What blade length is legal to carry?
Updated 2026-09-08
There is no national blade-length limit in the US. Three inches is the most common line drawn by city and county ordinances, which is why manufacturers cluster models just under it — but the rule that binds you is local, and some jurisdictions measure the whole blade while others measure only the sharpened edge.
The number is local, not federal
Federal law governs importing and interstate sale, not what is in your pocket. Carry rules are set by states, and frequently overridden by cities and counties on top of that. A knife that is unremarkable in one county can be a misdemeanour twenty minutes down the road.
Blade length and cutting edge are different numbers
Manufacturers are inconsistent: some publish the full blade from tip to handle, others publish only the sharpened portion, and those can differ by a quarter-inch or more. That is the margin an ordinance is decided on. Where a maker publishes both, we list both — and where sources disagree, we publish neither rather than pick one.
The lock can matter more than the length
Several jurisdictions regulate the mechanism rather than the size. Automatic (switchblade) knives are the most restricted; assisted-opening knives sit in a grey area in some states; non-locking slip joints are the most permissive category almost everywhere, which is a large part of why traditional patterns have never gone away.
What to do about it
Read your own state statute and then your city code — both, in that order. If you want to stay under a three-inch line, our under-3-inch guide lists every folder in the catalog that does, with the manufacturer's published measurement for each.
This is general information, not legal advice. Knife law changes and varies by state, county and city — verify your own before carrying.