State Knife Laws

This is mostly done. PLEASE send corrections, updates, and case cites to library [@] thehighroad [.] org -- if you do, please don't forget to mention the State.

This is only a summary, and glosses over various particulars that may be important to you. This is not legal advice. Some of this information could be flat-out wrong. If there are case cites for a State, chances are that the other information is accurate.

Local Ordinances (very incomplete)

Barry Levine's site has collected statutes for all the States, but the occasional caselaw quotes lack citations.

This list may be duplicated as long as it is offered for free. Duplication on a membership-only site or forum is prohibited; duplication on a commercial site or forum is allowed if non-paying visitors have equal access to the list and any modifications made to it.

Status: Caselaw for States through CT has been investigated.

Brief summary of [Practical] Knife Carry Laws in the U.S.

--State--	open / cncl / ccw	-folder-	-fixed-	dagger	auto	bali	univ	notes
FED	both	2" s	no	no	no	no	n/a
AL	cncl	yes	<"long"*	<"long"*	yes	yes		13A-11-50; * caselaw calls long single-edged knives bowie knives, which are banned for concealed carry; see Smelley v State 472 So.2d 715 (1985). Butcher knives are bowies via Brewer v State 113 Ala. 106 (1897); see also Haynes v State 6 S.W.2d 319.
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
AK	cncl	yes*	no	no	no	no		11.61.200-240; * statute bans switchblades and gravity knives, and concealed carry of anything but an "ordinary pocketknife". There's a hunting/outdoor exception which probably wouldn't cover urban carry. Balisongs are not gravity knives: State v Strange 785 P.2d 563 (1990).
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
AZ	cncl	yes*?	no	no	no	?*		13-3102; * "pocket knife" only; no useful caselaw. Statute is constitutional: Dano v Collins 802 P.2d 1021 (1990).
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
AR	cncl	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s		5-73-120,121; travelling exception; sec. 120 bans carry of anything with intent to use as a weapon; claiming a knife as a defensive weapon when charged under section 121 may be legal suicide. A three-justice dissent in Garcia v State 969 S.W.2d 591 (1998) makes a good argument against the constitutionality of the 3.5" limit, with a good SCOTUS quote toward the end of the dissent. Sec. 120 was enacted after 121, and they overlap; 121 probably should have been repealed, and 121 is probably unconstitutional. Also, Nesdahl v State 890 S.W.2d 596 (1995) and Smith v State 411 S.W.2d 510 (1967).
	open	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s
	ccw	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s
CA	cncl	yes	no	no	no	no*	see 626.10	12020(a), 653k;See Jim March's Excellent CA knife law summary, and the CA county ordinances at the link above this table. For instance, L.A. bans 3"+ open carried (with vague "lawful recreation" exception); Oakland bans 3"+ knives completely. Much despised case, People ex rel. Mautner v Quattrone 211 Cal.App.3d 1389 (1989), holds that butterfly knives are covered by CA's switchblade prohibition. People v Rosalio S. 41 Cal Rptr.2d 534 deals with a leatherman and the 2.5" school limit, finding the leatherman illegal: blade measurement is from the handle, not just the sharpened edge.
	open	yes	yes	no	no	no*
	ccw	yes	yes	no	no	no*
CO	cncl	3.5" s	3.5" s	3.5" s	no	no		18-12-101..105; open carry of anything may be legal, but expect to be hassled e.g. in Denver. Hunting/fishing exception. Knives <3.5" are illegal to carry concealed with intent to use as a weapon, but otherwise okay: A.P.E. v People 20 P.3d 1179 (2001). The knife is not described, but presumably it is a balisong that was ruled to be a gravity knife at trial, mentioned in People v Pickett, 571 P.2d 1078 (1977). People v Gross 830 P.2d 933 (1992) is sometimes cited in reference to CO knife laws, but it's really a stretch to connect that to typical enforcement of 102.
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	no
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	no
CT	cncl	3.4"* cl / 4" s	?	1.5" s	1.5" s	no		53-206; * vague caselaw. Highly dubious. <3" or a non-tactical folder is safer. 3.5" knife used in self defense may be prosecutable: State v Holloway, 528 A.2d 1176 (1987), despite State v Harris 258 A.2d 319 (1968) which held that without obvious intent, the 4" limit was strict and could not be decrased by asserting that the knife was a dangerous weapon. CT is truly a land of sheep; in State v Sealy 546 A.2d 271 (1988), a knife with a 4.5" blade is described as a butcher knife.
	open	3.4"* cl / 4" s	?	1.5" s	1.5" s	no
	ccw	3.4"* cl / 4" s	?	1.5" s	1.5" s	no
DE	cncl	3" s	no	no	no	no		11.222,11.1442,11.1446;
	open	3" s	no	no	no	no
	ccw	3" s	no	no	no	no
D.C.	cncl	3"* s	3"* s	3"* s	no	3"* s		22-4514,22-3204; 4.5" folder illegal: Scott v. United States, 243 A.2d 54 (1968). * requires intent to use unlawfully.
	open	3"* s	3"* s	3"* s	no	3"* s
	ccw	3"* s	3"* s	3"* s	no	3"* s
FL	cncl	4"* cl	no	no	no	no		790.001,01; * Highly dangerous to rely on this. L.B. v State 700 So.2d 370 (1997) holds that a closed folder of 3.75" is okay, due in part to an identical AG opinion from 1951 (stating knives up to 4" are commmon pocketknives); however, that "common pocketknife" exception is for the definition of "weapon". "Weapon" and "concealed weapon" are defined differently. "Concealed weapon" also in 790.001 has no such "common pocketknife exception; this distinction is presented in Baldwin v State, 857 So. 2d 249 (2003). State v. Ortiz, 504 So. 2d 39: 4" folder may be a concealed weapon because determination of "common pocketknife" is a jury question. Folding knives must be carried closed: Walls v State 730 So. 2d 294 (1999), Porter v State 798 So.2d 855 (2001); a tactical knife may not be a "common pocketknife" J.D.L.R. v State 701 So. 2d 626 (1997); there is plenty of other interesting caselaw e.g. 504 So. 2d 39 (1987); Nystrom 777 So. 2d 1013; State v. A.D.H., 429 So. 2d 1316 (1983); Simmons v. State, 780 So. 2d 263 (2001); Garcia v State, 789 So. 2d 1059 (2001). Icepick, razor: State v. Tremblay, 642 So. 2d 64 (1994); Robinson v. State, 547 So. 2d 321 (1989)
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
GA	cncl	utility	?	no	no	?		16-11-126,127.1; open carry restricted at public gatherings (see 127). Law prohibits carrying any offensive/defensive weapon.
	open	yes	yes	no	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	no	no	yes
HI	cncl				no
	open				no
	ccw				no
ID	cncl			no*				* Within city/town limits
	open			no*
	ccw			no*
IA	cncl	5" s	5" s	no	no	no
	open	5" s	5" s	no	no	no
	ccw	5" s	5" s	no	no	no
IL	cncl	yes*	yes*	yes*	no			* According to statute, a crime involving these only occurs if there is intent to use them unlawfully.
	open	yes*	yes*	yes*	no
	ccw	yes*	yes*	yes*	no
IN	cncl	yes	yes	yes	no	yes		IC 35-47-5-2
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
KS	cncl	4" s	no	no	no	no
	open	4" s	no	no	no	no
	ccw	4" s	no	no	no	no
KY	cncl	SAK?* cl	no	no	no	no		500.080, 527.020; * Stout v Commonwealth 33 S.W.3d 531 (2000) held a 3" locking folder is deadly weapon; also Mason v Commonwealth 396 S.W.2d 797 (1965), Montgomery v Commonwealth 346 S.W.2d 479 (1961), Williams v Commonwealth 304 Ky. 359 / 200 S.W.2d 926
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes	no
LA	cncl	<4"* cl	no	no	no			* State v Ordon 697 So. 2d 1074 (1997) holds 4" knife illegal;
	open	yes?	yes	yes	no
	ccw	yes?	yes	yes	no
ME	cncl	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
MA	cncl	yes	yes	no	1.5"? s	yes		269-10(b)... a typical lawyer-turned-legislator-crafted 232-word sentence fragment.
	open	yes	yes	no	1.5"? s	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	no	1.5"? s	yes
MD	cncl	yes	?*	no	no	no		27.36a; * could be yes, could be open-carry only. Anderson v State 328 Md.426 broadly discusses the statute and cites a good variety of D.C. caselaw on the subject, though the case involves a utility knife in MD.
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
MI	cncl	yes	yes	no	no	yes		750.226a; 750.227
	open	yes	yes	no	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	no	no	yes
MN	cncl	yes?	yes?	?	no	yes?		609.66(1)(4) and (5);
	open	yes?	yes?	?	no	yes?
	ccw	yes?	yes?	?	no	yes?
MO	cncl	4" s	no	no	no	?		571.010(10),571.030;
	open	4" s	no	no	no	?
	ccw	4" s	no	no	no	?
MS	cncl	yes*	yes*	no	no	yes*		97-37-1; * bowie and butcher knives banned.
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
MT	cncl	4" s	4" s	no	no	4" s		45-8-316,331;
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
NC	cncl	3.5"?* cl	no?	no	no	no?		14-269; * 4.5" handle length, carried closed: Dale B. (juv) 96 N.C. App. 375. Very little other caselaw; may not be routinely enforced.
	open	3.5"?* cl	no?	no	no	no?
	ccw	3.5"?* cl	no?	no	no	no?
ND	cncl	5"	5"	no	no	5"?		62.1-01;
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
NE	cncl	yes	yes*	no	no?	yes		28-1202. * Bowies are prohibited. 28-1201 is disturbing; it defines knives as anything more than 3.5", but "knife" is never used in Section 28 in a manner that could draw in that definition.
	open	yes	yes*	no	no?	yes
	ccw	yes	yes*	no	no?	yes
NH	cncl	yes	yes	no	no	yes		159:16;
	open	yes	yes	no	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	no	no	yes
NJ	cncl			no	no			2C:39-3
	open			no	no
	ccw			no	no
NM	cncl			no	no
	open			yes	no
	ccw			yes	no
NV	cncl	yes	yes	yes	2" s
	open	yes	yes	yes	2" s
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	2" s
NY	cncl	yes*	yes*	yes*	no	yes*		Dangerous knives banned only with intent to harm another, presumed if the carrier possesses drugs. Alicia P. 112 Misc.2d 326 (juv), cites interesting knife-related caselaw. NY law requires malintent for most knives. * However, People v Kindred 18 A.D.2d 1086 held that a 15-18 inch knife was a "per se" weapon, possibly under a defunct statute.
	open	yes*	yes*	yes*	no	yes*
	ccw	yes*	yes*	yes*	no	yes*
NYC	cncl	4" s	4" s	4" s	no	4" s		Switchblades banned on account of State law. Limits are for concealed only.
	open	no	no	no	no	no
	ccw	no	no	no	no	no
OH	cncl	?		no	no			2923.12; concealed deadly weapons prohibited.
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
OK	cncl	yes	yes*	no*	no*	no*
	open	yes	yes*	no*	no*	no*
	ccw	yes	yes*	no*	no*	no*
OR	cncl	yes	yes	no	no
	open	yes	yes	no	no
	ccw	yes	yes	no	no
PA	cncl
	open
	ccw
RI	cncl	3" s	3" s	3" s	3" s	3" s		11-47-42;
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
SC	cncl	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
SD	cncl	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes*		* 22-14-29: carry by minors is restricted;
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes*
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes*
TN	cncl	4" s	4" s	4" s	no
	open	4" s	4" s	4" s	no
	ccw	4" s	4" s	4" s	no
TX	cncl	5.5" s	5.5" s	no	no	no	no	46.02; Note: caselaw holds that length can be measured from tip to handle; Camillus Maxx 5.5 legality is dubious. McMurrough v State 995 S.W.2d 944; Rainer v State 763 S.W.2d 615. Also, folding knives can be daggers if dual-edged. Goldberg v State 95 S.W.3d 345.
	open	5.5" s	5.5" s	no	no	no	no
	ccw	5.5" s	5.5" s	no	no	no	no
UT	cncl	3.5"?* cl	open	open	open			* This is a guess based on Kirkwood (cite below; 4" bad, 3" good). "Dangerous weapon" cases tend to involve restricted persons, so the law may not be generally enforced. See State v Kirkwood, 47 P.3d 111 (2002). A very unhappy Appeals Court also decided that a 4.5" folding knife is a DW, 898 P.2d 271 (1995) due to stare decis of State v Archambeau 820 P.2d 920 (1991).
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes
VA	cncl	yes	yes	no	no	yes		18.2-308;
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	yes
VT	cncl	yes	yes	yes	3"	yes		13-4003,4013,4016;
	open	yes	yes	yes	3"	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	3"	yes
WA	cncl	yes	yes	no	no	no		9.41.250;
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	no
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	no
WV	cncl	3.5" s	3.5"* s	3.5"* s	no	no		61-7-2,3; Statute declares fixed blades over 3.5" illegal when concealed; folders <3.5" are legal, in-between is a gray zone.
	open	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	yes	yes
WI	cncl	?	?	no	no	no		941.23,24: concealed carry of "dangerous weapons", switchblade/gravity;
	open	yes	yes	yes	no	no
	ccw	yes	yes	yes	no	no
WY	cncl	?	?	no	no	?		6-1-104,6-8-104; "deadly weapon" determined by item's inherent intended use or by carrier's intended use.
	open	?	?	yes	yes	?
	ccw	?	?	yes	yes	?

Where blade length is specified, "s" means the length limit is written into the statute, while "cl" means the length limit is based on caselaw.

The "college" column indicates a statutory limit for colleges more restrictive than usual. Many colleges have their own policies, and breaking them might result in unpleasant hassling by police, but such policies are not law. If you are a student, however, you might be disciplined as a result of a weapon policy violation.

Stilettos/poinards are not dealt with here. (They are generally sharp pointy things with no functional edge; one in this author's possession has a 5" equilateral-triangular "blade".) I don't think they ought to classify as edged weapons (not that they should be banned). They're frowned on by police most places, because they have little utility when not used as a weapon. They're arguably inferior to double-edged weapons. And they're sure to incite panic in sheeple.

Also not dealt with are CCW exemptions to non-firearm carry laws. If you have a CCW/CHL, you probably already know if your State grants you permission to carry otherwise prohibited knives. Furthermore, such carry is probably predicated on your having the CCW/CHL with you, and this list is intended to be independent of being able to display your "papers".