Switchblade Legal States 2025

State
Legal to Own
Legal to Sell
Open Carry
Concealed Carry
Balisong Considered Same
Alabama Flag
AlabamaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Alaska Flag
AlaskaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Arizona Flag
ArizonaLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier age is 21+
Arkansas Flag
ArkansasLegalLegalLegalLegal
California Flag
CaliforniaLegalLegal if blade is < 2"Legal if blade is < 2"Legal if blade is < 2"
Colorado Flag
ColoradoLegalLegalLegalLegal if blade is < 3.5"
Connecticut Flag
ConnecticutLegalLegalLegal if blade is ≤ 1.5"Legal if blade is ≤ 1.5"
Delaware Flag
DelawareIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
District of Columbia Flag
District of ColumbiaIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
Florida Flag
FloridaLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier has gun carry permit
Georgia Flag
GeorgiaLegalLegal (if over 18)Legal if blade is ≤ 5" (any length with gun carry permit)Legal if blade is ≤ 5" (any length with gun carry permit)
Hawaii Flag
HawaiiIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
Idaho Flag
IdahoLegalLegalLegalLegal if blade is ≤4"
Illinois Flag
IllinoisLegal with FOID CardLegalLegal with FOID CardLegal with FOID Card
Indiana Flag
IndianaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Iowa Flag
IowaLegalLegalLegalLegal if blade is ≤5"
Kansas Flag
KansasLegalLegalLegalLegal
Kentucky Flag
KentuckyLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier has gun carry permit
Louisiana Flag
LouisianaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Maine Flag
MaineLegalLegalLegalIllegal
Maryland Flag
MarylandLegalIllegalLegalLegal if carrier has gun carry permit
Massachusetts Flag
MassachusettsLegalLegal if blade is ≤ 1.5"Legal if blade is ≤ 1.5"Legal if blade is ≤ 1.5"
Michigan Flag
MichiganLegalLegalVagueVague
Minnesota Flag
MinnesotaIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
Mississippi Flag
MississippiLegalLegalLegalIllegal
Missouri Flag
MissouriLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier has gun carry permit
Montana Flag
MontanaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Nebraska Flag
NebraskaLegalLegalLegalLegal if blade is ≤ 3.5"
Nevada Flag
NevadaLegalLegalLegalLegal
New Hampshire Flag
New HampshireLegalLegalLegalLegal
New Jersey Flag
New JerseyVagueIllegalIllegalIllegal
New Mexico Flag
New MexicoIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
New York Flag
New YorkVagueIllegalIllegalIllegal
North Carolina Flag
North CarolinaLegalLegalLegalIllegal
North Dakota Flag
North DakotaLegalLegalLegalIllegal
Ohio Flag
OhioLegalLegalLegalLegal
Oklahoma Flag
OklahomaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Oregon Flag
OregonLegalLegalLegalIllegal
Pennsylvania Flag
PennsylvaniaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Rhode Island Flag
Rhode IslandLegalLegalLegalLegal if blade is ≤ 3"
South Carolina Flag
South CarolinaLegalLegalLegalLegal
South Dakota Flag
South DakotaLegalLegalLegalLegal
Tennessee Flag
TennesseeLegalLegalLegalLegal
Texas Flag
TexasLegalLegalLegalLegal
Utah Flag
UtahLegalLegalLegalSituational
Vermont Flag
VermontLegal if blade is < 3"Legal if blade is < 3"Legal if blade is < 3"Legal if blade is < 3"
Virginia Flag
VirginiaLegalLegalLegalIllegal
Washington Flag
WashingtonIllegalIllegalIllegalIllegal
West Virginia Flag
West VirginiaLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier age is 21+
Wisconsin Flag
WisconsinLegalLegalLegalLegal if carrier can legally possess a firearm)
Wyoming Flag
WyomingLegalLegalLegalSituational
  • A balisong is a type of foldable knife, better known in the US as a butterfly knife, which is sometimes regulated alongside switchblades (also known as automatic or OTF knives) and sometimes regulated separately.
  • Michigan’s ban on switchblades was repealed as of Oct. 10, 2017. However, the legality of carrying a switchblade, either openly or concealed, is murky due to legal language regarding “other dangerous weapons”.
  • New Jersey allows possession of a switchblade for an “explainable lawful purpose”, but fails to provide any examples of such a purpose, thereby rendering switchblades effectively illegal.
  • New York law allows possession of a switchblade is the holder is hunting, fishing, or trapping with a valid license—however, the law says nothing regarding the legality of carrying or selling switchblades.
  • Pennsylvania removed restrictions on switchblades as of January 2023.

Sources

  1. Wiki Dot