Most states have additional laws regarding the use of
weapons in the commission of crimes. The laws collected here
are only those in which possession or carry of a knife is the
only crime.
3) Research was conducted in September 1996; new laws or
amendments may have been passed since then. I have
included later updates and revisions for many state