USA By-State Knife Laws

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: No limit, except for "Bowie" style knives in some jurisdictions.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Legal for open and concealed carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal for all knife types. You must inform a peace officer if you are carrying a concealed weapon.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal for those 21+.

Preemption: State law overrides local city ordinances for consistency.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

General Carry: Legal to carry any knife unless intended for use as a weapon against another person.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Must have a blade length under 2 inches to be legal for possession and carry.

Folding Knives (Non-Automatic): No state limit on blade length, provided they are carried in the closed position.

Fixed-Blade Knives: No state limit on blade length, but they must be open-carried in a sheath at the waist.

Local Limits: Cities generally prohibit the carry of any knife with a blade 3 inches or longer in public.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal any knife with a blade over 3.5 inches.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Legal for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Illegal if the blade is 1.5 inches or longer.

General Carry: Illegal to carry any knife with a blade over 4 inches.

Local Limits: Strict enforcement in urban areas.

Automatic Knives: Illegal to possess or carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal any knife except a "common pocketknife" under 3 inches.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Legal for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Manual folders under 4 inches are typically legal to conceal without a permit.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Legal for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Blade Length: Knives over 12 inches require a weapons carry license.

Preemption: Local governments cannot enact stricter laws than the state.

Automatic Knives: Legal to own but illegal to "manufacture, sell, or transport."

Concealed Carry: Generally illegal to conceal any "deadly weapon."

Blade Length: No specific limit for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: No permit required for those 21+.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal only for individuals with a valid FOID card.

Local Limits: Chicago prohibits carry of any knife with a 2.5-inch or longer blade.

Concealed Carry: Subject to local "dangerous weapon" ordinances.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Prohibited: Throwing stars remain illegal.

Blade Length: No state limit for most knives.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal "dangerous weapons" (blades over 5 inches).

Blade Length: No limit for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Preemption: State law prevents stricter local ordinances.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal for adults 21+ without a permit.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal to conceal most knives.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Generally legal unless carried with "intent to use as a weapon."

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal to own and open carry; illegal to carry concealed.

Concealed Carry: Manual folding knives are generally legal.

Local Limits: Baltimore has stricter switchblade ordinances.

Automatic Knives: Legal to own and open carry; illegal to carry concealed.

Concealed Carry: Manual folding knives are generally legal.

Local Limits: Baltimore has stricter switchblade ordinances.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal daggers or stilettos; manual folders are generally legal.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Must be carried openly if double-edged.

Automatic Knives: Generally illegal to possess or carry (limited collector exceptions).

Concealed Carry: Legal to conceal most manual knives without intent to harm.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Permissive for most adults.

Preemption: Strong state preemption laws.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: No permit required for adults.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal a blade 4 inches or longer without a permit.

Blade Length: No limit for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal "deadly weapons" (typically blades over 3.5 inches).

Blade Length: No limit for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Daggers and dirks require a permit for concealment.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

General Carry: Virtually no restrictions on knife type or length.

Preemption: Full state preemption.

Automatic Knives: Illegal without a "lawful purpose" (not self-defense).

General Carry: Highly restrictive; requires a non-weapon utility purpose.

Blade Length: No set limit, but size determines intent.

Automatic Knives: Illegal to possess or carry.

Butterfly Knives: Often treated similarly to automatics and restricted.

Concealed Carry: Generally illegal to conceal any "deadly weapon."

Automatic Knives: Generally illegal except for limited hunting/fishing with a license.

NYC Limits: Extreme restrictions; no pocket clips showing, and must be under 4 inches.

Gravity Knives: Legal statewide, though NYC enforces strict "public view" rules.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and open carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal daggers or Bowie knives; manual folders are legal.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Blades over 5 inches require a permit.

Blade Length: No limit for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal if not used as a weapon.

Preemption: Full state preemption.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

General Carry: Virtually all knife types are legal to carry open or concealed.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Open Carry: There is no state blade length limit for knives carried openly.

Concealed Carry: Automatic knives of any length are illegal to carry concealed. Manual folding knives are typically legal to conceal if the blade is under 4.75 inches.

Public Buildings: Knives in public buildings must be "ordinary pocketknives" with a blade less than 4 inches.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Generally legal for common knife types.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal any knife with a blade over 3 inches.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Legal for open carry.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal to conceal any knife unless used for a criminal purpose.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

General Carry: No restrictions on blade type or concealment for adults.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

General Carry: No state limits on length or type.

Preemption: Local governments cannot override state laws.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Location Restricted: Knives over 5.5 inches are illegal in schools, bars, and polling places.

Blade Length: No limit for general carry under 5.5 inches.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Legal for all non-restricted persons.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal to possess; illegal to carry if the blade is 3 inches or longer.

General Carry: Permissive for manual folders and fixed blades.

Blade Length: No limit for manual knives.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Illegal to conceal daggers or dirks; pocketknives are exempt.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Illegal regardless of length (except for law enforcement/military).

Concealed Carry: It is generally illegal to conceal any "dangerous weapon," which, for pocket knives, is defined as a knife with a blade over 3.5 inches.

Local Limits: Cities often have stricter definitions of "dangerous weapon" for concealment.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: Anyone 21+ can carry any knife concealed.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Preemption: Local ordinances cannot be stricter than state law.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Legal for possession and carry.

Concealed Carry: No permit required for residents to carry concealed.

Blade Length: No state limit.

Automatic Knives: Illegal. Possession of a switchblade knife is a "per se" violation, meaning it is illegal to own or carry regardless of intent.

Prohibited Knives: It is illegal to possess "per se" (inherently illegal) items like switchblades, clubs, or metal knuckles.

Blade Length: There is no specific length limit for simple possession of a manual folding knife, but any knife with a blade longer than 3 inches is subject to stricter scrutiny.

Intent to Use Unlawfully: Under DC Code § 22-4514, it is illegal to possess a dagger, dirk, stiletto, razor, or any knife with a blade longer than 3 inches if there is "intent to use unlawfully against another."

Concealed Carry: While there is no specific law banning the concealed carry of a "common pocket knife," carrying a "dangerous weapon" (which can include larger knives) in a concealed manner is generally prohibited.Concealed Carry: No permit required for residents to carry concealed.

Blade Length: No state limit.