Gun and knife laws, like all laws, vary from state to state. What is legal in one state may not be legal in the state immediately next to it. For this reason, knowing what the laws are from state to state can help you to keep out of trouble with the local smokies when embarking on road trips.

1. Alabama Knife Laws

Legal:

Balisongs/butterfly knives
Switchblades, gravity knives, automatic and assisted opening knives.
Stilettos, dirks, and toothpick knives.
All folding knives.
Bowies are legal if carried open (like on your hip).
Bowies are legal to carry concealed if you are on your own property.
Double sided knives are legal, no matter the size.
If the knife fits in your pocket, it is legal.
Out the front knives are legal.

Illegal:

Bowies and things that are like Bowies are illegal if concealed.
Bowies are illegal to have in your vehicle.
A machete might be classified as a Bowie and it would be illegal if you carry it concealed.
A 11″ butcher knife has be found to be like a Bowie in court.
Selling Bowies to people under 18 is illegal.

2. Alaska Knife Laws

Any knife can be carried or concealed provided you are not on school property or in someone else’s home without their consent to the knife.
Knives with finger rings are illegal.
Minors under the age of 16 can only possess a switchblade or gravity with parental consent.

3. Arizona Knife Laws

All knives of any length are legal.

Illegal:

It is illegal to not inform a police officer when they stop you that you are carrying a concealed knife when the knife is not a pocket knife.
Under 21 carrying concealed pocket knife.
Bringing a knife into schools.

4. Arkansas Knife Laws

All knives are legal.

5. California Knife Laws

California’s law prohibits carrying concealed “dirks” and “daggers.”
You may carry a dirk or dagger openly in a sheath suspended from your waist.

Folding knives (other than switchblades) may be carried concealed on your person if closed.

They may also be carried openly…unless…the blade is exposed and locked into position.

Gravity knives, switchblades, ballistic knives, and “novelty” knives, such as belt buckle knives and cane swords are always illegal to carry.

6. Colorado Knife Laws

Legal:

Dirks, daggers, push knives and stilettos.
Bowie knives and other large blades.
Disguised knives like belt knives, pen knives, cane knives, and lipstick knives.
Balisong/butterfly knives are in a gray area.
All knives less than 3.5 inches are legal for concealed carry.
All hunting and fishing knives of any length.

Illegal:
Ballistic knives.
Gravity knives and switchblades.
All fishing and hunting knives of any length are legal.
7. Connecticut Knife Laws

All Knives Are Legal to Own.

Some Knives Can Not be Carried (Open or Concealed):
Automatic knives over 1.5 inches
Switchblades over 1.5 inches
Stilettos
Blades longer than 4 inches

8. Delaware Knife Laws

Illegal:
Knives that will not set off metal detectors and have a point tip.
Knives with brass knuckles.
Switchblades and gravity knives.
Throwing stars.
If a knife does not fall into any of the illegal categories above, it is legal to own.

Other than a 3 inch or less pocket knife, carrying any other type of knife concealed is illegal.
If the knife is not banned, you can carry it in the open.

9.Florida Knife Laws

The law does not limit individuals from owning, selling, or buying any knife except for ballistic knives.

In most cases, conceal carry of a common pocket knife with a blade of less than 4 inches is legal.
Anything outside of this has not been expressly banned or allowed.

10.Georgia Knife Laws

In Georgia, there are no limits on the possession of knives. You can own any knife you want.

It is illegal to carry, open or concealed, a knife that is larger than 5 inches without a permit.
For knives greater than 5 inches, you need a weapons permit.

11.Hawaii Knife Laws

Only balisongs and switchblades are banned in Hawaii. Any other type of knife is legal.

Limits on Carry

You can open carry any knife.
You cannot conceal carry dirks, daggers and knives similar to that.
You cannot conceal carry knives with knuckles like some WWI trench knives.
You can conceal any other type of knife.

12.Idaho Knife Laws

No Knife Ban/ All Knives Legal

Need parental consent to possess a bowie or dirk if under 18.
Can not possess a bowie or dirk if under 12 unless your parents are with you.

It is legal to open carry any knife.
It is illegal to bring any knife (open or concealed) besides a 2.5″ pocket knife to school.
It is illegal to conceal carry any dirk, bowie, or dangerous weapon.
It is illegal to conceal carry a knife, even if you have a permit, when intoxicated

13. Illinois Knife Laws

The state of Illinois only banned the possession of throwing stars, switchblades, ballistic knives, and knives that open with a press of the button.
You can carry any knife as long as it is not one of the banned knives listed above and that you do not have the intent to harm someone or break the law.

14. Indiana Knife Laws

Legal:
Balisong knives.
Bowie knives.
Dirks, daggers, and stilettos.
Assisted knives.
Disguised knives like cane knives, lipstick knives, and belt knives.
Switchblades and other automatic knives.

Illegal:
Ballistic knives.
Throwing stars.
Restriction on Carry

There are no limits to concealed or open carry as long as you do not bring a knife to school.

15. Iowa Knife Laws

Only ballistic knives are outlawed in Iowa law.

Limits on Carry

It is legal to open carry any knife.
It is illegal to conceal carry a switchblade.
It is illegal to conceal carry a dagger or stiletto.
It is illegal to conceal carry a knife whos blade is greater than 5 inches.
It is illegal to conceal carry a balisong knife.
It is illegal to conceal carry disguised knives like cane swords and lipstick knives.

16. Kansas Knife Laws

All knives are legal except ballistic knives and throwing knives.

17. Kentucky Knife Laws

There are no banned knife types in Kentucky.

It is legal to open carry any knife.
It is legal to conceal carry any ordinary pocket knife or hunting knife.
Anything besides a pocket or hunting knife can be considered a deadly weapon and would be banned from concealed carry.

18. Louisiana Knife Laws

The only banned knife in Louisiana are switchblades. However, if you are a law enforcement officer, you might be able to get an automatic opening knife because there is an exemption for “rescue knives” in the law.

Any legal knife is allowed for open or concealed carry.

19. Maine Knife Laws

The only banned types of knives are automatic opening knives. Balisong knives were found to fall under this category.

It is legal to carry any knife in the open.
It is illegal to carry daggers, stilettos, and knives designed for harming others.
Any knife outside of those 3 are legal to conceal carry.
The law bans the carry of “other dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person.” This means that, as long as the knife was not designed to attack other people, it is fine to carry concealed.

20. Maryland Knife Laws

There are no limitations on the type of knife you can own in Maryland.

You cannot conceal carry a throwing star, dirk, switchblade, gravity knife, or bowie knife.
You cannot open carry a throwing star, dirk, switchblade, gravity knife, or bowie knife with the intent to harm someone.
You can open or conceal carry any sized pocket knife you wish.

21.Massachusetts Knife Laws

There is no knife ban in Massachusetts.

It is illegal to carry, open or concealed, switchblades, dirks, daggers, stilettos, ballistic knife, double edge knives, and knuckle knives.
It is illegal to carry anything that is perceived as dangerous while disturbing the peace or being arrested.
Folding knives, Swiss army knives, and kitchen knives are legal to carry as long as you do not behave in a way that makes them dangerous.

22. Michigan Knife Laws

What is Legal to Own

All knives except for switchblades, automatic knives, and gravity knives are legal.

All knives, except for banned ones, are legal for open carry.
It is legal to carry a hunting knife concealed.
It is illegal to conceal carry dirks, stilettos, daggers, and other stabbing items.
On top of this, you cannot carry a dangerous weapon with intent to harm.
The law only limits the carry of dirks, stilettos, daggers, and other sharp, double bladed stabbing tools. If a knife cannot be used to stab (has no point), it can be carried concealed as long as you do not have intent to harm someone.

23.Minnesota Knife Laws

Only switchblades are illegal.

Knives with utility purposes are legal to carry.
Knives that can be used as weapons are legal to carry as long as you do not have intent to harm others.
It is illegal to recklessly use a knife that was designed to be a weapon.
It is illegal to carry a knife that was designed to be a weapon (and not a tool) with the intent to harm others.

24. Mississippi Knife Laws

Mississippi does not restrict ownership of any type of knife for those over the age of eighteen, who have not been convicted of a felony.

It is illegal for a minor or a convicted felon to own a bowie knife, dirk knife, butcher knife or switchblade.

It is illegal to carry concealed any bowie knife, dirk knife, butcher knife, switchblade or automatic knife.
You may carry any knife concealed if it is concealed in your vehicle, and not on your person.
You may carry any knife concealed if you are participating in a sports activity where such a knife is legitimately used.
You can open carry any knife in Mississippi, unless you are a minor or a student on educational property.

25. Missouri Knife Laws

All knives are legal unless they fall under the following guideline:

It is a Class C Felony to own a switchblade knife in Missouri, unless the person possessing the switchblade is in compliance with applicable federal law. The federal law, which governs possession of switchblades, is 15 USC Chapter 29. The law allows a person to possess and/or carry a switchblade on or about his person if the blade is less than three inches long and the person has only one arm, or the knife contains a spring or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade.

26. Montana Knife Laws

Only switchblade knives have restrictions on ownership:
A switchblade knife is illegal to own in Montana unless you are a collector who is registered with the Sheriff in the county where your collection is kept.

It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk
It is illegal to conceal carry a dagger
It is illegal to conceal carry any knife with a blade four inches long, or longer
It is illegal to possess or carry any knife with a four inch blade or longer in a school building
It is illegal to conceal carry any weapon while intoxicated
It is illegal to conceal carry a weapon into a government office, bank or financial institution, or a place that sells alcohol for onsite consumption
It is illegal to conceal carry any “deadly weapon”
It is legal to open carry any knife that is legal to own in Montana
It is legal to carry any knife that is legal to own in your vehicle, concealed or openly

27. Nebraska Knife Laws

All knives are legal to own unless you fall under the following categories:

It is illegal for a person who has been convicted of a felony to own a knife
It is illegal for a person who is a fugitive to own a knife
It is illegal for a person subject to a domestic violence protective order to own a knife while knowingly violating such order

28. Nevada Knife Laws

All knives are legal to own except belt buckle knives and switchblades.

It is illegal to possess or carry a dirk, dagger, or switchblade on school or childcare facility property or in a vehicle owned by a school or childcare facility
It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk, dagger, machete or any knife which is made an integral part of a belt buckle.
It is illegal to conceal carry any knife which could be considered a dangerous or deadly weapon
It is legal to conceal carry a pocketknife
It is legal to open carry any knife that is legal to own

29. New Hampshire Knife Laws

In New Hampshire, it is legal to own any type of knife, as long as you have not been convicted of a felony against the person or property of another or of a felony drug related offense.

It is illegal for a person who has been convicted of a felony against the person or property of another or of a felony drug related offense to possess a:
Stiletto
Dirk or dagger
Switchblade knife
knife considered to be a deadly weapon

30. New Jersey Knife Laws

Legal:
Balisong, or butterfly knife
Disguised knives like lipstick knives
Bowie knife
Throwing stars and throwing knives
Any weapon for which a person has an explainable lawful purpose for owning

Illegal:
It is illegal to own any weapon, with the purpose to use it unlawfully against the person or property of another
It is illegal for a person convicted of certain crimes (see below) to own a gravity knife, switchblade, dirk, dagger, stiletto, or other dangerous knife
It is illegal for certain mentally ill people to own a gravity knife, switchblade, dirk, dagger, stiletto, or other dangerous knife
It is illegal to own a gravity knife, switchblade, dirk, dagger, stiletto, or other dangerous knife.

A conviction for aggravated assault, arson, burglary, escape, extortion, homicide, kidnapping, robbery, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, bias intimidation, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of weapon for an unlawful purpose, manufacture or transport of a prohibited weapon, unlawful possession or sale of a controlled dangerous substance, or endangering the welfare of a child prevents a person from owning certain types of knives in New Jersey.

31. New Mexico Knife Laws

All knives are legal with exception to switchblades and Balisongs.

32. New York Knife Laws

Legal:
Hunting knife
Dirk or dagger
Stiletto

Illegal:
Pilum ballistic knife
Metal knuckle knife
Cane sword
Throwing stars
It is illegal to own any knife if you are not a U.S. citizen
It is illegal to own any knife adapted for use primarily as a weapon
It may be illegal to own a gravity knife or switchblade knife without a valid hunting and/or fishing license

33. North Carolina Knife Laws

All knives legal except:

It is illegal to own any spring-assisted projectile knife
It is illegal to own a ballistic knife
It is illegal to own any weapon of similar character to a projectile or ballistic knife

34. North Dakota Knife Laws

It is legal to own any type of knife in North Dakota. North Dakota has no laws making it a crime to own any kind of knife.
It is legal to open carry any knife.

It is illegal to conceal carry a gravity knife or switchblade
It is illegal to conceal carry a machete
It is illegal to conceal carry a scimitar, backsword, or sabre
It is illegal to conceal carry a stiletto
It is illegal to conceal carry a sword
It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk or dagger
It is illegal to conceal carry any knife with a blade 5 inches or longer

35. Ohio Knife Laws

It is legal to own any type of knife in Ohio.

36. Oklahoma Knife Laws

It is legal to own any type of knife in Oklahoma.

It is illegal to conceal or open carry a dagger
It is illegal to conceal or open carry bowie knife
It is illegal to conceal or open carry a dirk knife
It is illegal to conceal or open carry a switchblade knife
It is illegal to conceal or open carry a spring-assisted knife
It is illegal to conceal or open carry a sword cane
It is illegal to conceal or open carry a knife with a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure applied to a button, spring, or other device in the handle of the knife
It is illegal to conceal or open carry any “offensive weapon”
As the no carry law states that it is illegal to carry a weapon, “upon or about” the person, Oklahoma’s no carry law extends to items carried in a vehicle, not just on a person.

37. Oregon Knife Laws

Oregon law does not restrict the ownership of any type of knife for those who have not been convicted of a felony. As a matter of fact, in 1984 in State v. Delgado, the Supreme Court of Oregon found that former Oregon statute § 166.510(1) was unconstitutional because it prohibited the mere possession and mere carrying of a weapon. The Court believed that restricting the possession and open carrying of weapons for non-felons was a violation of a person’s right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution.

38. Pennsylvania Knife Laws

Legal:
Bowie knife
Balisong
Penknife
Concealed knife, such as in a lipstick or belt buckle
Any kind of hunting knife

Illegal:
Dagger
Automatic knife
Cane Sword
It is illegal to own any implement for the infliction of bodily injury, which serves no “common lawful purpose”
39. Rhode Island Knife Laws

It is not illegal to own any type of knife in Rhode Island, so long as you do not intend to use it unlawfully against another.

It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk, dagger, or other stabbing knife
It is illegal to conceal carry a stiletto
It is illegal to conceal carry a sword cane
It is illegal to conceal carry a bowie knife
It is illegal to conceal carry any knife with a blade more than 3 inches in length
It is legal to open carry any type of knife in Rhode Island

40. South Carolina Knife Laws

It is legal to own and carry any type of knife in South Carolina.

41. South Dakota Knife Laws

It is not illegal to own any type of knife in South Dakota
In 2006, the legislature repealed the only law prohibiting ownership of any type of knife. The former statute, 22-14-19, made it illegal for a person to own, possess or sell a ballistic knife.

Any knife may be carried openly or concealed.

42. Tennessee Knife Laws

It is not illegal to own or carry any type of knife in Tennessee.

43. Texas Knife Laws

It is illegal to own a gravity knife.
The Texas state legislature does not limit other knives.

44. Utah Knife Laws

All knives are legal to own provided you are an American citizen and are not a felon.

45. Vermont Knife Laws

It is legal to own all knives with exception to a switchblade with a blade that is 3 inches or longer

It is illegal to carry openly or concealed a dangerous or deadly weapon with the intent of using it to harm another.
It is illegal to carry openly or concealed a dangerous or deadly weapon onto school or government property.

46. Virginia Knife Laws

It is legal to own any type of knife in Virginia.

It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk, bowie knife, switchblade knife, machete, ballistic knife, throwing stars or oriental darts.
It is illegal to conceal carry any knife of a like kind to one of the above listed knives

47. Washington Knife Laws

What is Legal to Own

It is legal to own any knife except a switchblade or other spring blade knife.

Restrictions on Carry

It is illegal to conceal carry a dirk
It is illegal to conceal carry a dagger
It is illegal to conceal carry any dangerous weapon
It is illegal to open or conceal carry any weapon into a Courtroom
It is also illegal to carry or display a dagger, sword, knife, or other cutting or stabbing instrument in a manner or under circumstances that would cause alarm or show an intent to intimidate another.

48. West Virginia Knife Laws

West Virginia law does not prohibit the ownership of any type of knife.

Restrictions on Carry

It is illegal to conceal carry any instrument capable of inflicting cutting, stabbing, or tearing wounds
It is illegal to conceal carry any “deadly weapon.”

49. Wisconsin Knife Laws

All knives in Wisconsin are legal to own and carry, with exception to gravity knives, Balisongs, or any knife substantially similar.

50. Wyoming Knife Laws

Wyoming law does not prohibit the ownership of any type of knife.

It is illegal to conceal carry a deadly weapon in Wyoming.

It's clear that knife laws from state to state are as varied as the people themselves. These laws are also changing very quickly, so keeping on top of them from time to time is an important task for those of use who choose to collect and carry knives.

There is a growing movement to have the knife laws weakened from the archaic laws that, truthfully, are solely connected to Hollywood fear-mongering.

A switchblade is no more dangerous than a pocket knife, yet it is switchblades that are often attacked by knife laws. Why? Because bad guys in movies often use switchblades, which makes switchblades dangerous, right?

This view is changing fairly quickly throughout the country, and states are changing their laws accordingly. While this list is an excellent place to start, it never hurts to do more research on your own.

To see more about this list, and to learn more about this topic, check out the original article on Survival Life.