Knife laws in Delaware are quite strict but straightforward, where some knives are totally banned. Here, concealment of a dangerous knife is an important factor.
Unlike Connecticut, there are no options in Delaware to own a particular knife if that is illegal to carry outside.
In Delaware, some knives are completely banned- for carrying, selling, owning and even displaying. Other than that, knife laws in Delaware are not that tricky.
Completely banned/forbidden knives in Delaware
Knife laws in Delaware clarify, those knives which are illegal, are not only illegal or forbidden to carry but also forbidden as well as banned everywhere. Selling, owning and even displaying of those knives are also banned in Delaware.
According to Delaware knife laws, these dangerous knives are,
- Switchblades and Gravity knives are banned
- Martial arts weapons such as nunchaku and throwing stars are banned
- Brass knuckles are banned
- Undetectable knives that are made from full transparency to a metal detector.
The code 11 Del. C. § 1446, 1446A, 1452 & 1453 (2012) says about the banned knives in Delaware. These are mentioned below:
1446- “A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a switchblade knife when the person sells, offers for sale or has in possession a knife, the blade of which is released by a spring mechanism or by gravity.” (Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-1446.html)
1446A-(a) “Any person in this state who commercially manufactures or causes to be commercially manufactured, or who knowingly imports into the state for commercial sale, keeps for commercial sale, or offers or exposes for commercial sale, or who possesses any undetectable knife is guilty of a class G felony.” (Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-1446a.html)
1452- “A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a knuckles-combination knife when the person sells, offers for sale or has in possession a knife, the blade of which is supported by a knuckle ring grip handle.” (Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-1452.html)
1453- “A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a martial arts throwing star when the person sells, offers for sale or has in possession a sharp metal throwing star.” (Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-1453.html)
Concealment of a dangerous/illegal knife is a big issue
Concealing a deadly or dangerous weapon is illegal. For concealing a knife, you need to have a permit or a license of that particular knife. Otherwise, you will be safe and won’t be charged.
You can defend yourself if you have,
a) a permit or a license.
b) the license expired.
c) already applied for renewal of the license.
The code 11 Dei.C. § 1442 says about the concealment and the defense against it if charged. (Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-1442.html)
“A person is guilty of carrying a concealed deadly weapon when the person carries concealed a deadly weapon upon or about the person without a license to do so as provided by 1441 § of this title.
Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is a class G felony, unless the deadly weapon is a firearm, in which case it is a class D felony.
It shall be a defense that the defendant has been issued an otherwise valid license to carry a concealed deadly weapon pursuant to terms of 1441 § of this title, where:
(1) The license has expired,
(2) The person had applied for renewal of the said license within the allotted time frame prior to the expiration of the license, and
(3) The offense is alleged to have occurred while the application for renewal of said license was pending before the court.”
Blade size of a pocket knife is a matter here
Concealing a deadly weapon or a knife is a crime and it is also a crime concealing a pocket knife over 3 inches of blade size.
Knife laws in Delaware clearly indicate the size of the blade (especially for pocket knives) in 11 Dei.C. § 222(5).
“222(5)- ‘Deadly weapon’ includes a ‘firearm’, as defined in paragraph
(12) of this section, a bomb, a knife of any sort (other than an ordinary pocketknife carried in a closed position), switchblade knife, Billy, blackjack, bludgeon, metal knuckles, slingshot, razor, bicycle chain or ice pick or any ‘dangerous instrument’, as defined in paragraph
(4) of this section, which is used, or attempted to be used, to cause death or serious physical injury.
For the purpose of this definition, an ordinary pocketknife shall be a folding knife having a blade not more than 3 inches in length.”
(Source: http://codes.findlaw.com/de/title-11-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/de-code-sect-11-222.html)
Schools and other educational institutions are knife free zone
Like other states, any dangerous or deadly weapons or knives are not allowed in kindergarten, schools, universities and other educational institutions.
Knives that are Legal in Delaware
Most of the knives are legal to carry, own and sell in Delaware (except some).
Legal knives are,
- Pocket knife, push knife, the lock-blade knife is legal.
- Dirk, dagger, and stilettos are legal.
- Bowie knife, Balisong knife is legal
- The throwing knife is legal.
- Belt knife, lipstick knife, pen knife, cane knife is legal.
To sum up to the knife laws in Delaware
Most of the knives are legal here where in other states, those knives were illegal. So, the knife laws change depending on the circumstance of a particular state.
In a nutshell, the knife laws in Delaware clarify thoroughly about the banned knives, concealment issue, blade size and other restrictions of knives.
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