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#State Knife Laws - American Knife and Tool Institute

State Knife Laws

The American Knife Tool Institute (AKTI) is pleased to present summaries of the knife law in the 50 states across the country. This valuable resource:

• Was researched and written by a leading knife expert attorney and AKTI consultant
• Gives appropriate law references
• Indicates last date updated
• Is updated from weekly legislative tracking information

This information is intended to be a ready reference for our members about which knives are forbidden or prohibited under state law; which knives cannot be sold or other restrictions on sale or manufacture; and which knives may be carried and whether concealment is an issue.

The public (non-member) has access to Quick Legal Facts that may include brief notes about: Statewide Preemption  (statewide application and uniformity), Concealment/Carry, Minors, Schools, Major Cities with Ordinances and Critical Dimensions.

These summaries are not intended to be an exhaustive study and survey of the criminal law of weapons possession in any given state. Rather, the goal is to provide an easy reference and point of departure for additional analysis, as needed.

The complete State Knife law information is available to current AKTI members only.  If you have a current membership, you can  log in here or get an AKTI membership here   Click on a state below to see specifics for each jurisdiction.  See below the map for additional information about knife laws.

United States Knife Laws by State

View State List

There are many exceptions to prohibitions regarding carrying of weapons. Typically, certain categories of individuals who may be involved in law enforcement, military or government activity are excluded from the prohibitions. Also, in many instances, there are exceptions for certain activities, such as hunting and fishing. The standard of what is or is not considered concealed also varies from state to state. It is beyond the scope of these summaries to address these myriad exceptions and variations.

If you believe that one or more exceptions apply to you, use the information provided to initiate your search for additional information.

In many states, there are prohibitions which apply to persons who have previously been convicted of a crime. There are also statutory limitations ·in many states as to where the weapons, including knives, can or cannot be carried. Schools are a very common example. ln some states, this means any educational institution, from kindergarten or elementary level through the university level. Other examples of prohibited places include polling locations, courthouses, government buildings, locations where beverage alcohol is served for consumption, airports, nuclear power generating stations, etc. Identifying these locations and circumstances is beyond the scope of these summaries.

In most instances, the summaries do not differentiate between levels of criminality. Carrying an illegal knife in some states may be a simple misdemeanor. Carrying the same illegal knife in another state may be a felony. AKTI strongly encourages all concerned to abide by the law regardless of the fact that the consequences may appear to be of little consequence. In many states, even a misdemeanor weapons violation can have serious implications. AKTI welcomes feedback from users of these summaries and suggestions as to how the same may be improved or made more user-friendly.

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