The US is based upon federalism and, for that reason, laws are created at the federal, state, and municipal level. With regards to knife law, this makes things particularly tricky since a certain knife can be legal in one state and illegal in the next as well as legal in one county and illegal in the neighboring county. Knife laws are fairly fluid and it seems they change more often than most of us would believe. Here at knifeUp we do our best to stay current with our concise legal summary of what is permitted and what is not allowed in our state by state guide to statutes concerning the ownership and transportation (carrying) of knives.

For more details on your state’s knife laws, check out KnifeUp’s knife law guide for all 50 states. KnifeUp also has great review articles on such things as the best survival knives, best pocket knives, and the best machete.