Are Switchblades Legal in Texas (Updated 2023) - Martinez Law (2024)

FAQs

Are Switchblades Legal in Texas (Updated 2023) - Martinez Law? ›

In the State of Texas, it is completely legal to sell, repair, transport, and possess switchblades.

In Texas, it is legal to defend yourself with a knife if you are in fear of imminent harm or death. You are also allowed to use deadly force if there is an immediate threat of serious injury or death and it is proportionate to the threat posed against you.

Specifically, if a switchblade has a blade two inches or more in length, it is a crime to: Possess the knife in the passenger's or driver's area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the public, Carry the switchblade upon your person, or.

Although Texans are allowed to walk down the street with a katana, it is illegal to bring blades larger than 5.5 inches to the following locations: Knives of any blade length can be taken anywhere, with a few exceptions.

Switchblade knives are legal to carry, use, and manufacture in Texas as of Sept. 1, 2020. Since the 1950s, it has been illegal to own or use a switchblade knife in the state of Texas.

In the State of Texas, it is completely legal to sell, repair, transport, and possess switchblades. In 2017, Texas removed the category of “illegal knives” from House Bill 1935, thereby making it legal to possess and carry switchblades and other types of knives.

Texas Penal Code 46.01 defined an illegal knife as a knife with a blade over five and one-half inches in length, a hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown, a dagger, dirk, stiletto, poniard, bowie knife, sword, or spear.

Texas allows adults and juveniles under 18 to carry knives with blades shorter than 5.5 inches anywhere in the state. Adults may carry knives longer than 5.5 inches in most places aside from restricted locations like courthouses, government buildings, and schools.

For adults age 18 and over, it is lawful to carry a knife in most places throughout Texas, whether open or concealed carry. As the name suggests, however, “location-restricted knives” are prohibited from being carried in certain locations.

A few states, among them Delaware, Hawaii, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York, prohibit sale, transfer, ownership or possession of automatic knives or switchblades as deadly or prohibited weapons, while others such as New Hampshire and Arizona have no restrictions on sale, ownership, possession, or carry (with some ...

What counts as a switchblade knife? ›

If there is nothing blocking the blade and it stays closed, the knife is an assisted opener (assuming it has a mechanism to help open the knife). Another way to look at it: If you are able to open the blade without exerting any effort on the actual blade, it's a switchblade.

Although referred to as the Federal Switchblade Act, the Federal definition of a switchblade also includes gravity knives and butterfly (Bali-Song) knives.

Texas allows adults and juveniles under 18 to carry knives with blades shorter than 5.5 inches anywhere in the state. Adults may carry knives longer than 5.5 inches in most places aside from restricted locations like courthouses, government buildings, and schools.

46.02) in Texas. BOTTOM LINE Summary: Any adult can carry any knife legal to possess anywhere as long as it is not over five and a half (5.5) inches. You can carry longer knives almost everywhere, except as noted below. There is no separate rule for concealed carry, you may carry open or concealed, however you want.

Texans are now free to carry certain self-defense weapons without fear of criminal prosecution. Thanks to House Bill (HB) 446, which took effect on September 1^st, it's now legal for Texans to carry brass knuckles, clubs, and wild kat keychains (also known as “kitty keychains”).

Texas allows adults and juveniles under 18 to carry knives with blades shorter than 5.5 inches anywhere in the state. Adults may carry knives longer than 5.5 inches in most places aside from restricted locations like courthouses, government buildings, and schools.

Texas Penal Code 46.01 defined an illegal knife as a knife with a blade over five and one-half inches in length, a hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown, a dagger, dirk, stiletto, poniard, bowie knife, sword, or spear.

In 2017 our bill removed all of the “illegal knives” in Texas law, finally allowing Texans the right to carry a Bowie knife, dagger and others in public. In 2019 our bill removed the ban on carry of clubs (including tomahawks) and possession of knuckles (including trench knives and the like).

There are no laws or restrictions in Texas for carrying a knife with a blade length less than 5.5 inches. The law specifically referring to daggers, dirks, stilettos, poniards, Bowie knives, swords, switchblade knives, and spears as illegal knives was removed in 2017.