Can You Carry a Knife on You in Texas? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Carry a Knife on You in Texas? ›

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.

The castle doctrine in Texas is a combination of Texas Penal Codes 9.31 and 9.32 and it states that a person may use deadly force against an intruder if they have reason to believe their home or car is under attack. This includes the right to draw a knife or any other weapon for self-defense.

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.

However, for blades longer than 5.5”, it's still illegal to carry into a restricted area like a courthouse, police station, school, government facility, hospital, church, amusem*nt park, sporting event, or polling place.

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.

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.

If you're considering carrying a knife for self-protection, you MUST begin by learning the applicable laws in your area. Otherwise, you could be starting off a self-defense situation by violating the law yourself. Generally, a short-bladed (2 or 3 inches) pocketknife is legal virtually everywhere.

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.

The following firearms and ammunition are prohibited in Texas, unless they are validly registered under federal law: Machine guns. Short-barrel firearms. Armor-piercing ammunition.

However, a number of knives are still classed as totally illegal due to their capability to inflict serious harm and trauma such as Trench knives with knuckle dusters, axes or tomahawks.

Can you open carry in TX? ›

People in Texas carrying a handgun that is partially or wholly visible must carry it in a holster. Before the law changed in 2021, people in Texas needed to have a license to openly carry a handgun and they needed to carry their handgun in a "shoulder or belt holster." Now, a license is not required to carry openly.

In Texas, felons are not allowed to possess a weapon for 5 years following either conviction or release from prison, whichever is later. After that 5-year period, it is legal for felons to possess weapons in their own homes, but felons are not allowed to possess weapons anywhere else.

California, for example, prohibits blades over 4 inches long in most public buildings, and blades over 2.5 inches long on school campuses. Los Angeles has its own, more restrictive laws, setting the maximum open carry blade length for the entire city at 3 inches.

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.

A switchblade (also known as switch knife, automatic knife, pushbutton knife, ejector knife, flick knife, gravity knife, flick blade, or spring knife) is a pocketknife with a sliding or pivoting blade contained in the handle which is extended automatically by a spring when a button, lever, or switch on the handle or ...

Knives: Blades under 5.5 inches are legal to carry openly or concealed for adults. However, larger blades or those designed for fighting may be considered illegal weapons. Other Impact Weapons: Texas law allows for carrying clubs, nightsticks, brass knuckles, and even tomahawks for self-defense.

Texas law gives people the right to defend themselves, others in harm's way, their possessions and their private spaces (home, office or workplace). People can sometimes use deadly force when they consider it “reasonable” in response to crimes like sexual assault, robbery or murder.

The key words there are defend *himself* and/or a third party. So, if they pulled a weapon on you, for example, and you thought you were going to be severely injured or killed, then pulling a knife could be self-defense. But you can't just pull a weapon over a verbal dispute. That could be considered a crime.

While you're defending yourself, yell/scream at your assailant to draw attention to your location, so passersby can interject. Use your head, knees and elbows where you can. These are the hardest parts of your body, so will provide the most impact (if used efficiently). Remember: the objective is to run away.