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Knife Laws by State (2026): Carry Rules, Blade Limits, Penalties

Independently fact-checkedBy Recording Law Editorial TeamPublished September 18, 2026Reviewed September 24, 202637 min read

Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited September 18, 2026). · 41 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content

Knife Laws by State (2026): Carry Rules, Blade Limits, Penalties

Key Takeaways

1The Federal Switchblade Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1241-1245) does not make it a crime for an individual to own or carry a switchblade knife. It bans introducing, manufacturing for introduction, transporting, or distributing switchblades in interstate commerce, and manufacturing, selling, or possessing them within federal territorial, maritime, or special jurisdiction (15 U.S.C. §§ 1242-1243). A 2009 amendment, 15 U.S.C. § 1244(5), exempts a knife with a spring, detent, or other closure-bias mechanism that requires hand, wrist, or arm effort to open, the carve-out that legalized modern assisted-opening folding knives nationwide. The one knife federal law bans outright by name, in or affecting interstate commerce and within federal territorial jurisdiction, is the ballistic knife, a knife with a detachable blade propelled by a spring-operated mechanism (15 U.S.C. § 1245), punishable by a fine and up to 10 years, or 5 to 10 years if used during a federal crime of violence.
225 states have no statewide restriction on carrying an ordinary knife, open or concealed, for an adult: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Several of these reach the same result through different mechanics: an intent element that makes bare carrying lawful (Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Vermont), a functional exclusion, a permitless-carry framework, or the absence of a blanket ban for a qualifying adult (Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia), or a repeal that removed a prior restriction (Georgia 2022, Tennessee 2014, Oklahoma 2016). South Carolina's 2024 repeal is not in that last group: it removed a largely symbolic restriction rather than creating this status, since an ordinary concealed knife was already lawful before the repeal. Wyoming is not on this list: its concealed-carry statute bans a functionally defined "deadly weapon," a test that can reach a knife, and the state's only appellate decision construing it is itself a concealed-knife prosecution.
319 states ban carrying a named list of knife types, typically a dirk, dagger, stiletto, bowie knife, or switchblade, concealed (and sometimes openly), most with no intent requirement at all: California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. Carrying one of the named items is the offense in most of these states with no separate showing of unlawful purpose required; Washington is the exception, reaching only a person who furtively conceals a named item with intent to conceal it, a narrower intent element than showing an intent to use it unlawfully, but still an intent element. West Virginia's own statute names a similar list but works differently: those named types are folded into a broader permitless-carry framework, so a qualifying adult (18 or older, not otherwise barred from possessing a firearm) may generally carry one. For an adult who does not qualify, West Virginia's law leaves a gap rather than a ban: it has no offense of carrying a concealed deadly weapon other than a firearm without a license, and no license covering a knife, so that adult's concealed knife carry is neither squarely banned nor licensed.
4A blade-length figure is only meaningful attached to the specific state and the specific statute it comes from. At least 22 states write a numeric inch threshold into an operative knife statute, and the numbers vary by more than a factor of eight: 1.5 inches for an automatic knife in Connecticut and Massachusetts, 2 inches for switchblade carry in California and for a school-property blade limit in South Carolina, 3 to 4 inches in a cluster of concealed-carry, pocketknife-exclusion, and sentencing-enhancement statutes (Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Rhode Island, Washington), 3.5 inches in Colorado, Nebraska, and West Virginia, 5 inches in Iowa, 5.5 inches in Texas, 6 inches in Idaho and North Dakota, and 12 inches for Georgia's weapon-definition threshold and Virginia's anti-intimidation brandishing statute. Virginia added a further 3.5-inch figure in 2026 for a location-restricted knife in mental-health hospitals. A single national blade-length rule does not exist.
5A ballistic knife, one with a detachable blade fired by a spring, elastic material, or compressed gas, is banned by federal law within its jurisdiction and independently banned to own in at least California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio (Ohio bans it by classifying it as "dangerous ordnance" rather than naming it a knife type; North Carolina bans it, reaching even law enforcement, under a standalone statute separate from its general concealed-carry rule). A switchblade is banned to own or sell in a shrinking list of states, including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington, after New York repealed its parallel gravity-knife ban in 2019, Louisiana repealed its switchblade ban in 2018, and Vermont repealed its switchblade blade-length statute in 2025. Missouri's switchblade clause reads like a ban but is not one in current practice: it applies only when possession also violates federal law, and federal law does not restrict an individual's simple possession of a switchblade.
620 states preempt local knife ordinances, voiding a conflicting or stricter city or county rule: 19 by statute (Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) plus New Mexico, whose preemption comes from its state constitution (N.M. Const. art. II, § 6) rather than a statute, though its categorical wording is contingent in application: whether a specific local knife ordinance actually regulates "an incident of the right to keep and bear arms" is the operative question. Several of these are easy to miss because the preempting statute is not knife-specific by name: Idaho's sits at Idaho Code § 18-3327, a section titled "Consistency in knife regulation," separate from the state's firearms-only preemption statute at § 18-3302J; Ohio's is its firearms-preemption statute, R.C. 9.68, which added knives by a 2022 amendment; New Jersey's is the Criminal Code's general local-preemption clause (2C:1-5(d)), a conflict-preemption rule, not a weapons-specific one, that voids only a local ordinance conflicting with the Code, not automatically one that is merely stricter; and New Hampshire's and Tennessee's firearms-preemption statutes each name knives directly in their own text. The other 30 states plus the District of Columbia (which has no counties or municipalities to preempt) leave a city or county free to regulate more strictly than state law, subject to whatever that state's own home-rule limits allow.
7Every knife statute uses its own vocabulary for the same words. "Dirk" and "dagger" mean a functional test in California, requiring the blade to be exposed and locked, but a fixed named category with no locking test in most other states that use the terms. Reading a state's own statute, not a generic dictionary definition, is the only way to know what a given term actually covers there.

Federal law does not ban carrying a knife. The Federal Switchblade Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 1241-1245) regulates interstate commerce in switchblades, exempts spring-assisted folding knives from its §§ 1242-1243 offenses under § 1244(5), and, in § 1245 makes it a federal offense to knowingly possess, manufacture, sell, or import a ballistic knife in or affecting interstate commerce or within federal territorial jurisdiction, but none of that decides whether a person can own, carry, or conceal a knife on the street. That question is almost entirely state law, and every state answers it differently across four separate axes: what you can own, what you can carry openly, what you can carry concealed, and where you cannot carry at all regardless of the rest. This page explains the federal framework, resolves the blade-length confusion that dominates search results for this topic, and compares all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers the federal framework governing knives under the Federal Switchblade Act and related statutes, and state-by-state knife law in all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. It does not address Canadian provincial knife law, city or county ordinances beyond what is noted for preemption and local-option states, or knife import and export law.

What federal law actually regulates about knives (and what it doesn't)

Federal law does not decide whether an individual may own or carry a knife. 15 U.S.C. § 1241(b) defines a "switchblade knife" as any knife with a blade that opens automatically, either by hand pressure on a button or other device in the handle, or by the operation of inertia, gravity, or both. Building on that definition, 15 U.S.C. § 1242 makes it unlawful to knowingly introduce, manufacture for introduction, transport, or distribute a switchblade knife in interstate commerce, and 15 U.S.C. § 1243 extends the same prohibition to manufacturing, selling, or possessing one within a federal territory, Indian country, or the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Both offenses carry a fine of up to $2,000, imprisonment of up to 5 years, or both. Neither section reaches an individual who owns or carries a switchblade for personal use outside those federal-jurisdiction and interstate-commerce contexts; that question is left to state law.

Closed black folding pocket knife with a plain handle on a weathered wooden workbench

15 U.S.C. § 1244, titled "Exceptions," exempts a defined list of situations from the §§ 1242-1243 prohibitions. It does not change the § 1241(b) definition of switchblade. The exceptions cover common and contract carriers shipping switchblades in the ordinary course of business, Armed Forces contracts and personnel acting within the scope of their duty, a person with only one arm possessing a knife with a blade of 3 inches or less, and, since a 2009 amendment, any knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome that bias and assist in opening the knife (15 U.S.C. § 1244(5)). That 2009 carve-out is the reason modern assisted-opening folding knives are manufactured, sold, and shipped nationwide without triggering the federal switchblade prohibitions; several states, including Washington, write their own switchblade definitions to mirror this exact language.

Ballistic knives are treated differently. 15 U.S.C. § 1245 makes it unlawful to knowingly possess, manufacture, sell, or import a ballistic knife, defined as a knife with a detachable blade that is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism, in or affecting interstate commerce or within the special maritime, territorial, or Indian-country jurisdiction of the United States. The general penalty is a fine, imprisonment of up to 10 years, or both; possessing or using one in the commission of a federal crime of violence carries a fine, imprisonment of 5 to 10 years, or both. This is the one knife type federal law bans outright, by name, within its jurisdiction, and most states independently ban ballistic knives too.

Two narrower federal rules matter for specific locations. 18 U.S.C. § 930 bans possessing a firearm or "other dangerous weapon" in a federal facility, but its definition of "dangerous weapon" expressly excludes a pocket knife with a blade under 2.5 inches, so a small pocketknife is not automatically banned there, though a larger or non-pocket-style knife can be. Separately, TSA prohibits knives in carry-on baggage, with a narrow exception for round-bladed, non-serrated items like plastic cutlery, but allows them in checked baggage if properly sheathed or wrapped; this is agency screening policy, not a law with the same force as a statute, and a screening officer's discretion applies at the checkpoint regardless of the stated rule. On National Park Service land, 36 CFR 2.4 bans possessing a weapon, trap, or net, without naming any item type in its own text; the item list some sources attribute to that section actually lives in the regulation's definitions at 36 CFR 1.4, which defines "weapon" to include one "the possession of which is prohibited under the laws of the State in which the park area ... is located." So whether a given knife is restricted on NPS land is effectively a function of the underlying state's knife law, plus any park-specific superintendent's compendium.

Knife taxonomy: what these terms actually mean

State statutes use a recurring vocabulary, switchblade, gravity knife, balisong or butterfly knife, dirk, dagger, stiletto, bowie knife, and ballistic knife, but the words are not a single national glossary. Each state grounds the same term in its own statutory test, and a state can even use the same word differently for different purposes within its own code.

A switchblade opens automatically by a button or similar device in the handle, or by inertia or gravity (15 U.S.C. § 1241(b); Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-52(e) mirrors this test almost exactly). A gravity knife opens by the force of gravity or a flick of the wrist rather than a button; New York banned gravity knives by name until a 2019 repeal removed the term from its possession statute (N.Y. Penal Law § 265.01), while its switchblade ban remained in force. A balisong or butterfly knife has a blade concealed inside a split handle that swings open manually, assisted by inertia or gravity; Hawaii bans carrying one concealed under its own dedicated statute, separate from its switchblade statute (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-53). A ballistic knife has a detachable blade fired from the handle by a spring, elastic material, or compressed gas, distinct from an assisted-opening knife, whose blade stays attached to the handle.

"Dirk" and "dagger" show the clearest example of a term meaning different things in different states. California defines a dirk or dagger functionally: a knife or instrument capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon, with a folding or pocket knife counting only if its blade is exposed and locked into position (Cal. Penal Code § 16470). A closed or non-locking folding knife is not a dirk or dagger there, no matter its length. Most other states that use the terms, including North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland, instead name dirk and dagger as fixed categories inside a broader list of banned or restricted weapons, with no locking-blade test at all. Reading the specific state's own definition, not a generic dictionary meaning, is the only reliable way to know what a term covers in that state.

Blade length is not the whole story

Searches for knife laws tend to fixate on a single number, but length is only one of several independent variables a state's law can turn on, and in most states it is not the controlling one at all. Some states regulate by named type regardless of length: Michigan bans a dagger, dirk, stiletto, or double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument "of any length," and New Jersey's possession ban covers a gravity knife, switchblade, dagger, dirk, and stiletto with no blade-length figure anywhere in the statute. Others regulate by intent rather than by the knife itself: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, and Vermont each make carrying a knife, of any length or type, an offense only when done with a purpose to unlawfully use it against a person, so an ordinary pocketknife carried for everyday use commits no crime under those statutes regardless of its blade. Ohio goes further and excludes a knife from its "deadly weapon" definition entirely unless it was actually used as a weapon.

Where a length figure does appear, it usually marks a narrow exclusion or a specific context rather than a blanket ceiling. Idaho's 6-inch figure is not a maximum legal carry length; it is the point below which a knife is excluded from the "deadly weapon" definition altogether, so a longer knife still requires only a permitless-carry exception most adults already qualify for, not an outright ban. Georgia's 12-inch figure defines when a knife becomes a regulated "weapon" at all, not a ban above that length; since 2022 Georgia has been a permitless-carry state, so no license is required to carry one over that threshold either. Colorado's 3.5-inch figure defines the term "knife" for its concealed-carry misdemeanor and excludes a hunting or fishing knife carried for sports use as an affirmative defense even above that length. West Virginia's 3.5-inch figure cuts the other way in two specific settings: it ordinarily excludes a pocket knife from the state's "knife" definition, but that exclusion is switched off at a school or a courthouse, so a short pocket knife counts as a deadly weapon there even though it would not elsewhere in the state. Virginia added its own new figure in 2026, a 3.5-inch "location-restricted knife" that may not be carried into a hospital providing mental health services, on top of its older, unrelated 12-inch threshold for the state's anti-intimidation brandishing statute. A state's own statute, read for what the number actually gates, matters far more than the number alone.

Knife laws by state (comparison table)

"Banned to own" lists a knife type the state bans to possess or sell outright, independent of carry. "Open carry" and "concealed carry" summarize the operative carry rule for an ordinary adult where one is confirmed. "Blade-length rule" gives the specific inch figure where a state's law turns on one. "Preemption" states whether a statewide statute voids a stricter local ordinance. "Key statute" names the central citation for that state's rule; see that state's own page for the full analysis and every citation.

knife - school restrictions

Northeast states

The table below covers 9 states in the Northeast.

State	Banned to own	Open carry	Concealed carry	Blade-length rule	Preemption	Key statute
Connecticut	None named	Banned, open or concealed, for a dirk knife, switch knife, stiletto, or any knife with an edged blade of 4 inches or more	Same named list as open carry	4 inches (edged blade); 1.5 inches (spring-release)	No statewide preemption	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-206
Maine	None	Not restricted unless the weapon is displayed in a threatening manner	Banned for a bowie knife, dirk, or stiletto, with a hunting and fishing knife exemption	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption	25 M.R.S. § 2001-A
Massachusetts	None to own; carrying a stiletto, dagger, ballistic knife, dirk knife, or double-edged blade knife is banned outright	Same statute as concealed carry	Banned regardless of concealment for the listed types; the state's highest court held the switchblade clause unenforceable in 2024 (Commonwealth v. Canjura), leaving the rest of the ban in force	1.5 inches (automatic/spring-release knives)	No statewide knife preemption (cities and towns retain home-rule authority to add restrictions)	Mass. Gen. Laws c.269, § 10(b)
New Hampshire	None for the general public	Permitless; no general statewide type or length ban	Same as open carry; a named-type ban applies only to convicted felons	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption; RSA 159:26 names knives directly	RSA 625:11
New Jersey	Gravity knife, switchblade knife, dagger, dirk, stiletto, and ballistic knife, rebuttable by an explainable lawful purpose	Same possession ban as concealed carry	Same possession ban	No numeric threshold	Conflict preemption via the Criminal Code's general preemption clause (2C:1-5(d)); voids a local ordinance that conflicts with the Code, not automatically one that is merely stricter	N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(e)
New York	Switchblade knife, ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, and cane sword; gravity knife was removed from the list in 2019	Same possession ban as concealed carry	Same possession ban	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption; New York City imposes its own local rules	N.Y. Penal Law § 265.01
Pennsylvania	None; a 2022 amendment removed automatic-knife language from the offensive-weapons definition	Not restricted by the offensive-weapons statute	Concealing a weapon with intent to use it criminally is banned	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption	18 Pa.C.S. § 908
Rhode Island	None	Banned only when a dagger, dirk, stiletto, sword-in-cane, or bowie knife is carried with intent to unlawfully use it against another	Banned outright for a razor or any knife with a blade over 3 inches, plus the same named-type list	3 inches (concealed carry)	No statewide knife preemption (11-47-58 covers firearms only)	R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-42
Vermont	None	Not restricted; carrying a dangerous weapon is banned only with intent to injure another	Same intent standard as open carry; the former 3-inch switchblade threshold was repealed in 2025	None, statewide, for general carry	No statewide knife preemption (24 V.S.A. § 2295 covers firearms only)	13 V.S.A. § 4003

Midwest states

The table below covers 12 states in the Midwest.

State	Banned to own	Open carry	Concealed carry	Blade-length rule	Preemption	Key statute
Illinois	Switchblade, ballistic knife, and throwing star (a valid FOID card exempts only the switchblade prohibition)	Outright ban on those three types; an ordinary knife is banned only when carried with intent to use it unlawfully	Same as open carry	3 inches (Category II weapon definition for public buildings)	No statewide preemption	720 ILCS 5/24-1
Indiana	Knife with a detachable blade that ejects as a projectile	No general restriction	No general restriction	No statewide limit	No statewide knife preemption	Ind. Code § 35-47-5-2
Iowa	Ballistic knife	Legal unless carried with intent to use it unlawfully against another	Same intent standard; a minor's concealed carry is a stricter offense with no intent element	5 inches (statutory dangerous-weapon definition)	Statewide preemption	Iowa Code § 708.8
Kansas	Throwing star, to carry	Banned only when a covered knife is carried with intent to use it unlawfully against a person	Same intent standard as open carry	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption	K.S.A. § 21-6301
Michigan	None	Not restricted outside a vehicle; in a vehicle a dagger, dirk, stiletto, or double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument is banned regardless of concealment	Banned for a dagger, dirk, stiletto, or double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument of any length, with a hunting-knife exception	No length threshold for the named types; 3 inches for the separate going-armed-with-intent offense	No statewide knife preemption (123.1102 covers firearms and pneumatic guns only)	MCL 750.227
Minnesota	Switchblade knife, full possession ban	Not separately addressed	No general concealed-knife statute beyond the switchblade possession ban	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption (471.633 covers firearms only)	Minn. Stat. § 609.66
Missouri	None generally; the switchblade clause in 571.020 bans it only when possession also violates federal law	Not restricted; an ordinary pocketknife of 4 inches or less is excluded from the statutory knife definition	Banned only when carried concealed into an area where firearms are restricted under 571.107	4 inches (ordinary pocketknife exclusion)	No statewide knife preemption (21.750 covers firearms only)	RSMo § 571.030
Nebraska	None	Not restricted for adults who are not prohibited persons	Restricted only for minors (under 21) and prohibited persons; other adults need no permit	3.5 inches (statutory "knife" definition for this restriction)	Statewide preemption; reaches knives, not just firearms	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 28-1202
North Dakota	None	Not restricted; concealment triggers the licensing requirement	Banned without a license for a switchblade, gravity knife, machete, scimitar, stiletto, sword, dagger, or any knife with a blade of 6 inches or more	6 inches (for knives not otherwise named)	No statewide knife preemption (62.1-01-03 covers firearms and ammunition only)	N.D. Cent. Code § 62.1-01-01
Ohio	Ballistic knife, classified as dangerous ordnance and banned outright with narrow exemptions	Not restricted	A knife is excluded from the deadly-weapon definition for concealed carry unless it was actually used as a weapon	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption; R.C. 9.68 added knives effective September 2022 (SB 156)	Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.12
South Dakota	None	No standalone statute restricting open carry of an ordinary knife	Concealing a dangerous weapon with intent to commit a felony is banned; no general ban applies to ordinary carry	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption (municipal and county firearms-preemption statutes do not mention knives)	SDCL § 22-14-8
Wisconsin	None for the general public	Unrestricted	A knife is excluded from the dangerous-weapon definition for the general public; a felon's concealed knife carry is separately banned	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption, with a carve-out letting a local government ban knives inside its own buildings	Wis. Stat. § 941.23

Southern states

The table below covers 16 states in the South, plus the District of Columbia.

State	Banned to own	Open carry	Concealed carry	Blade-length rule	Preemption	Key statute
Alabama	None named	No statewide restriction	Legal; the concealed-weapon statute reaches only a pistol or other firearm	No statewide limit	No statewide preemption	Ala. Code § 13A-1-2(7)
Arkansas	None	Legal unless carried with a purpose to unlawfully use it as a weapon against a person	Same intent standard applies regardless of concealment	3 inches (statutory definition of a covered knife)	No statewide knife preemption	Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120
Delaware	Switchblade knife (with a sporting/household carve-out); undetectable knife	No standalone ban	Banned without a license for anything longer than an ordinary pocketknife of 3.75 inches or less	3.75 inches (ordinary pocketknife threshold)	No statewide preemption	11 Del. C. § 1442
District of Columbia	Switchblade knife, outright	Carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon without a license is banned	Possessing a dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, or a knife with a blade over 3 inches with intent to use it unlawfully is banned	3 inches (intent-based offense)	Not applicable; single jurisdiction	D.C. Code § 22-4514
Florida	Ballistic self-propelled knife	No standalone ban; a common pocketknife is excluded from the weapon definition	Requires a license unless the knife is a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife	No numeric threshold for a common pocketknife	No statewide knife preemption	Fla. Stat. § 790.001
Georgia	None	Permitless since 2022; a blade over 12 inches is a regulated "weapon," but no license is required to carry one	Same 12-inch weapon threshold as open carry, and permitless	12 inches (general carry weapon threshold); 2 inches in school safety zones	Statewide preemption	O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126
Kentucky	None	No general restriction outside educational institution property	Permitless for adults 21 and older; an ordinary pocket knife or hunting knife is excluded entirely from the deadly-weapon definition	No numeric threshold; functional pocket/hunting-knife test	No statewide knife preemption	Ky. Rev. Stat. § 500.080
Louisiana	None; the former switchblade ban was repealed in 2018	Not restricted; Louisiana's weapons statute reaches concealment only	Concealing an instrumentality customarily used as a dangerous weapon is banned, but adults 18 and older who may lawfully possess a firearm are exempt since 2024	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption	La. R.S. § 14:95
Maryland	None to own; selling or displaying a switchblade knife is banned	Banned only when carried with intent to injure	Banned outright, no intent required, for a dirk knife, bowie knife, switchblade knife, or star knife	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption	Md. Crim. Law § 4-101
Mississippi	None	Not addressed by the concealed-carry statute	Banned for a bowie knife, dirk knife, butcher knife, or switchblade knife	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption (45-9-51 covers firearms only)	Miss. Code § 97-37-1
North Carolina	Spring-loaded projectile knife or ballistic knife, outright, even for law enforcement	Not restricted; an ordinary pocket knife is exempt	Banned for a bowie knife, dirk, or dagger, with an ordinary-pocket-knife exemption and a legitimate-use defense	No length threshold; the pocket-knife exemption turns on a fully enclosed handle	No statewide knife preemption (14-409.40 covers firearms only)	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269
Oklahoma	None; a 2016 amendment removed the named knife-type list from the carry statute	Legal; self-defense, hunting, fishing, educational, and recreational use is an express exception	Same statute and exception as open carry	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption	21 O.S. § 1272
South Carolina	None	No general restriction after the 2024 repeal of the state's concealed-weapons statute	No general statewide restriction; a 2-inch blade limit applies on school property only	2 inches, school property only	No statewide knife preemption (23-31-510 covers firearms only)	S.C. Code § 16-23-430
Tennessee	None; a 2014 repeal removed the state's switchblade ban	No standalone restriction for an adult	No standalone restriction; a switchblade carried with intent to use it in a dangerous felony is a separate enhancement	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption; § 39-17-1314(f) expressly reaches knives	Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1307
Texas	None	Unrestricted for adults, including a blade over 5.5 inches, except in listed locations	No general restriction for adults 18 and older; a location-restricted knife may not be carried by a minor	5.5 inches (location-restricted knife threshold)	Statewide preemption (covers both municipalities under Loc. Gov't Code 229.001 and counties under ch. 236)	Tex. Penal Code § 46.01
Virginia	None to own	Not restricted by the concealed-carry statute	Banned outright for a dirk, bowie knife, stiletto knife, ballistic knife, or machete; a catch-all clause likely still reaches a switchblade by function	No length threshold for general concealed carry; 3.5 inches at mental-health hospitals since 2026; 12 inches for the anti-intimidation brandishing offense	No statewide knife preemption (15.2-915 covers firearms only; a narrower rule preempts only airport weapons ordinances)	Va. Code § 18.2-308
West Virginia	None	Not restricted; West Virginia allows permitless carry of deadly weapons	Permitless for adults 18 and older who qualify under § 61-7-7(c); the former age-based license requirement was repealed by 2026 HB 4106	3.5 inches generally excludes a pocket knife from "knife"; no exclusion applies at a school or courthouse	Statewide preemption of municipalities only, with a carve-out for municipally owned buildings and recreation facilities	W. Va. Code § 61-7-7

Western states

The table below covers 13 states in the West.

State	Banned to own	Open carry	Concealed carry	Blade-length rule	Preemption	Key statute
Alaska	Switchblade or gravity knife sold or transferred to a person under 18 without parental consent	Legal	Adults 21 and older must disclose it if a peace officer asks; adults under 21 face a flat concealed-carry ban other than an ordinary pocket knife	No statewide limit	Statewide preemption	Alaska Stat. § 11.61.220
Arizona	None	No statewide restriction	Legal; a pocket knife is categorically excepted from the concealed deadly weapon offense	No statewide limit	Statewide preemption	Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102
California	Ballistic knife, cane sword, belt buckle knife, and other listed weapons	No statewide blade-length limit on ordinary open carry	Carrying a concealed dirk or dagger is banned only when the blade is exposed and locked; carrying a switchblade of 2 inches or more is separately banned	2 inches for switchblade carry; no numeric threshold for the dirk/dagger offense	No statewide preemption	Cal. Penal Code § 21310
Colorado	Ballistic knife	No statewide restriction	Banned for a dagger, dirk, knife, or stiletto with a blade over 3.5 inches, with several exceptions	3.5 inches (over)	No statewide preemption	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-105
Hawaii	None outright	Not restricted by the concealed-carry statutes	Banned for a dirk, dagger, switchblade, or butterfly knife, each under its own statute, with a home-possession defense	No numeric threshold	No statewide preemption	Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-52
Idaho	None	Not restricted	Permitless for most adults 18 and older; a knife with a blade of 6 inches or less is excluded from the deadly weapon definition entirely	6 inches (deadly weapon exclusion)	Statewide preemption, with exceptions for schools, courthouses, law enforcement facilities, jails, and child care facilities	Idaho Code § 18-3302
Montana	None	Not restricted	Not restricted; the state's "concealed weapon" definition covers only firearms, so no concealed-knife statute applies	4 inches, inside a school building only	Statewide preemption	MCA § 45-8-315
Nevada	None named	No categorical ban on an ordinary knife	No blade-length threshold; a machete is separately banned concealed and an undefined other dangerous weapon is a felony	No numeric threshold	No statewide knife preemption (the three local-control statutes cover firearms only)	NRS 202.350
New Mexico	Switchblade, to manufacture, possess, or sell	Not directly addressed	Banned for a dagger, brass knuckles, switchblade, bowie knife, poniard, butcher knife, or dirk knife, except on the carrier's own property	No numeric threshold	Constitutional preemption (N.M. Const. art. II, § 6 bars local regulation of an incident of the right to keep and bear arms), contingent on whether a specific ordinance regulates that right	NMSA § 30-7-2
Oregon	None	Not restricted; the general statute reaches only concealment	Banned for a knife that opens by spring or centrifugal force, or a dirk, dagger, or ice pick	No numeric threshold in the general statute	No statewide knife preemption	ORS 166.240
Utah	None	No general statewide restriction; knife statutes are location- or status-specific	No general statewide restriction	No numeric threshold	Statewide preemption at the county, municipal, and special-district level	Utah Code § 76-11-101
Washington	Spring blade (switchblade) or gravity knife, with an assisted-opening exemption	No general blade-length restriction	Furtively carrying a dagger or dirk with intent to conceal it is banned	No general carry threshold; 3 inches for the sentencing deadly-weapon definition only	No statewide knife preemption	RCW 9.41.250
Wyoming	None	Not restricted; no statewide knife-specific statute	Banned for a "deadly weapon" under a functional test that can reach a knife used or intended as one; a permit holder or permitless-qualifying resident likely keeps that exception for a knife too	No numeric threshold; the carry restriction turns on a functional "deadly weapon" test	Statewide preemption; § 6-8-401(c) names "weapons" separately from "firearms," though "weapon" itself is undefined in Title 6	Wyo. Stat. § 6-8-104

States with no statewide restriction on ordinary knife carry

25 states place no statewide restriction on carrying an ordinary knife, open or concealed, for an adult: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. They reach that result through different routes. Arizona's concealed-weapons statute categorically excepts a pocket knife and criminalizes carrying anything else concealed only in three narrow circumstances: in furtherance of a serious or violent felony, lying to a law enforcement officer about carrying it, or being under 21 (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102). Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Vermont instead use an intent element: carrying a knife is only a crime when done with a purpose to unlawfully use it against a person (Pennsylvania's version reaches concealment with intent to employ it criminally; Kansas's applies only to a covered named-type item, not any knife), or, in Louisiana's case, when the carrier does not qualify for the 2024 exemption available to an adult 18 or older who may lawfully possess a firearm (Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120; Iowa Code § 708.8; K.S.A. § 21-6301(a)(2); La. R.S. § 14:95; 18 Pa.C.S. § 907(b); 13 V.S.A. § 4003). Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and West Virginia leave an ordinary knife unregulated for a qualifying adult or leave no general ban in place at all: Idaho by excluding a knife with a blade of six inches or less from the "deadly weapon" definition and letting most adults 18 and older carry concealed without a license (Idaho Code § 18-3302), Kentucky by defining "deadly weapon" to exclude an ordinary pocket knife or hunting knife (Ky. Rev. Stat. § 500.080(4)(c)), Missouri by having no blanket statewide ban on ordinary carry, restricting a concealed knife only in specific listed locations (RSMo § 571.010, § 571.030), Ohio by excluding a knife from its weapon definition unless it was actually used as one (Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.12), and West Virginia through permitless carry of a "deadly weapon" for anyone 18 or older who is not otherwise barred from possessing a firearm (W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(c)). Georgia reached this group through a 2022 change to permitless carry, and Tennessee and Oklahoma through repeals in 2014 and 2016 respectively; a source describing any of those three states' older, more restrictive rule is out of date. South Carolina's 2024 repeal is a different case: the repealed statute had already excluded an ordinary knife from the offense absent an intent to commit a crime, so an ordinary concealed knife was as lawful before the repeal as it is today, and the repeal removed a largely symbolic restriction rather than moving South Carolina into this group. Wyoming is not on this list: its concealed-carry statute, Wyo. Stat. § 6-8-104(a), bans a functionally defined "deadly weapon" that can reach a knife used or intended as one, and the state's one appellate decision construing that statute, State v. McAdams, 714 P.2d 1236 (Wyo. 1986), is itself a concealed-knife prosecution.

States that ban carrying a named list of knife types

19 states criminalize carrying a defined list of knife types, most commonly a dirk, dagger, stiletto, bowie knife, or switchblade, with no intent requirement in most of them: California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. Carrying one of the listed items, openly or concealed depending on the state, is itself the offense in most of these states; the state does not have to show the carrier intended to use it unlawfully. Washington is the exception: its named-item concealment offense requires the carrier to have furtively concealed the item, a narrower intent element than showing an intent to use it unlawfully, but still an intent element rather than a strict bar on carrying. West Virginia is not on this list even though its own statute names a similar set of items: a qualifying adult (18 or older, not otherwise barred from possessing a firearm) may generally carry one of those named types under the state's permitless-carry framework. For an adult who does not qualify, West Virginia has no license covering a knife and no separate offense of carrying a concealed deadly weapon other than a firearm without one, so that carry is neither squarely banned nor licensed, rather than reached by a flat ban. Several of the 19 statutes carry their own carve-outs worth knowing. North Carolina exempts an "ordinary pocket knife," defined as one whose cutting edge and point are fully enclosed by the handle; Missouri, which has no blanket statewide ban on ordinary carry and so is not part of this group, uses a similar exclusion, defining "knife" to exclude an ordinary pocketknife of 4 inches or less in the first place. Maine's version reaches concealment, or a threatening display, of a bowie knife, dirk, or stiletto, with a hunting-and-fishing exemption. Massachusetts's ban on carrying a switch knife survives on the books, but the state's highest court held that specific clause unenforceable against the Second Amendment in 2024 in Commonwealth v. Canjura, while leaving the rest of the statute's named list, dagger, stiletto, ballistic knife, dirk knife, and double-edged blade knife, in force. New York removed gravity knife from its own equivalent list in 2019 but kept switchblade, ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, and cane sword banned. Virginia's list itself changed in 2023: the statute now names a "stiletto knife" rather than a "switchblade knife," though a catch-all clause for weapons "of like kind" likely still reaches a switchblade in practice.

Ownership bans: ballistic knives and a shrinking switchblade list

A ballistic knife, a knife with a detachable blade propelled by a spring, elastic material, or compressed gas, is the type banned most consistently: federal law bans it in or affecting interstate commerce and within federal territorial jurisdiction (15 U.S.C. § 1245), and at least California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio independently ban owning, manufacturing, or selling one under state law. Ohio's version is easy to miss because the statute never calls it a knife ban: Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.11(K)(1) classifies a ballistic knife as "dangerous ordnance," and § 2923.17(A) bans acquiring, having, carrying, or using dangerous ordnance outright. North Carolina's version is also easy to miss because it sits outside the state's general concealed-carry statute: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269.6 bans possessing, selling, or carrying a spring-loaded projectile knife, ballistic knife, or "any weapon of similar character" outright, and reaches even a law enforcement officer, with the ban lifted only for agency-level evidentiary, education, or training possession. New Jersey and New York each fold the ballistic knife into their general named-list possession bans rather than a standalone statute (N.J.S.A. 2C:39-3(e); N.Y. Penal Law § 265.01(1)). A plain switchblade, by contrast, is banned to own or sell in a narrower and shrinking group of states, including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington. The list has been shrinking because several states have repealed their switchblade bans in recent years: Louisiana in 2018, New York's parallel gravity-knife ban in 2019, and Vermont's blade-length-based switchblade statute in 2025. Missouri does not belong on the switchblade list despite its statute's text: RSMo § 571.020.1(6)(d) bans a switchblade only when possessing, manufacturing, transporting, repairing, or selling it also violates federal law, and federal law does not restrict an individual's simple possession, so the clause does not function as a freestanding state possession ban. Delaware is a case worth reading carefully rather than assuming: an older Delaware switchblade statute (11 Del. C. § 1446) was repealed in 2025, but a separate, still-current statute (24 Del. C. § 901) independently bans switchblade possession and sale statewide, subject to an unresolved carve-out for sporting and household knives. A bare "Delaware repealed its switchblade ban" claim describing the state today would be wrong.

knife - balisong rules

Statewide preemption: when local knife ordinances are void

20 states preempt local knife regulation, voiding a conflicting or stricter city or county ordinance: 19 by statute, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, plus New Mexico, whose preemption is constitutional rather than statutory (N.M. Const. art. II, § 6 bars a municipality or county from regulating "an incident of the right to keep and bear arms" in any way). New Mexico's clause is categorical in wording but contingent in application: whether a specific local knife ordinance actually regulates that right, rather than merely touching on knives, is a question a court still has to answer. Arizona's statute is the clearest model: no political subdivision may enact any ordinance, rule, or tax relating to the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, transfer, or use of a knife, and a conflicting local rule, whenever enacted, is null and void (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3120). Georgia's preemption statute defines "knife" more broadly than its own carry statute does, so local governments there cannot restrict any knife more strictly than state law, not just knives over the 12-inch threshold (O.C.G.A. § 16-11-136). Idaho's preemption statute sits at a separate, easily missed section, Idaho Code § 18-3327, titled "Consistency in knife regulation," apart from the state's firearms-only preemption statute; Idaho's does carry named exceptions letting schools, courthouses, law enforcement facilities, prisons and jails, and child care facilities still regulate knife possession on their own premises. Wyoming's preemption statute uses the undefined term "weapon" rather than naming knives, so its reach to knives specifically is an inference from the statute's title and structure rather than a definitional certainty. West Virginia's preemption statute, § 8-12-5a, binds only municipalities, not counties, and even a municipality keeps authority to regulate deadly weapons, including knives, inside municipally owned buildings and recreation facilities. Several other states preempt knives through a statute that is not obviously about knives at all: Ohio's is its firearms-preemption statute, R.C. 9.68, which added knives by amendment effective September 2022; New Jersey's is the Criminal Code's general local-preemption clause (2C:1-5(d)), a conflict-preemption rule, not a weapons-specific one, that courts have applied to void a conflicting local ordinance on any subject the Code addresses, but that does not automatically void a local knife ordinance merely because it is stricter than state law without actually conflicting with it; and Nebraska's and New Hampshire's firearms-preemption statutes each reach further than their names suggest, Nebraska's by preempting "firearms or other weapons" (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 13-330) and New Hampshire's by a section titled "Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives; Authority of the State" (RSA 159:26). Tennessee's preemption statute names knives in its own separate subsection (Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1314(f)).

The remaining 30 states plus the District of Columbia (which has no counties or municipalities of its own) leave knife regulation open to local government, subject to whatever home-rule limits that state's constitution or general law otherwise imposes. In those states, a city or county ordinance can add restrictions state law does not, so a knife legal to carry under state law is not automatically legal to carry everywhere within that state.

Recent legislative changes worth knowing

Knife law has moved quickly in several states over the past few years, enough that an older source can describe a rule that no longer applies. Georgia became a permitless-carry state under SB 319 (2022), which removed the earlier requirement that anyone carrying a weapon be a license holder, extending to a knife over 12 inches the same way it extends to a handgun. Ohio Rev. Code § 9.68 was amended effective September 13, 2022 by Senate Bill 156 to add knives to the state's uniform firearms-preemption law, and Pennsylvania's Act 119 of 2022 removed automatic-knife language from the state's "offensive weapons" definition, effective 60 days after its November 3, 2022 signing. Tennessee's 2023 Public Chapter 142 added a narrow school-property exception letting a nonstudent adult carry a concealed, unhandled pocket knife for the sole purpose of voting in an election. South Carolina's Constitutional Carry Act, Act No. 111 of 2024, repealed the state's general concealed-weapons statute effective March 7, 2024; that statute had already exempted knives from criminal liability absent an intent to commit a crime, so the repeal removed a largely symbolic restriction rather than creating a new one. Louisiana's concealment statute was amended effective July 4, 2024 (Acts 2024, 2nd Extraordinary Session, No. 1) to exempt any person 18 or older who is not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm from the entire concealment offense, reaching a knife the same way it reaches a firearm. Massachusetts's high court held the switchblade-carry clause of the state's general weapons statute unenforceable against the Second Amendment in Commonwealth v. Canjura, 494 Mass. 508, decided August 27, 2024, while leaving the rest of that statute's named list in force. Vermont repealed the switchblade-specific blade-length language in its former weapons statute in 2025, so the section now covers only "zip" guns. New York repealed its statewide gravity-knife possession ban in 2019 after a federal court found the prior test unconstitutionally vague, while its separate switchblade ban was untouched. Texas replaced its older named-type "illegal knives" list with the current blade-length-triggered "location-restricted knife" model, effective September 1, 2017, under HB 1935. Virginia added a new location-restricted-knife rule for hospitals providing mental health or developmental services in 2026 (Va. Code § 18.2-283.3), and West Virginia's 2026 HB 4106 repealed the state's former age-based license requirement for concealed carry, moving West Virginia's qualifying age for permitless carry down to 18.

How knife penalties typically work

Penalties for a knife offense fall into a recognizable pattern across the states in this comparison. Many states treat bare possession or ordinary carry, where it is restricted at all, as a misdemeanor: Illinois classifies both its outright switchblade ban and its intent-based ordinary-knife offense as a Class A misdemeanor, and Colorado's concealed-knife offense and its separate ballistic-knife ban are each a class 1 misdemeanor. A location-based aggravator commonly raises the grade: Illinois elevates either of its base offenses to a Class 4 felony if committed in a school, park, courthouse, or public-housing property, and Georgia's school-safety-zone knife offense is a felony, punishable by up to $10,000 and 2 to 10 years, for anyone who is not a lawful weapons carrier. A few states set unusually high exposure for their outright possession bans: Delaware's concealed-deadly-weapon offense and Washington's manufacture-or-possession-of-a-spring-blade-knife offense are both felony-tier, and Massachusetts sets a 2.5-to-5-year state-prison range for its general carrying-dangerous-weapons statute. Several states instead route an ordinary violation through a civil or administrative track rather than a criminal one: Wisconsin's general concealed-weapons statute excludes a knife entirely for the public, reserving its Class A misdemeanor penalty for a person already prohibited from possessing a firearm. Because the range across states runs from a fine-only local-option county penalty to a multi-year felony, a specific number only means something attached to a specific state; check the table above and that state's own page rather than assuming a single national penalty.

Knife laws are one of several weapons and everyday-law topics covered on this site. Self-defense laws address the broader legal framework for using force, including with a knife, in defense of a person.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about knife laws in the United States as of September 2026. It is not legal advice. Knife statutes, blade-length thresholds, named-type lists, and penalties change by state and by year; verify the current text of your state's law before relying on it, and consult a lawyer licensed in your state for advice about a specific situation.

Statutes cited reflect their in-force version as of 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a national blade-length limit for carrying a knife?

No. Federal law sets no general blade-length limit on carrying a knife; the two federal numeric thresholds that exist are narrow and location-specific, a 2.5-inch pocket knife exclusion from the federal-facility weapons ban (18 U.S.C. 930) and a one-armed-person exception in the switchblade statute (15 U.S.C. 1244). States set their own numbers, and they vary widely, from 1.5 inches for an automatic knife in Connecticut and Massachusetts to 12 inches for Georgia's weapon-definition threshold. Check the table above for your specific state.

Are switchblades legal in the United States?

Federal law does not ban an individual from owning or carrying a switchblade; the Federal Switchblade Act regulates interstate commerce and federal-jurisdiction manufacture, sale, and possession, not personal ownership generally (15 U.S.C. 1241-1245). A modern assisted-opening folding knife is exempt from the federal switchblade prohibitions (15 U.S.C. § 1244(5)). Whether a true switchblade is legal to own, sell, or carry depends on state law, and a shrinking list of states, including Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Washington, still ban it.

Can I bring a knife through TSA?

Not in carry-on baggage, with a narrow exception for round-bladed, non-serrated items like plastic cutlery. Knives are generally allowed in checked baggage; TSA recommends sheathing or wrapping the blade for baggage-handler safety. This is agency screening policy, not a statute, and a screening officer's discretion applies at the checkpoint regardless of the stated rule.

Can I legally carry my knife if I drive into a neighboring state?

Not automatically. There is no federal reciprocity requirement forcing one state to honor another state's knife law, and a knife legal to carry in the state where you bought it can still be a banned type, an over-length blade, or a restricted item the moment you cross into a state with a stricter rule. Check the specific state's own page in the table above before assuming a knife legal at home stays legal everywhere you drive.

Can a city or county ban a knife that state law allows?

It depends on the state. 20 states preempt local knife regulation, voiding a conflicting or stricter city or county ordinance, 19 by statute (for example, Ariz. Rev. Stat. 13-3120) and New Mexico by its state constitution; a few of the 19, such as New Jersey, use a general conflict-preemption clause rather than a knife-specific statute, which reliably voids a directly conflicting local ordinance but not necessarily one that is merely stricter. In the other 30 states plus the District of Columbia, a local government generally remains free to regulate more strictly than state law, subject to whatever home-rule limits that state otherwise imposes, so a knife legal under state law is not automatically legal in every city or county within that state.

Do minors face different knife rules than adults?

Often, yes. Several states restrict a minor's possession of specific knife types beyond what applies to an adult, for example Alaska's ban on an unemancipated minor under 16 possessing a switchblade or gravity knife without parental consent (Alaska Stat. 11.61.220(a)(3)), and furnishing-to-a-minor statutes exist independently of general carry rules in states like Georgia (O.C.G.A. 16-11-101) and Alabama (Ala. Code 13A-11-57). Check the specific state's own page for its age-based rules.

Updates

September 24, 2026

Clarified that the federal assisted-opening knife exception removes such knives from the Switchblade Act prohibitions rather than its definition, and stated the full interstate-commerce reach of the federal ballistic knife ban.

September 18, 2026

Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources

State-by-state comparison

Each state guide below is paired with the governing statute our editors adjudicated for it, held in our own legal record and verified against the official source.

State	Statute cited	Court citations
Alabama	Code of Alabama 1975, Title 13A: Criminal Code. § 13A-11-72 — Certain Persons Forbidden to Possess Firearm.	21 opinions · latest 2024
Alaska	Alaska Statutes, Title 11. Criminal Law, Chapter 61. Offenses Against Public Order § 11.61.220 — Misconduct involving weapons in the fifth degree	25 opinions · latest 2024
Arizona	Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 13 (Criminal Code), Chapter 31 (WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES) § 13-3102 — Misconduct involving weapons; defenses; classification;…	153 opinions · latest 2026
Arkansas	Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated § 5-73-120 — Carrying a weapon.	34 opinions · latest 2021
California	California Penal Code § 21310	—
Colorado	Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 18: Criminal Code § 18-12-105 — Unlawfully carrying a concealed weapon - unlawful…	6 opinions · latest 2022
Connecticut	Connecticut General Statutes, Title 53 (Crimes), Chapter 943 § 53-206 — Carrying of dangerous weapons prohibited.	87 opinions · latest 2026
Delaware	Delaware Code, Title 11 (Crimes and Criminal Procedure), Chapter 005 (SPECIFIC OFFENSES) § 1442 — Carrying a concealed deadly weapon; class G felony; class D…	58 opinions · latest 2025
District of Columbia	Code of the District of Columbia, Title 22: Criminal Offenses and Penalties. - Chapter 45: Weapons and Possession of Weapons. § 22-4514 — Possession of certain dangerous weapons prohibited;…	18 opinions · latest 2025
Florida	Florida Statutes § 790.01 — Carrying of concealed weapons or concealed firearms.	90 opinions · latest 2026
Georgia	Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 16-11-126 — Having or carrying handguns, long guns, or other weapons;…	—
Hawaii	Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 134: FIREARMS, AMMUNITION AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS § 134-51 — Deadly or dangerous weapons; prohibitions; penalty	22 opinions · latest 2019
Idaho	Idaho Code § 18-3302 — concealed weapons. [effective until January 1, 2027]	12 opinions · latest 2023
Illinois	Illinois Compiled Statutes Chapter 720, Act 5 (Criminal Code of 2012) § 24-1 — Unlawful possession of weapons	231 opinions · latest 2026
Indiana	Indiana Code, TITLE 35. CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE § 35-47-5-2 — Knife with a detachable blade	—
Iowa	Iowa Code, Chapter 708: ASSAULT § 708.8 — Going armed with intent.	65 opinions · latest 2026
Kansas	Kansas Statutes Annotated, Chapter 21: CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS § 21-6301 — Criminal use of weapons.	15 opinions · latest 2026
Kentucky	Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 527: OFFENSES RELATING TO FIREARMS AND WEAPONS § 527.020 — Carrying concealed deadly weapon	40 opinions · latest 2025
Louisiana	Louisiana Revised Statutes § 14:95 — Illegal carrying of weapons	331 opinions · latest 2026
Maine	Maine Revised Statutes, Title 25: INTERNAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Part 5: PUBLIC SAFETY, Chapter 252: PERMITS TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS § 2001-A — Threatening display of or carrying concealed weapon	7 opinions · latest 2022
Maryland	Maryland Code, Criminal Law Article § 4-101	1 opinions · latest 2022
Massachusetts	Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 269 § 10 — Carrying dangerous weapons; possession of machine gun or…	—
Michigan	Michigan Compiled Laws § 750.227 — Concealed weapons; carrying; penalty	—
Minnesota	Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 609: CRIMINAL CODE § 609.66 — DANGEROUS WEAPONS	95 opinions · latest 2026
Mississippi	Mississippi Code of 1972 Annotated § 97-37-1 — Deadly weapons; carrying while concealed; use or attempt to…	25 opinions · latest 2024
Missouri	Revised Statutes of Missouri, Title XXXVIII (CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS), Chapter 571 § 571.030 — Unlawful use of weapons, offense of — exceptions —…	240 opinions · latest 2026
Montana	Montana Code Annotated, Title 45 § 45-8-352 — Restriction On Local Government Regulation Of Knives	—
Nebraska	Nebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 28: CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS § 28-1202 — Minor or prohibited person; carrying concealed weapon;…	40 opinions · latest 2026
Nevada	Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 202: CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY § 202.350 — Manufacture, importation, possession or use of dangerous…	32 opinions · latest 2025
New Hampshire	New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, TITLE XII PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE, CHAPTER 159 PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS § 159:3 — Convicted Felons.	74 opinions · latest 2024
New Jersey	New Jersey Statutes (Unannotated) § 2C:39-3 — Prohibited weapons and devices.	—
New Mexico	New Mexico Statutes Annotated 1978, Chapter 30 § 30-7-8 — Unlawful possession of switchblades	—
New York	New York Penal Law § 265.01 — Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree	835 opinions · latest 2026
North Carolina	North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 14: Criminal Law. § 14-269 — Carrying concealed weapons	60 opinions · latest 2026
North Dakota	North Dakota Century Code § 62.1-04-02 — Carrying concealed firearms or dangerous weapons - License…	6 opinions · latest 2025
Ohio	Ohio Revised Code § 2923.12 — Carrying concealed weapons	1,193 opinions · latest 2026
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Statutes, Title 21: CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS § 1272 — Unlawful carry	—
Oregon	Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 166 § 166.240 — Carrying of concealed weapons	95 opinions · latest 2025
Pennsylvania	Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) § 907 — Possessing instruments of crime	—
Rhode Island	Rhode Island General Laws, Title 11: Criminal Offenses, Chapter 11-47: Weapons § 11-47-42 — Weapons other than firearms prohibited	4 opinions · latest 2022
South Carolina	South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 16: CRIMES AND OFFENSES § 16-23-430 — Carrying weapon on school property	1 opinions · latest 2014
South Dakota	—	—
Tennessee	Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-1309 — Carrying weapons on school property.	4 opinions · latest 2016
Texas	Texas Penal Code § 46.02 — UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS	163 opinions · latest 2026
Utah	Utah Code, Title 76: Criminal Offenses § 76-11-305 — Category I restricted person participating in prohibited…	1 opinions · latest 2026
Vermont	Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 13: Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Chapter 85: Weapons, Subchapter: GENERALLY § 4003 — Carrying dangerous weapons	3 opinions · latest 2021
Virginia	Code of Virginia, Title 18.2: Crimes and Offenses Generally § 18.2-308 — Carrying concealed weapons; exceptions; penalty	16 opinions · latest 2026
Washington	Revised Code of Washington § 9.41.250 — Dangerous weapons—Penalty.	24 opinions · latest 2026
West Virginia	West Virginia Code § 61-7-7 — Persons prohibited from possessing firearms;…	6 opinions · latest 2025
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 941: Crimes Against Public Health And Safety § 941.23 — Carrying concealed weapon.	34 opinions · latest 2022
Wyoming	Wyoming Statutes, Title 6 - Crimes and Offenses - Chapter 8: Weapons - Article 1: Weapons Offenses § 6-8-104 — Wearing or carrying concealed weapons; penalties;…	9 opinions · latest 2022

Each statute shown is the same adjudicated anchor its state guide renders, independently verified against primary sources. A dash means not yet adjudicated in our record — never that no law exists.

The Law Behind This Article

This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.

United States Code Title 15

§ 1245Ballistic knivesIn forcecited in 50 of our articles

Whoever in or affecting interstate commerce, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), knowingly possesses, manufactures, sells, or imports a ballistic knife shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. Whoever possesses or uses a ballistic knife in the commission of a Federal crime of violence shall be fined as provided in title 18, or imprisoned not less than five years and not more than ten years, or both. The exceptions provided in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 1244 of this title with respect to switchblade knives shall apply to ballistic knives under subsection (a) of this section. As used in this section, the term “ballistic knife” means a knife with a detachable blade that is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2008

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

ALCANTAR (Board of Immigration Appeals 1994, 20 I. & N. Dec. 801)“…ed by an adult, would be felony and crime of violence); cf. 15 U.S.C. § 1245(b) (1988) (use of ballistic knife in co…”
United States v. Polizzi (District Court, E.D. New York 2008, 549 F. Supp. 2d 308)“…8 Trust in l’estraint of import trade 3 months 15 U.S.C. § 1245 (b) Possession/use of a ballistic knife…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Alaska Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry Rules Explained, Arizona Knife Laws (2026): Carry Rules and Preemption, Arkansas Knife Laws (2026): Intent-Based Carry Rules

§ 1242Introduction, manufacture for introduction, transportation or distribution in interstate commerce; penaltyIn forcecited in 2 of our articles

Whoever knowingly introduces, or manufactures for introduction, into interstate commerce, or transports or distributes in interstate commerce, any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2010

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Edna Fall, as Administratrix of the Estate of Phillip Fall, Deceased v. Esso Standard Oil Company (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1962, 297 F.2d 411)“…23 § 1 , Aug. 12, 1958, 72 Stat. 562 .” Section 2, 15 U.S.C.A. § 1242 prohibits the manufacture for, or tran…”
United States v. Baer (Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 2000, 235 F.3d 561)“…318, 1320 (8th Cir. 1988) (upholding Switchblade Knife Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1242, against Second Amendment challenge); U…”
United States v. Douglas John Nelsen (Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit 1988, 859 F.2d 1318)“…om his convictions of violating the Switchblade Knife Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1242 (1982), as well as related convictions…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Oklahoma Knife Laws (2026): Carry Rules, Intent Felony, Preemption

§ 1243Manufacture, sale, or possession within specific jurisdictions; penaltyIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

Whoever, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), manufactures, sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 1962

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Edna Fall, as Administratrix of the Estate of Phillip Fall, Deceased v. Esso Standard Oil Company (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1962, 297 F.2d 411)“…t more than five years, or both.” 5 . 15 U.S.C.A. § 1243 provides: “Whoever, within any Territo…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: California Knife Laws (2026): Four Blade-Length Rules, Missouri Knife Laws (2026): Restricted Areas and the Switchblade Trap

§ 1244ExceptionsIn forcecited in 52 of our articles

Sections 1242 and 1243 of this title shall not apply to— any common carrier or contract carrier, with respect to any switchblade knife shipped, transported, or delivered for shipment in interstate commerce in the ordinary course of business; the manufacture, sale, transportation, distribution, possession, or introduction into interstate commerce, of switchblade knives pursuant to contract with the Armed Forces; the Armed Forces or any member or employee thereof acting in the performance of his duty; the possession, and transportation upon his person, of any switchblade knife with a blade three inches or less in length by any individual who has only one arm; or a knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure to assist in opening the knife.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Also relied on in: Alabama Knife Laws (2026): What Is Legal to Carry, Colorado Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry and Exceptions, Connecticut Knife Laws (2026): Open and Concealed Carry

§ 1241DefinitionsIn forcecited in 52 of our articles

As used in this chapter— The term “interstate commerce” means commerce between any State, Territory, possession of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and any place outside thereof. The term “switchblade knife” means any knife having a blade which opens automatically— by hand pressure applied to a button or other device in the handle of the knife, or by operation of inertia, gravity, or both.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 15 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2014

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Stewart A. Taylor, D/B/A Taylor Cutlery Mfg. Co. v. United States of America (Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit 1988, 848 F.2d 715)“…Service, are not switchblade knives within the meaning of 15 U.S.C. § 1241 (b) and 19 C.F.R. § 1295 (a)(1). The d…”
Crowley Cutlery Company v. United States of America and Commissioner of Customs of the United States Customs Service (Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 1988, 849 F.2d 273)“…Illinois for a declaration that the Switchblade Knife Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1241 et seq., which forbids th…”
Edna Fall, as Administratrix of the Estate of Phillip Fall, Deceased v. Esso Standard Oil Company (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1962, 297 F.2d 411)“…25 S.Ct. 158 , 49 L.Ed. 363 . Section 1 of the Act, 15 U.S.C.A. § 1241 (b), defines the term “switchblade knif…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Delaware Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Switchblades, and Bans, D.C. Knife Laws (2026): Possession and Carry Rules, Florida Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Pocketknives, Schools

Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated

§ 5-73-120Carrying a weapon.In forcecited in 2 of our articles

(a) A person commits the offense of carrying a weapon if he or she possesses a handgun, knife, or club on or about his or her person, in a vehicle occupied by him or her, or otherwise readily available for use with a purpose to attempt to unlawfully employ the handgun, knife, or club as a weapon…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-23 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at arkleg.state.ar.us

Cited in 34 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2021

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Boston v. State (Supreme Court of Arkansas 1997, 330 Ark. 99)“…Appellant Sterling Boston was convicted in violation of Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120 (Supp. 1995), the unauthorized carryin…”
Jesse W. Pettry v. State of Arkansas (Court of Appeals of Arkansas 2020, 595 S.W.3d 442)“…13 did not support a conviction for violating Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120. As he put it, “The State has not only…”
Garcia v. State (Supreme Court of Arkansas 1998, 333 Ark. 26)“…s, including knives, which, as amended, is now codified as Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120 (Repl. 1997). The later law covers ful…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Arizona Revised Statutes, Title 13 (Criminal Code), Chapter 31 (WEAPONS AND EXPLOSIVES)

§ 13-3102Misconduct involving weapons; defenses; classification; definitionsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A. A person commits misconduct involving weapons by knowingly: 1. Carrying a deadly weapon except a pocket knife concealed on his person or within his immediate control in or on a means of transportation: (a) In the furtherance of a serious offense as defined in section 13-706, a violent crime as defined in section 13-901.03 or any other felony offense; or (b) When contacted by a law enforcement officer and failing to accurately answer the officer if the officer asks whether the person is carrying a concealed deadly weapon; or 2. Carrying a deadly weapon except a pocket knife concealed on his person or concealed within his immediate control in or on a means of transportation if the person is under twenty-one years of age; or 3. Manufacturing, possessing, transporting, selling or transferring a prohibited weapon, except that if the violation involves dry ice, a person commits misconduct involving weapons by knowingly possessing the dry ice with the intent to cause injury to or death of another person or to cause damage to the property of another person; or 4. Possessing a deadly weapon or prohibited weapon if such person is a prohibited possessor; or 5.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-23 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at azleg.gov

Cited in 153 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Johnson (Court of Appeals of Arizona 1992, 171 Ariz. 39)“…en A.R.S. section 13-3101(5) 1 for purposes of A.R.S. section 13-3102. We agree and reverse. Because we rever…”
State v. Petrak (Court of Appeals of Arizona 2000, 198 Ariz. 260)“…f any felony offense included in chapter 34 of this title.” A.R.S. § 13-3102(A)(8) (Supp.1999). In interpreting a st…”
State v. Clevidence (Court of Appeals of Arizona 1987, 153 Ariz. 295)“…tment charging Misconduct Involving Weapons in violation of A.R.S. § 13-3102. (Maricopa County Cause No. CR-148633.)…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Arizona Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

§ 13-3120Knives regulated by state; state preemption; definitionsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A. Except as provided in subsections C and D, a political subdivision of this state shall not enact any ordinance, rule or tax relating to the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, transfer, purchase, gift, devise, licensing, registration or use of a knife or knife making components in this state. B. A political subdivision of this state shall not enact any rule or ordinance that relates to the manufacture of a knife and that is more prohibitive than or that has a penalty that is greater than any rule or ordinance that is related to the manufacture of any other commercial goods. C. This section does not prohibit a political subdivision of this state from enacting and enforcing any ordinance or rule pursuant to state law, to implement or enforce state law or relating to imposing any privilege or use tax on the retail sale, lease or rental of, or the gross proceeds or gross income from the sale, lease or rental of, a knife or any knife components at a rate that applies generally to other items of tangible personal property. D.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-04 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at azleg.gov

California Penal Code

§ 16590In forcecited in 2 of our articles

As used in this part, “generally prohibited weapon” means any of the following: (a) An air gauge knife, as prohibited by Section 20310. (b) Ammunition that contains or consists of a flechette dart, as prohibited by Section 30210. (c) A ballistic knife, as prohibited by Section 21110. (d) A belt buckle knife, as prohibited by Section 20410. (e) A bullet containing or carrying an explosive agent, as prohibited by Section 30210. (f) A camouflaging firearm container, as prohibited by Section 24310. (g) A cane gun, as prohibited by Section 24410. (h) A cane sword, as prohibited by Section 20510. (i) A concealed dirk or dagger, as prohibited by Section 21310. (j) A concealed explosive substance, other than fixed ammunition, as prohibited by Section 19100. (k) A firearm that is not immediately recognizable as a firearm, as prohibited by Section 24510. (l) A large-capacity magazine, as prohibited by Section 32310. (m) A leaded cane or an instrument or weapon of the kind commonly known as a billy, blackjack, sandbag, sandclub, sap, or slungshot, as prohibited by Section 22210. (n) A lipstick case knife, as prohibited by Section 20610.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

In re I.G. CA6 (California Court of Appeal 2015)“…in which the minor personally used a weapon as described in Penal Code section 16590. Penal Code section 16590 lists 26 spec…”
Juan Hernandez-Gonzalez v. Eric Holder, Jr. (Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit 2015, 778 F.3d 793)“…l weapons is listed under a separate statutory section. See Cal. Penal Code § 16590. To convict a person of this crime, “th…”
Nicholas John Smit v. J. Lizarraga, Warden (District Court, C.D. California 2019)“…3 See Cal. Penal Code §§ 16590(z), 17360, 33600, 33690. 27…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Colorado Revised Statutes, Title 18: Criminal Code

§ 18-12-102Possessing a dangerous or illegal weapon - affirmative defense - definitionIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(1) As used in this section, the term dangerous weapon means a firearm silencer, machine gun, rapid-fire device, short shotgun, or short rifle. (2) As used in this section, the term illegal weapon means a blackjack, gas gun, ballistic knife, or metallic knuckles. (3) A person who knowingly possesses a dangerous weapon commits a class 5 felony. (4) A person who knowingly possesses an illegal weapon commits a class 1 misdemeanor. (5) It shall be an affirmative defense to the charge of possessing a dangerous weapon, or to the charge of possessing an illegal weapon, that the person so accused was a peace officer or member of the armed forces of the United States or Colorado National Guard acting in the lawful discharge of his duties, or that said person has a valid permit and license for possession of such weapon.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at olls.info

Cited in 4 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Navratil v. Parker (District Court, D. Colorado 1989, 726 F. Supp. 800)“…o be armed. See Colo.Rev.Stat. § 18-12-101(2); Colo.Rev.Stat. § 18-12-102(5); Colo.Rev.Stat. § 18-12-105(2)(d) &…”
United States v. Morgan (Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 2025)“…ineguns in 11 Cal. Penal Code § 32625; Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-102; Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 1444(a)(5);…”
United States v. Broomfield (Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 2005, 133 F. App'x 524)“…es an illegal weapon commits a class 1 misdemeanor. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-102(1)-(4) (emphasis added). The p…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Colorado Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Official Code of Georgia Annotated

§ 16-11-136Restrictions on possession, manufacture, sale, or transfer of knives.In forcecited in 2 of our articles

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) "Courthouse" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 16-11-127. (2) "Government building" shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 16-11-127. (3) "Knife" means any cutting instrument with a blade and shall include,…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2021-08-17 · Read the full text in our law library

Also relied on in: Georgia Knife Laws (2026): The 12-Inch Rule Explained

Iowa Code, Chapter 708: ASSAULT

§ 708.8Going armed with intent.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

A person who goes armed with any dangerous weapon with the intent to use without justification such weapon against the person of another commits a class “D” felony. The intent required for a violation of this section shall not be inferred from the mere carrying or concealment of any dangerous weapon itself, including the carrying of a loaded firearm, whether in a vehicle or on or about a person’s body.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.iowa.gov

Cited in 65 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State of Iowa v. James Norman Harris (Supreme Court of Iowa 2017, 891 N.W.2d 182)“…ently charged with going armed with intent in violation of Iowa Code section 708.8 (2013), a class “D” felony, and willful…”
State v. Ray (Supreme Court of Iowa 1994, 516 N.W.2d 863)“…ying a dangerous weapon, and simple assault in violation of Iowa Code sections 708.8, 708.2(3), and 708.2(4) (1991). On appe…”
State v. Geier (Supreme Court of Iowa 1992, 484 N.W.2d 167)“…nt Exposure, and Theft in the Third Degree, in violation of Iowa Code sections 708.8, 709.11, 709.9, and 714.1(4) (1989), re…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Iowa Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Intent, and Blade Rules, Iowa Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Iowa Code, Chapter 724: WEAPONS

§ 724.1Offensive weapons.In forcecited in 4 of our articles

1. An offensive weapon is any device or instrumentality of the following types: a. A machine gun. A machine gun is a firearm which shoots or is designed to shoot more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. b. Any weapon other than a shotgun or muzzle loading rifle, cannon, pistol, revolver or musket, which fires or can be made to fire a projectile by the explosion of a propellant charge, which has a barrel or tube with the bore of more than six-tenths of an inch in diameter, or the ammunition or projectile therefor, but not including antique weapons kept for display or lawful shooting. c. A destructive device as defined in section 101A.1. d. A ballistic knife. A ballistic knife is a knife with a detachable blade which is propelled by a spring-operated mechanism, elastic material, or compressed gas. e.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.iowa.gov

Cited in 10 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Key (Court of Appeals of Iowa 1991, 467 N.W.2d 583)“…thorized possession of an offensive weapon in violation of Iowa Code §§ 724.1 and 724.3 (1989). Defendant was also c…”
State of Iowa v. Adam Aaron Rhodes (Supreme Court of Iowa 2024)“…5 “firearm” under Iowa Code section 724.1, which does not define “firearm,” while…”
State v. Kidd (Supreme Court of Iowa 1997, 562 N.W.2d 764)“…An offensive weapon includes a "short-barreled shotgun.” Iowa Code § 724.1 (2). 2 . Kidd reli…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Iowa Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)

§ 724.28Prohibition of regulation by political subdivisions — exception.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

1. As used in this section, “political subdivision of the state” means a city, county, or township. 2. A political subdivision of the state shall not enact an ordinance, motion, resolution, policy, or amendment regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, legal transfer, lawful transportation, modification, registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons when the ownership, possession, carrying, transfer, transportation, or modification is otherwise lawful under the laws of this state. An ordinance regulating firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons in violation of this section existing on or after April 5, 1990, is void. 3.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.iowa.gov

Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc., Emma Goldman Clinic, and Sarah Traxler M.D. v. Kim Reynolds ex rel. State of Iowa, and Iowa Board of Medicine (Supreme Court of Iowa 2024)“…Butler eds., 7th ed. 2021) (footnote omitted). 46See Iowa Code § 724.28(3); id. § 124E.12(4)(a); State v. Wrigh…”
State of Iowa v. Dreasean Maurice Barber (Court of Appeals of Iowa 2019)“…atute retrospective was the addition of subsection three to Iowa Code section 724.28 See 2017 Iowa Acts ch. 69, § 32(3). Sec…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Idaho Code

§ 18-3327Consistency in Knife regulationIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

18-3327. Consistency in Knife regulation. (1) Except as provided in sections 18-3302 and 18-3302A, Idaho Code, a city, county, or other political subdivision of this state shall not enact any ordinance, rule, or tax relating to the transportation, possession, carrying, sale, transfer, purchase,…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.idaho.gov

Also relied on in: Idaho Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Blade Length, Preemption, Idaho Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Kentucky Revised Statutes, Chapter 500: GENERAL PROVISIONS

§ 500.080Definitions for Kentucky Penal CodeIn forcecited in 4 of our articles

As used in the Kentucky Penal Code, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Actor" means any natural person and, where relevant, a corporation or an unincorporated association; (2) "Crime" means a misdemeanor or a felony; (3) "Dangerous instrument" means any instrument, including parts of the human body when a serious physical injury is a direct result of the use of that part of the human body, article, or substance which, under the circumstances in which it is used, attempted to be used, or threatened to be used, is readily capable of causing death or serious physical injury.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at apps.legislature.ky.gov

Cited in 221 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Taylor v. Commonwealth (Kentucky Supreme Court 1999, 995 S.W.2d 355)“…at the injury was a "serious physical injury" as defined in KRS 500.080(15), as opposed to a "physical injury"…”
Wilburn v. Commonwealth (Kentucky Supreme Court 2010, 312 S.W.3d 321)“…ave been armed with a deadly weapon. See KRS 515.020(l)(b). KRS 500.080(4)(b) defines a deadly weapon, as it is…”
Luttrell v. Commonwealth (Kentucky Supreme Court 1977, 554 S.W.2d 75)“…dangerous instrument; . . .". Physical injury is defined in KRS 500.080(13) to be substantial physical pain or…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws by State (2026), Kentucky Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Kentucky Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Age Rules, and Exceptions

Louisiana Revised Statutes

§ 14:95Illegal carrying of weaponsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A. Illegal carrying of weapons is any of the following: (1)(a) The intentional concealment of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon, on one's person. (b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to a person with a valid concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.1.1, 1379.3, or 1379.3.2 nor shall it prohibit a person with a valid concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.1.1, 1379.3, or 1379.3.2 from carrying a concealed firearm or other instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon on his person unless otherwise prohibited by this Section. (2) The ownership, possession, custody, or use of any firearm, or other instrumentality customarily used as a dangerous weapon, at any time by an enemy alien. (3) The ownership, possession, custody, or use of any tools, or dynamite, or nitroglycerine, or explosives, or other instrumentality customarily used by thieves or burglars at any time by any person with the intent to commit a crime.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.la.gov

Cited in 331 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Sandifer (Supreme Court of Louisiana 1996, 679 So. 2d 1324)“…tate of Louisiana's writ of certiorari to determine whether La.R.S. 14:95(E), as applied to the facts of this cas…”
State v. Baker (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2008, 970 So. 2d 948)“…ame act which amended provisions of the previously existing La. R.S. 14:95. La. R.S. 14:95 makes criminal the inte…”
State v. Blanchard (Supreme Court of Louisiana 2001, 776 So. 2d 1165)“…VICTORY, J. We granted this writ to determine whether La. R.S. 14:95(E), which prohibits a person from posse…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Louisiana Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Preemption, and School Rules, Louisiana Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Revised Statutes of Missouri, Title XXXVIII (CRIMES AND PUNISHMENT; PEACE OFFICERS AND PUBLIC DEFENDERS), Chapter 571

§ 571.010Definitions.In forcecited in 4 of our articles

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall mean: (1) "Antique, curio or relic firearm", any firearm so defined by the National Gun Control Act, 18 U.S.C. Title 26, Section 5845, and the United States Treasury/Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms, 27 CFR Section 178.11: (a) "Antique firearm" is any firearm not designed or redesigned for using rim fire or conventional center fire ignition with fixed ammunition and manufactured in or before 1898, said ammunition not being manufactured any longer; this includes any matchlock, wheel lock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type ignition system, or replica thereof; (b) "Curio or relic firearm" is any firearm deriving value as a collectible weapon due to its unique design, ignition system, operation or at least fifty years old, associated with a historical event, renown personage or major war; (2) "Blackjack", any instrument that is designed or adapted for the purpose of stunning or inflicting physical injury by striking a person, and which is readily capable of lethal use; (3) "Blasting agent", any material or mixture, consisting of fuel and oxidizer that is intended for blasting, but not otherwise defined as an…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mo.gov

Cited in 7 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Dvorak (Missouri Court of Appeals 2009, 295 S.W.3d 493)“…sulting from introduction of any substance into the body[J” Mo.Rev.Stat. § 571.010(11) (Cum.Supp.2008). Defendant c…”
State v. Maynard (Missouri Court of Appeals 1986, 707 S.W.2d 810)“…t placed a 3½ inch blade of a pocketknife against her neck. RSMo Section 571.010(9), (Cum.Supp.1982) defines a knife as…”
Moore by and Through Moore v. Appleton City R-Ii School Dist. (Missouri Court of Appeals 2007, 232 S.W.3d 642)“…spring gun, switchable knife, as these terms are defined in § 571.010, RSMo. 3. A dangerous weapon as define…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Missouri Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

§ 571.020Possession--manufacture--transport--repair--sale of certain weapons a crime--exceptions--penalties.In forcecited in 4 of our articles

1. A person commits an offense if such person knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells: (1) An explosive weapon; (2) An explosive, incendiary or poison substance or material with the purpose to possess, manufacture or sell an explosive weapon; (3) A gas gun; (4) A bullet or projectile which explodes or detonates upon impact because of an independent explosive charge after having been shot from a firearm; or (5) Knuckles; or (6) Any of the following in violation of federal law: (a) A machine gun; (b) A short-barreled rifle or shotgun; (c) A firearm silencer; or (d) A switchblade knife.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at revisor.mo.gov

Cited in 21 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Jackson (Missouri Court of Appeals 1991, 809 S.W.2d 77)“…ffense of criminal possession of a short-barrelled shotgun, RSMo § 571.020 (1986), for which he was sentenced to f…”
State v. Harvey (Supreme Court of Missouri 1983, 648 S.W.2d 87)“…571.030 RSMo 1981. (In 1981 Missouri adopted a new statute, § 571.020 RSMo [HB 296], which makes possession of a "…”
State Ex Rel. Green v. Moore (Supreme Court of Missouri 2004, 131 S.W.3d 803)“…(2) was moved to section 571.020.1(3) in 2002. See sec. 571.020, RSMo Supp.2003. And, although section 571.08…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Missouri Fireworks Laws (2026): Permits, Windows, Banned Devices

North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 14: Criminal Law.

§ 14-269Carrying concealed weaponsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his or her person any bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slung shot, loaded cane, metallic knuckles, razor, shuriken, stun gun, or other deadly weapon of like kind, except when the person is on the person's own premises. (a1) It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his or her person any pistol or gun except in the following circumstances: (1) The person is on the person's own premises. (2) The deadly weapon is a handgun, the person has a concealed handgun permit issued in accordance with Article 54B of this Chapter or considered valid under G.S. 14-415.24, and the person is carrying the concealed handgun in accordance with the scope of the concealed handgun permit as set out in G.S. 14-415.11(c). (3) The deadly weapon is a handgun and the person is a military permittee as defined under G.S. 14-415.10(2a) who provides to the law enforcement officer proof of deployment as required under G.S. 14-415.11(a).

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ncleg.gov

Cited in 60 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. McGirt (Court of Appeals of North Carolina 1996, 122 N.C. App. 237)“…4-415.1 , and carrying a concealed weapon, in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269 . It is undisputed that on 27 October…”
State v. Mather (Court of Appeals of North Carolina 2012, 221 N.C. App. 593)“…icting him of carrying a concealed handgun in violation of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269 (al) (2011). On appeal, Defendant argue…”
State v. Mbacke (Court of Appeals of North Carolina 2011, 209 N.C. App. 35)“…to proving Defendant's intent to carry a concealed weapon, N.C. Gen.Stat. § 14-269(a1) provides that it is unlawful for "a…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: North Carolina Knife Laws (2026): Pocket Knife Rule and Schools, North Carolina Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Nebraska Revised Statutes, Chapter 13: CITIES, COUNTIES, AND OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

§ 13-330Ownership, possession, storage, transportation, sale, and transfer of firearms and other weapons; power of counties, cities, and villages; ordinance, permit, or regulation; null and voidIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(1) The Legislature finds and declares that the regulation of the ownership, possession, storage, transportation, sale, and transfer of firearms and other weapons is a matter of statewide concern. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any home rule charter, counties, cities, and villages shall not have the power to: (a) Regulate the ownership, possession, storage, transportation, sale, or transfer of firearms or other weapons, except as expressly provided by state law; or (b) Require registration of firearms or other weapons. (3) Any county, city, or village ordinance, permit, or regulation in violation of subsection (2) of this section is declared to be null and void.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at nebraskalegislature.gov

Also relied on in: Nebraska Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Nebraska Knife Laws (2026): Minors, Prohibited Persons, and Preemption

New York Penal Law

§ 265.01Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degreeIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. A person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree when: (1) He or she possesses any firearm, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, cane sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles, chuka stick, sand bag, sandclub, wrist-brace type slingshot or slungshot, shuriken, or throwing star; (2) He or she possesses any dagger, dangerous knife, dirk, machete, razor, stiletto, imitation pistol, undetectable knife or any other dangerous or deadly instrument or weapon with intent to use the same unlawfully against another; or (3); or (4) He possesses a rifle, shotgun, antique firearm, black powder rifle, black powder shotgun, or any muzzle-loading firearm, and has been convicted of a felony or serious offense; or (5) He possesses any dangerous or deadly weapon and is not a citizen of the United States; or (6) He is a person who has been certified not suitable to possess a rifle or shotgun, as defined in subdivision sixteen of section 265.00, and refuses to yield possession of such rifle or shotgun upon the demand of a…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislation.nysenate.gov

Cited in 835 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

The People v. Alexis Ocasio (New York Court of Appeals 2016, 28 N.Y.3d 178)“…criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (see Penal Law § 265.01 [1]). The accusatory instrument alleged…”
People v. Cahill (New York Court of Appeals 2003, 2 N.Y.3d 14)“…and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 265.01). As a result of the arrest and indictm…”
People v. Longshore (New York Court of Appeals 1995, 86 N.Y.2d 851)“…ts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (Penal Law § 265.01 [4] [possession of a rifle or shotgun b…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: New York Knife Laws (2026): Switchblade Ban After the Gravity Knife Repeal, New York Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Ohio Revised Code

§ 2923.12Carrying concealed weaponsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(A) No person shall knowingly carry or have, concealed on the person's person or concealed ready at hand, any of the following: (1) A deadly weapon other than a handgun; (2) A handgun other than a dangerous ordnance; (3) A dangerous ordnance.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at codes.ohio.gov

Cited in 1,193 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Butler (Ohio Supreme Court 1989, 42 Ohio St. 3d 174)“…d with the question of whether carrying a concealed weapon, R.C. 2923.12(A), 2 is a nonprobationable offense pu…”
Klein v. Leis (Ohio Supreme Court 2003, 99 Ohio St. 3d 537)“…538 {¶ 1} Appellees challenged the constitutionality of R.C. 2923.12, 2923.16, 4749.06, and 4749.10, faciall…”
State v. Gregory (Ohio Court of Appeals 1993, 90 Ohio App. 3d 124)“…1, and one count of carrying a concealed weapon pursuant to R.C. 2923.12(A). A jury trial commenced on March 15,…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Ohio Knife Laws (2026): Preemption, Schools, and Ballistic Knives, Ohio Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 9: Miscellaneous

§ 9.68Regulation of arms prohibited - challenging political subdivisionsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(A) The individual right to keep and bear arms, being a fundamental individual right that predates the United States Constitution and Ohio Constitution, and being a constitutionally protected right in every part of Ohio, the general assembly finds the need to provide uniform laws throughout the…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-31 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at codes.ohio.gov

Tennessee Code Annotated

§ 39-17-1314Preemption of local regulation of firearms, ammunition, and knives — Actions against firearms or ammunition manufacturer, trade association, or dealer — Party adversely affected by local regulation.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

(a) Except as otherwise provided by state law or as specifically provided in subsection (b), the general assembly preempts the whole field of the regulation of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms or ammunition, or combinations thereof including, but not limited to, the use, purchase,…

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2021-05-21 · Read the full text in our law library

Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2017

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Tennessee Firearms Association v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee (Court of Appeals of Tennessee 2017)“…onents of firearms or ammunition, or combinations thereof. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1314(a) (emphasis added). Goodman argued tha…”
City of Philadelphia v. Beretta U.S.A., Corp. (District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania 2000, 126 F. Supp. 2d 882)“…1289.24a (1999); S.D.Codified Laws § 21-58-2 (Michie 2000); Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-1314 (1999); Tex.Civ.Prac. &…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Tennessee Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Tennessee Knife Laws (2026): Carry, School Property, Preemption

Texas Local Government Code

§ 229.001FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; ARCHERY EQUIPMENT; KNIVES; EXPLOSIVESIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Section 43.002 of this code and Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a municipality may not adopt or enforce regulations that: (1) relate to: (A) the transfer, possession, wearing, carrying, ownership, storage, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, archery equipment, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories; (B) commerce in firearms, air guns, archery equipment, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories; or (C) the discharge of a firearm, air gun, or archery equipment at a sport shooting range; or (2) require an owner of a firearm or archery equipment to obtain liability insurance coverage for damages resulting from negligent or wilful acts involving the use of the firearm or archery equipment. (a-1) An ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy adopted or enforced by a municipality, or an official action, including in any legislative, police power, or proprietary capacity, taken by an employee or agent of a municipality in violation of this section is void.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at statutes.capitol.texas.gov

Also relied on in: Texas Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Texas Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Location-Restricted Knives

Utah Code, Title 17: Counties

§ 17-60-502Knives regulated by state.In forcecited in 2 of our articles

(1) As used in this section, "knife" means a cutting instrument that includes a sharpened or pointed blade. (2) The authority to regulate a knife is reserved to the state except where the Legislature specifically delegates responsibility to a county. (3) (a) Unless specifically authorized by the Legislature or, subject to Subsection (3)(b), a county ordinance with a criminal penalty, a county may not enact or enforce an ordinance or a regulation pertaining to a knife. (b) A county may not enact an ordinance with a criminal penalty pertaining to a knife that is: (i) more restrictive than a state criminal penalty pertaining to a knife; or (ii) has a greater criminal penalty than a state penalty pertaining to a knife.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at le.utah.gov

Also relied on in: Utah Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Schools, Preemption

Code of Virginia, Title 18.2: Crimes and Offenses Generally

§ 18.2-283.3Possession of a weapon in a hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services prohibited; penaltyIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A. As used in this section: "Developmental services" means the same as that term is defined in § 37.2-100. "Hospital" means a public or private institution licensed pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 32.1-123 et seq.) of Title 32.1 or Article 2 (§ 37.2-403 et seq.) of Chapter 4 of Title 37.2. "Location-restricted knife" means a knife with a blade over three and one-half inches. "Mental health services" means the same as that term is defined in § 37.2-100. B. It is unlawful for any person to knowingly and intentionally possess a (i) firearm, (ii) location-restricted knife, or (iii) other dangerous weapon, including explosives and stun weapons as defined in § 18.2-308.1, in the building of any hospital that provides mental health services or developmental services in the Commonwealth, including an emergency department or other facility rendering emergency medical care. Any such firearm, knife, explosive, or weapon shall be subject to seizure by a law-enforcement officer and forfeited to the Commonwealth and disposed of as provided in § 19.2-386.28. A violation of this subsection is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. C.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at law.lis.virginia.gov

Also relied on in: Virginia Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Virginia Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Stiletto Knife

Vermont Statutes Annotated, Title 13: Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Chapter 85: Weapons, Subchapter: GENERALLY

§ 4003Carrying dangerous weaponsIn forcecited in 3 of our articles

A person who carries a dangerous or deadly weapon with the intent to injure another shall be imprisoned for not more than two years or fined not more than $2,000.00, or both. It shall be a felony punishable by not more than 10 years of imprisonment or a fine of $25,000.00, or both, if the person intends to injure multiple persons. (Amended 2017, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 21, 2018.)

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.vermont.gov

Cited in 3 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2021

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Cook v. Nelson (Supreme Court of Vermont 1998, 167 Vt. 505)“…stifiably issued him a citation charging him with violating 13 V.S.A. § 4003 (carrying a firearm into a state instit…”
Vermont v. Brunner (Supreme Court of Vermont 2014, 196 Vt. 571)“…ent and broader provision regulating dangerous weapons. See 13 V.S.A. § 4003. ¶ 9. Finally, defendant argues…”
State v. Christopher D. Hale (Supreme Court of Vermont 2021, 256 A.3d 595)“…V.S.A. § 4016(a)(2), “with the intent to injure another.” 13 V.S.A. § 4003. ¶ 27. For all practical purp…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Vermont Knife Laws (2026): 2025 Switchblade Repeal, Carry, Vermont Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

§ 4013Zip gunsIn forcecited in 2 of our articles

A person who possesses, sells, or offers for sale a weapon commonly known as a “zip” gun shall be imprisoned not more than 90 days or fined not more than $100.00, or both. (Added 1959, No. 151, eff. May 5, 1959; amended 1981, No. 223 (Adj. Sess.), § 23; 2025, No. 64, § 8, eff. June 12, 2025.)

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-08-01 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legislature.vermont.gov

Revised Code of Washington

§ 9.41.250Dangerous weapons—Penalty.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

(1) Every person who: (a) Manufactures, sells, or disposes of or possesses any instrument or weapon of the kind usually known as slungshot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or spring blade knife; (b) Furtively carries with intent to conceal any dagger, dirk, pistol, or other dangerous weapon; or (c) Uses any contrivance or device for suppressing the noise of any firearm unless the suppressor is legally registered and possessed in accordance with federal law, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW. (2) "Spring blade knife" means any knife, including a prototype, model, or other sample, with a blade that is automatically released by a spring mechanism or other mechanical device, or any knife having a blade which opens, or falls, or is ejected into position by the force of gravity, or by an outward, downward, or centrifugal thrust or movement. A knife that contains a spring, detent, or other mechanism designed to create a bias toward closure of the blade and that requires physical exertion applied to the blade by hand, wrist, or arm to overcome the bias toward closure to assist in opening the knife is not a spring blade knife.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at app.leg.wa.gov

Cited in 24 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Echeverria (Court of Appeals of Washington 1997, 85 Wash. App. 777)“…count two, possession of a dangerous weapon in violation of RCW 9.41.250, in that he, "with intent to conceal su…”
State v. Myles (Washington Supreme Court 1995, 127 Wash. 2d 807)“…f unlawful possession of a dangerous weapon in violation of RCW 9.41.250. At issue is the constitutionality of t…”
State v. Wadsworth (Washington Supreme Court 2000, 139 Wash. 2d 724)“…ovided Respondent an opportunity to review RCW 9.41.300 and RCW 9.41.250. 25 After reviewing the statutes, Resp…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Washington Knife Laws (2026): Spring Blade, Intimidation Rule, Washington Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 941: Crimes Against Public Health And Safety

§ 941.23Carrying concealed weapon.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

(1) In this section: (ag) “Carry” has the meaning given in s. 175.60 (1) (ag). (ap) Notwithstanding s. 939.22 (10), “dangerous weapon” does not include a knife. (ar) “Destructive device” has the meaning given in 18 USC 921 (a) (4). (b) “Firearm silencer” has the meaning given in s. 941.298 (1). (c) “Former officer” means a person who served as a law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency before separating from law enforcement service. (d) “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning given in s. 175.49 (1) (f). (e) “Law enforcement officer” has the meaning given in s. 175.49 (1) (g). (f) “Machine gun” has the meaning given in s. 941.25 (1). (g) “Qualified out-of-state law enforcement officer” means a law enforcement officer to whom all of the following apply: 1. The person is employed by a state or local government agency in another state. 2. The agency has authorized the person to carry a firearm. 3. The person is not the subject of any disciplinary action by the agency that could result in the suspension or loss of the person’s law enforcement authority. 4.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

Cited in 34 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2022

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

State v. Cole (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2003, 264 Wis. 2d 520)“…COX, J. This case involves a constitutional challenge to Wis. Stat. § 941.23 (1999-2000), [1] the state law prohib…”
State v. Hamdan (Wisconsin Supreme Court 2003, 264 Wis. 2d 433)“…charged with carrying a concealed weapon, in violation of Wis. Stat. § 941.23 (1999-2000), [1] and convicted at a j…”
State v. Dundon (Wisconsin Supreme Court 1999, 226 Wis. 2d 654)“…in John V. Dundon, Jr.'s appeal from his conviction under Wis. Stat. § 941.23 (1995-96) 1 and from the…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Wisconsin Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Schools, Preemption, Wisconsin Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

West Virginia Code

§ 61-7-7Persons prohibited from possessing firearms; classifications; right of nonprohibited persons over 18 years of age to carry concealed deadly weapons; offenses and penalties; reinstatement of rights to possess; offenses; penalties.In forcecited in 4 of our articles

(a) Except as provided in this section, no person shall possess a firearm, as such is defined in §61-7-2 of this code, who: (1) Has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; (2) Is habitually addicted to alcohol; (3) Is an unlawful user of or habitually addicted to any controlled substance; (4) Has been adjudicated to be mentally incompetent or who has been involuntarily committed to a mental institution pursuant to the provisions of §27-1-1 et seq.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-24 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at code.wvlegislature.gov

Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

United States v. Smith (District Court, S.D. West Virginia 2010, 742 F. Supp. 2d 855)“…Va. Code § 61-7-3 , and carrying a firearm in violation of W. Va. Code § 61-7-7 . (Docket 20 at 20-21.) Count Tw…”
United States v. Juan Castillo-Rivera (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2017, 853 F.3d 218)“…es the crime domestic battery, which is 37 West Virginia W. Va. Code § 61-7-7 section twenty-eight,…”
Mach v. Garland (District Court, E.D. Kentucky 2025)“…18 U.S.C. § 925A ‘Remedy for erroneous denial of firearm’; W. Va. Code § 61-7-7(f); W. Va. Code § 61-7A-5.” Id. Howev…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: West Virginia Knife Laws (2026): Pocketknife Rule, Carry, West Virginia Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), West Virginia Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order

§ 8-12-5ALimitations upon municipalities’ power to restrict the purchase, possession, transfer, ownership, carrying, transport, sale, and storage of certain weapons and ammunition.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

(a) Neither a municipality nor the governing body of any municipality may, by ordinance or otherwise, limit the right of any person to purchase, possess, transfer, own, carry, transport, sell, or store any deadly weapon, firearm, or pepper spray, or any ammunition or ammunition components to be used therewith nor to so regulate the keeping of gunpowder so as to directly or indirectly prohibit the ownership of the ammunition in any manner inconsistent with or in conflict with state law. (b) For the purposes of this section: (1) “Deadly weapon” has the meaning provided in §61-7-2 of this code. (2) “Firearm” has the meaning provided in §61-7-2 of this code. (3) “Municipally owned or operated building” means any building that is used for the business of the municipality, such as a courthouse, city hall, convention center, administrative building, or other similar municipal building used for a municipal purpose permitted by state law: Provided, That “municipally owned or operated building” does not include a building owned by a municipality that is leased to a private entity where the municipality primarily serves as a property owner receiving rental payments.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at code.wvlegislature.gov

Wyoming Statutes, Title 6 - Crimes and Offenses - Chapter 8: Weapons - Article 4: Regulation by State

§ 6-8-401Firearm, weapon and ammunition regulation and prohibition by state.In forcecited in 3 of our articles

(a) The Wyoming legislature finds that the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right. The Wyoming legislature affirms this right as a constitutionally protected right in every part of Wyoming. (b) Repealed By Laws 2010, Ch. 108, § 3. (c) The sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use and possession of firearms, weapons and ammunition shall be authorized, regulated and prohibited by the state, and regulation thereof is preempted by the legislature of the state of Wyoming. Except as authorized by W.S. 15-1-103(a)(xviii) and 23-1-302, no state agency, city, town, county, political subdivision or any other entity shall authorize, regulate or prohibit the sale, transfer, purchase, delivery, taxation, manufacture, ownership, transportation, storage, use, carrying or possession of firearms, weapons, accessories, components or ammunition except as specifically provided by this chapter. This section shall not affect zoning or other ordinances which encompass firearms businesses along with other businesses.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-30 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at wyoleg.gov

Cited in 2 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2019

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

Merchant v. State (Wyoming Supreme Court 2000, 4 P.3d 184)“…the requisite "intent to deprive." "Deprive" is defined in Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 6-8-401 (a)(ii) (Lexis 1999): (A) To wit…”
Lyle L. Williams v. State of Wyoming ex rel., University of Wyoming Board of Trustees (Wyoming Supreme Court 2019, 2019 WY 90)“…er, after concluding that the Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act, Wyo. Stat. Ann. §§ 6-8-401 through 6-8-406 (WFFA), did not preempt…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Wyoming Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Wyoming Knife Laws (2026): Concealed Carry, Schools, Preemption

Code of Federal Regulations Title 36

§ 1.4What terms do I need to know?In forcecited in 53 of our articles

(a) The following definitions shall apply to this chapter, unless modified by the definitions for a specific part or regulation: Abandonment means the voluntary relinquishment of property with no intent to retain possession. Administrative activities means those activities conducted under the authority of the National Park Service for the purpose of safeguarding persons or property, implementing management plans and policies developed in accordance and consistent with the regulations in this chapter, or repairing or maintaining government facilities. Airboat means a vessel that is supported by the buoyancy of its hull and powered by a propeller or fan above the waterline. This definition should not be construed to mean a “hovercraft,” that is supported by a fan-generated air cushion. Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for human flight in the air, including powerless flight. Archeological resource means material remains of past human life or activities that are of archeological interest and are at least 50 years of age.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ecfr.gov

Cited in 34 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

WildEarth Guardians v. National Park Service (Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit 2013, 703 F.3d 1178)“…collect, kill, wound, or attempt to do any of the above.” 36 C.F.R. § 1.4(a). WildEarth argues that because NPS…”
Nature v. United States (District Court, E.D. California 2017, 250 F. Supp. 3d 634)“…ent, historic, parkway, recreational, or other purposes. 36 C.F.R. § 1.4 . Nature argues that the El Portal Admi…”
United States v. Knauer (District Court, E.D. New York 2010, 707 F. Supp. 2d 379)“…ng or attempting to take wildlife, except trapping. 36 C.F.R. § 1.4 (a) (in relevant part, reordered for cl…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Alabama Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Alaska Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Arkansas Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

§ 2.4Weapons, traps and nets.In forcecited in 53 of our articles

(a) None of the provisions in this section or any regulation in this chapter may be enforced to prohibit an individual from possessing a firearm, including an assembled or functional firearm, in any National Park System unit if: (1) The individual is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing the firearm; and (2) The possession of the firearm is in compliance with the law of the State in which the National Park System unit is located. (b)(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section and parts 7 (special regulations) and 13 (Alaska regulations), the following are prohibited: (i) Possessing a weapon, trap or net (ii) Carrying a weapon, trap or net (iii) Using a weapon, trap or net (2) Weapons, traps or nets may be carried, possessed or used: (i) At designated times and locations in park areas where: (A) The taking of wildlife is authorized by law in accordance with § 2.2 of this chapter; (B) The taking of fish is authorized by law in accordance with § 2.3 of this part. (ii) When used for target practice at designated times and at facilities or locations designed and constructed specifically for this purpose and designated pursuant to special regulations.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at ecfr.gov

Cited in 26 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2024

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

United States v. Masciandaro (Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2011, 638 F.3d 458)“…motor vehicle within a national park area, in violation of 36 C.F.R. § 2.4(b). He challenges his con- viction on t…”
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence v. Salazar (District Court, District of Columbia 2009, 612 F. Supp. 2d 1)“…eady use.” 48 Fed.Reg. 30,252 (June 30, 1983), codified at 36 C.F.R. § 2.4 (a)(2). A similar regulation applied to…”
United States v. Otis Lofton, United States of America v. Otis Lofton (Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit 2000, 233 F.3d 313)“…l Park Service. See 36 C.F.R. § 1.2 (2000); 36 C.F.R. § 2.4 (2000). Lofton’s conviction was affirm…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: Pennsylvania Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), California Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), Connecticut Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

United States Code Title 18

§ 930Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilitiesIn forcecited in 55 of our articles

Except as provided in subsection (d), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility), or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. Whoever, with intent that a firearm or other dangerous weapon be used in the commission of a crime, knowingly possesses or causes to be present such firearm or dangerous weapon in a Federal facility, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. A person who kills any person in the course of a violation of subsection (a) or (b), or in the course of an attack on a Federal facility involving the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be punished as provided in sections 1111, 1112, 1113, and 1117.

Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-28 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov

Cited in 90 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026

Opinions citing this section in our collection:

United States v. Odeh (Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit 2008, 552 F.3d 93)“…f an attack on a U.S. facility in Nairobi, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 930 (c) (Counts 9-221); murder of U.S. offi…”
Kawaljeet Tagore v. USA (Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 2013, 735 F.3d 324)“…statutory ban on weapons with blades exceeding 2.5 inches. 18 U.S.C. § 930(a), (g)(2).…”
Heller v. District of Columbia (Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit 2015, 801 F.3d 264)“…universally prohibited from possessing firearms. See, e.g., 18 U.S.C. § 930(a), (g)(1) (unlawful to “knowingly poss…”

Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.

Also relied on in: North Dakota Knife Laws (2026): The 6-Inch Rule and Licensing, Delaware Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026), DC Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

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Sources and References

15 U.S.C. § 1241(b) (Definitions: switchblade knife)(law.cornell.edu)
15 U.S.C. § 1242 (Interstate commerce in switchblade knives prohibited)(uscode.house.gov).gov
15 U.S.C. § 1243 (Possession, manufacture, or sale of switchblade knives in Territories and possessions of the United States)(law.cornell.edu)
15 U.S.C. § 1244 (Exceptions, including the 2009 assisted-opening carve-out at (5))(law.cornell.edu)
15 U.S.C. § 1245 (Ballistic knives)(law.cornell.edu)
18 U.S.C. § 930 (Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities; pocket knife exclusion under 2.5 inches)(law.cornell.edu)
TSA "What Can I Bring" -- Knives(tsa.gov).gov
36 CFR 2.4 (National Park Service weapons, traps and nets ban; no item types named in the operative text)(law.cornell.edu)
36 CFR 1.4 (Definitions; "weapon" includes one prohibited under the law of the state where the park area is located)(law.cornell.edu)
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3102 (Concealed deadly weapon offense; pocket-knife exception)(azleg.gov).gov
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 13-3120 (Statewide knife preemption)(azleg.gov).gov
Ark. Code Ann. § 5-73-120 (Carrying a weapon; intent element)(law.justia.com)
Iowa Code § 708.8 (Going armed with intent)(legis.iowa.gov).gov
Iowa Code § 724.28 (Statewide preemption of local weapons regulation, including knives)(legis.iowa.gov).gov
13 V.S.A. § 4003 (Carrying dangerous weapons; intent element)(legislature.vermont.gov).gov
13 V.S.A. § 4013 (2025 repeal of the switchblade blade-length statute)(legislature.vermont.gov).gov
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 500.080(4)(c) (Deadly weapon definition excludes an ordinary pocket or hunting knife)(apps.legislature.ky.gov).gov
Ohio Rev. Code § 2923.12 (Carrying concealed weapons; knife excluded unless used as a weapon)(codes.ohio.gov).gov
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269 (Carrying concealed weapons; ordinary pocket knife exemption)(law.justia.com)
RSMo § 571.010(12) (Ordinary pocketknife excluded from the statutory "knife" definition below 4 inches)(revisor.mo.gov).gov
Mass. Gen. Laws c.269, § 10(b) (Carrying dangerous weapons)(malegislature.gov).gov
Commonwealth v. Canjura, 494 Mass. 508 (SJC-13432, decided 2024-08-27)(courtlistener.com)
N.Y. Penal Law § 265.01 (Criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree; gravity knife removed 2019)(legislation.nysenate.gov).gov
Cal. Penal Code § 16590 (Generally prohibited weapons, including the ballistic knife)(leginfo.legislature.ca.gov).gov
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-12-102 (Ballistic knife banned as an illegal weapon)(law.justia.com)
Fla. Stat. § 790.225 (Ballistic self-propelled knives banned)(leg.state.fl.us).gov
720 ILCS 5/24-1 (Switchblade, ballistic knife, and throwing star ban)(ilga.gov).gov
Ind. Code § 35-47-5-2 (Ballistic-style detachable-blade knife ban)(iga.in.gov).gov
Iowa Code § 724.1(1)(d) (Ballistic knife ban)(legis.iowa.gov).gov
11 Del. C. § 1446 (Repealed switchblade statute) and 24 Del. C. § 901 (Still-current switchblade possession and sale ban)(delcode.delaware.gov).gov
O.C.G.A. § 16-11-136 (Statewide knife preemption)(law.justia.com)
O.C.G.A. § 16-11-126 (Permitless carry since SB 319, 2022) and § 16-11-127.1 (School safety zone knife offense)(legis.ga.gov).gov
Idaho Code § 18-3327 ("Consistency in knife regulation," statewide knife preemption with named exceptions)(legislature.idaho.gov).gov
Idaho Code § 18-3302J (Firearms-only preemption statute, distinct from § 18-3327)(legislature.idaho.gov).gov
Wyo. Stat. § 6-8-401 (Firearm, weapon and ammunition regulation; preemption)(law.justia.com)
18 Pa.C.S. § 908 (Offensive weapons; 2022 Act 119 amendment removed automatic-knife language)(legis.state.pa.us).gov
S.C. Code § 16-23-460 (Repealed 2024 by the Constitutional Carry Act, Act No. 111)(scstatehouse.gov).gov
La. R.S. § 14:95(M) (2024 exemption for adults 18 and older from the concealment offense)(legis.la.gov).gov
Tex. Penal Code §§ 46.01, 46.02, 46.03, 46.05 (2017 HB 1935 blade-length "location-restricted knife" model)(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
Tex. Loc. Gov't Code § 229.001 (Statewide knife preemption)(statutes.capitol.texas.gov).gov
Wis. Stat. § 941.23 (Knife excluded from the general concealed-weapons statute) and § 941.231 (Felon-specific concealed knife ban)(docs.legis.wisconsin.gov).gov
RCW 9.41.250 (Spring blade and gravity knife ban, with assisted-opening exemption)(app.leg.wa.gov).gov
Alaska Stat. § 29.35.145 (Statewide reservation of knife and firearm regulation to the state)(akleg.gov).gov
K.S.A. § 12-16,134 (Statewide knife preemption, effective 2014-07-01)(ksrevisor.gov).gov
MCA § 45-8-352 (Restriction on local government regulation of knives)(leg.mt.gov).gov
21 O.S. § 1289.24 (Statewide preemption reaching knives)(oscn.net).gov
Utah Code § 17-60-502 (County-level statewide knife preemption)(le.utah.gov).gov
W. Va. Code § 8-12-5a (Statewide preemption reaching deadly weapons, including knives)(code.wvlegislature.gov).gov
Ohio Rev. Code § 9.68 (Uniform firearms law preemption; knives added effective 2022-09-13 by SB 156)(codes.ohio.gov).gov
W. Va. Code § 61-7-7 (Permitless concealed carry of a deadly weapon for a qualifying adult 18 or older)(code.wvlegislature.gov).gov
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 13-330 (Statewide preemption of local regulation of firearms or other weapons, including knives)(nebraskalegislature.gov).gov
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 159:26 (Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives; Authority of the State)(gencourt.state.nh.us).gov
N.J.S.A. 2C:1-5(d) (General Criminal Code preemption of a conflicting local ordinance)(law.justia.com)
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-1314(f) (Statewide preemption expressly reaching knives)(law.justia.com)
N.M. Const. art. II, § 6 (Constitutional bar on local regulation of an incident of the right to keep and bear arms)(law.justia.com)
Va. Code § 18.2-283.3 (2026: location-restricted knife over 3.5 inches banned in a mental-health hospital)(law.lis.virginia.gov).gov
RSMo § 571.020.1(6)(d) (Switchblade clause applies only when possession also violates federal law)(revisor.mo.gov).gov
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269.6 (Outright ban on a spring-loaded projectile knife or ballistic knife, reaching law enforcement too)(law.justia.com)