Knife Laws in California I Bail Hotline (2024)

FAQs

What is the new knife law in California? ›

Knives That Are Legal Carried Openly or Concealed

Folding knives are legal in California as long as they are closed and not used in a threatening manner. This includes Swiss army knives, box cutters, pocket knives, etc.

Bottom Line on California Knife Laws

No concealed carry of knives with blades over 2 inches. Only pocket knives, not fixed blades, can be carried concealed. Open carry of fixed blades on your belt is legal if less than 5 inches. Switchblades, daggers, cane swords, and other exotic knives are illegal.

A: In California, you can legally purchase, own, transport, and carry any knife that is not restricted under the law. California's open carry law states that the hilt or handle of a knife can't be hidden or concealed. This includes if the hilt is hidden underneath clothing or in the blade's sheath.

If you are a felon and you are carrying a knife in California, you must have a valid permit from the California Department of Justice. You must also carry the permit with you when you are carrying the knife.

Deployment: Switchblades can be opened extremely quickly with one hand. Folding knives require two hands for deliberate opening. Locks: Folding knives have locking mechanisms to keep the blade open. Switchblades use spring tension rather than locks.

Given this definition, a “spring assisted knife” may fall outside of the definition of switchblade under California law. A violation of California's switchblade laws is a misdemeanor offense.

A dirk or dagger is a knife or other instrument with or without a handguard that is capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury or death. Most pocketknives and folding knives are not considered to be dirks or daggers unless the blade of the knife is exposed and locked into position.

Openly carrying loaded or unloaded firearms in public is generally prohibited in California. However, the sheriff of any county with a population under 200,000 people, or the chief of police of a city within that county, may issue licenses to carry a loaded, exposed handgun.

A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger. Historically, it gained its name from the Highland dirk (Scottish Gaelic dearg) where it was a personal weapon of officers engaged in naval hand-to-hand combat during the Age of Sail as well as the personal sidearm of Highlanders.

Knives That Can Be Openly Carried or Concealed

California law allows people to conceal or openly carry folding knives, like Swiss Army knives, as long as they are folded and in a closed position. Folding knives may include switchblades, pocket knives, and certain utility knives.

Can you use a knife for self-defense in California? ›

As discussed above, you may use a legal knife in self-defense as long you believe it is reasonably necessary and you use reasonable force.

Concealed carry of a knife is generally legal unless it's a dangerous weapon like a switchblade, and intent to use it unlawfully can make possession illegal.

On the other hand, pursuant to California Penal Code Section 21310, some knives must be carried in plain view. This means that they cannot be carried in public while being stowed away in a pocket, purse, backpack, or other bag. Instead, they can only be worn on the carrier's waist in a sheath.

Convicted felons cannot carry pepper spray or tear gas-type weapons, and you cannot carry any TASER-type weapons. After you are off parole, you can carry a folding knife in your pocket or a fixed-blade knife in a sheath in plain sight (open carry). You can also apply to have your rights restored.

This is legal in CA. The rule is: auto under 2" is fine, spring assisted is fine, BUT the primary opening mechanism must have you touching the blade in some way. That means flipper tabs and thumb studs are fine, but pushing a button to open is not.

California Penal Code Section 17235 legally describes a "switchblade knife" as a knife with an appearance of a pocketknife with a blade two or more inches that can be released automatically with a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, or just a flip of the wrist.

It is generally illegal in California to carry firearms in public, regardless of whether they are loaded or unloaded, openly carried or concealed. That said, there is an exception that allows counties with populations of less than 200,000 to issue licenses to people to open-carry loaded handguns (not long guns).