When Is It Legal to Carry a Pocket Knife

What does this mean for a website that wants to provide the most comprehensive laws for knives? Well, just because the state says it`s okay doesn`t mean you have a free pass to carry a blade anywhere in the state. Although the person can no longer face criminal offenses (unless they are already a convicted felon, possess the knife for illegal purposes, suffer from certain mental illnesses where you may become a danger to yourself or others), and can freely transport and use on state land for legal purposes, She can still be charged with a civil violation and corresponding fines or jail time in most cases. local jurisdictions. Two Connecticut laws restrict the possession and wearing of blades outside one`s home, including in a vehicle. The law specifically declares it illegal to carry an automatic knife with a blade larger than 1 1/2 inches or another knife with a blade larger than 4 inches. Many, if not most, state laws deal with the carrying of knives in one form or another. For example, while in Oklahoma it may be legal to possess many types of knives, it is not legal to carry some of them. From what I have read in the statutes, there is no exception for the transport of knives. For example, while I can`t carry an open dagger, the statutes would also prohibit me from carrying a dagger in a locked briefcase, as I might do on my way to a show, or in a packaged package, as I could if I brought it to UPS to send to someone else. Can you tell me which state laws specifically equate “carry” with “carry,” and which state laws specifically distinguish the act of transport from the act of transport? Thank you very much. In California, switch blades with blades two inches or larger are illegal. Fixed-blade knives with blades two and a half inches or larger are illegal on college, university or school campuses.

And any knife with a blade larger than four inches is illegal in a public building. The 12022 PC Penal Code states that in addition to the sentence you are sentenced to for illegal possession of a knife, you can receive a 1-year sentence increase in the state prison. This increase in punishment cannot be added to the penalties for throwing a weapon or attacking with a lethal weapon. Information about illegal weapons in Texas, including knives, is defined in section 46.01 of the Criminal Code. It was amended a few years ago to no longer include automatic knives, also known as “switch knives,” as well as Balisongs (aka “butterfly knives”) under the definition of an illegal knife. Despite the change in the legality of the opening operation, knives that fall within the definition of dirks, daggers and stiletto heels are still illegal. Unfortunately, the penal code does not define what makes a knife one of the offensive daggers, stiletto heels or dirks. That is, it is at the discretion of the officer at the time of arrest. Nor can the definitions that are established for these terms be relied upon elsewhere, which can create a rather vague area. Regardless of the fixed blade or bending, the length limit always remains at 5.5″. Again, the discretion of the officer in the measure may come into play. Regardless of the actual length of the cutting edge, the overall length of the blade is important.

Thus, the knife you describe is defined as an illegal knife, in two different respects. one as a type of blade and the other because of the length of the blade. California law states that a knife can certainly fall into the category of a “deadly weapon.” An EDA includes when a person commits an attack using a knife. If brass nuckles are illegal in Kansas, can they still sell them in Kansas, and are they legal to buy? A restriction on automatic knives, defined as “switch blade” knives, was lifted in 2012. Missouri state law still provides that possessing, manufacturing, transporting, repairing, or selling a “switch blade in violation of federal law” is a violation of state law. The controversial Federal Switchblade Act of 1958 remains in effect in all states and some other jurisdictions, but is not violated by anyone in Missouri who possesses, transports, manufactures, transports, repairs, sharpens, or handles an automatic knife. In addition, he is not injured by a Missouri dealer who sells over-the-counter automatic knives to his customers. Trade beyond that can violate federal law. It is illegal for convicted criminals and judicial refugees to possess knives. Residents also cannot transport them on school grounds.

All states have knife laws (click on the map above to find the knife law for a specific state), but some state-specific knife laws are more up-to-date than others and local municipalities often enact their own knife laws. For example, if you live in Denver, Colorado, you must abide by Colorado`s knife laws as well as Denver`s laws. However, if you`re traveling to Boulder, Colorado (30 minutes), you`ll need to abide by Boulder`s knife laws instead of Denver in addition to Colorado. And during your trip on, you will have to respect the knife laws of all communities between Boulder and Denver. HB2033 repeals all existing local knife laws in Kansas and enacts statewide anticipation for any attempt to enact new local knife laws that are more restrictive than state law. HB2033 also lifts the ban on possession of switch blades, dirks, daggers and stilettos. It is a great resource. I found an area where I was potentially illegal and didn`t even know it. Thank you very much! The state of Virginia does not prohibit the open carrying of knives.

However, it is illegal to hide Bowie knives, dirks, machetes, ballistic knives, blade knives, oriental arrows, throwing stars or other similar weapons. All weapons, with the exception of a pocket knife less than three inches, are illegal in schools. As of July 15, 2013, it is legal to possess and wear switch blades in Kansas. You may want to scour this state and others for new laws that have just been inserted. In 2014, many newspapers and media outlets drew attention to legislation from the 1950s, which led to numerous arrests and convictions for possession of the vaguely defined gravimeter. [123] This law was subsequently declared unconstitutionally vague[124] and subsequently repealed. [125] Massachusetts` knife laws are spelled out in cryptic messages. It is harder to decipher than Egyptian hieroglyphics and leaves more questions than answers. The least we can say is that these laws, written in consecutive sentences, are confusing.

That is, the law is not clear about which knives are legal to carry and which ones you face the plaintiff. In this article, we establish the laws in plain English so you know what you can take with you within the legal limits. Pocket knives are small foldable knives that fit in a pocket. They are mainly used as tools and are generally legal to possess and carry. However, knife laws vary widely from state to state, as do definitions of what is considered a “pocket knife.” You need to update your Texas article. Laws have recently been changed and made much more knife-friendly for most parts of the state. While the exact legal definition may vary from state to state, a weapon is generally defined in a state`s penal code as anything that is used, designed to be used, or intended to cause death or injury to a person, or to threaten or intimidate any person. In other words, anything a person possesses can essentially be considered a weapon if the intent is to cause death or injury to another person. This means that everything from shoes to guns can be considered a weapon in the eyes of the law.