The only knife that is a NO for Louisiana is the switchblades or automatic knives. There is no restriction for concealed carry knives too except for the switchblades.
Otherwise, knife laws in Louisiana are not that tough to remember. We are going to provide you the laws with the detailed.
Knives that are Legal in Louisiana
According to the knife laws in Louisiana, all knives are legal for carrying openly or concealed and even owning except for the switchblades or automatic knives.
- All sorts of pocket knives are legal.
- Bowie knives are legal.
- Balisong knives and butterfly knives are legal.
- All sorts of undetectable knives are legal.
- Throwing stars and throwing knives and all kind of martial arts’ weapons are legal.
- Knives that are disguised under lipstick, pen, cane, belt etc. are legal.
- Dirks, daggers, and stilettos are legal.
- Ballistic knives and other double-edged knives are legal.
Louisiana has got all these dangerous/deadly knives such as dirks, daggers, ballistic knives, throwing stars etc. as the legal ones which are different from the most other states.
What does the Law say about the Illegality of the Switchblades?
What does the Law say about the Illegality of the Switchblades?
Code RS 14:95– Illegal carrying of weapons (4) (a) indicates the switchblade and other automatic knives completely as the illegal ones. Manufacturing, owning, possession or any other usage of switchblades, spring knives or other automatic knives are illegal.
(4)(a) “The manufacture, ownership, possession, custody or use of any switchblade knife, spring knife or other knife or similar instrument having a blade which may be automatically unfolded or extended from a handle by the manipulation of a button, switch, latch or similar contrivance located on the handle.”
Exception
Any knife that opens by manual pressure with one hand will not be illegal. Any knife opens through inertia produced by the hand is not illegal either. For example, gravity knives open by means of inertia.
Code RS 14:95- Illegal carrying of weapons (4) (b) says the exceptions to the laws mentioned above in (4) (a).
“(b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to the following:
(i) Any knife that may be opened with one hand by manual pressure applied to the blade or any projection of the blade.
(ii) Any knife that may be opened by means of inertia produced by the hand, wrist, or other movements, provided the knife has either a detent or other structure that provides resistance that shall be overcome in opening or initiating the opening movement of the blade or a bias or spring load toward the closed position.”
“Rescue knives with the exceptions”
“Rescue knives” mean a folding knife (like camping,spyderco knife) opens readily and easily with one hand and which has one blade or more. The blade of a rescue knife should not exceed five inches in length.
Don’t get confused. Switchblades and rescue knives are not the same though.
Those selected persons who get the permission for the ownership of the rescue knives are,
- Commissioned full-time law enforcement officers.
- Retired commissioned full-time law enforcement officers.
- Merchants who own the knives to offer for sale to commissioned full-time law enforcement officers.
Code RS 14:95- Illegal carrying of weapons (J) says about the rescue knives’ usage for the selected persons in the particular situation mentioned in the laws below.
“(J). The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the ownership of rescue knives by commissioned full-time law enforcement officers. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the carrying of rescue knives by commissioned full-time law enforcement officers who are in the actual discharge of their official duties.
The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the sale of rescue knives to commissioned full-time law enforcement officers. The provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the ownership or possession of rescue knives by merchants who own or possess the knives solely as inventory to be offered for sale to commissioned full-time law enforcement officers.
As used in this Subsection, a “rescue knife” is a folding knife, which can be readily and easily opened with one hand and which has at least one blade which is designed to be used to free individuals who are trapped by automobile seat belts, or at least one blade which is designed for a similar purpose. No blade of a rescue knife shall exceed five inches in length.”
Blade Size
There is no fixed blade size for any particular knife to become illegal for. You can carry any legal knife with any blade size you want.
Age Limitation
There is no age limitation for knife-ownership either. But 18 is an ideal age for carrying or possessing weapons as well as deadly or dangerous weapons in almost all states.
Knife Laws in Schools
Carrying knives on school premises is illegal. Carrying a dangerous knife by a student or an outsider or non-student on school premises and on a school function is unlawful. Here non-student means any person not registered in that school or a student who does not have a permit to be on the school campus.
Possession of any dangerous knife on a school campus, on school transportation or bus or any places within one thousand feet of any school premises, is also illegal.
The code 14:95.2 says about “Carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a student or nonstudent on school property, at school-sponsored functions, or in a firearm-free zone.”
- “Carrying a firearm, or dangerous weapon as defined in R.S. 14:2, by a student or nonstudent on school property, at a school sponsored function, or in a firearm-free zone is unlawful and shall be defined as possession of any firearm or dangerous weapon, on one’s person, at any time while on a school campus, on school transportation, or at any school sponsored function in a specific designated area including but not limited to athletic competitions, dances, parties, or any extracurricular activities, or within one thousand feet of any school campus.”
Sum up to the knife laws in Louisiana
Knife laws in Louisiana are pretty relaxing. Switchblades or automatic knives are considered as one of the most dangerous weapons in other states. Louisiana has got these sorts of knives illegal or prohibited too.
Other dangerous knives such as throwing stars, dirks, daggers etc. are also illegal in most other states whereas Louisiana is friendly for these sorts of knives.
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