Does Carrying Bowie Knives Require a Permit?

Dec 21
20:17

2009

Dave Sabot

Dave Sabot

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Before you purchase that bowie knife, you might have a few questions that you want answered. One of the most frequently asked questions about these knives is whether or not you need a permit to own one.

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Do you have to have a permit if you keep your bowie knife at home? Do you need a permit if you will use it on a hunting trip? These questions are vital,Does Carrying Bowie Knives Require a Permit? Articles but the answers might be far from enlightening.

First, you do not need a permit to own a bowie knife. You can own such a knife and keep it in your home wherever you might wish. This is your legal right under the law. However, should you choose to take your knife outside of your home, you will find that things become a bit different. Before you strap that bowie knife to your hip and venture out to the hardware store, it's best that you do a little bit of online research. Different states have very different laws governing what knives can be taken into public and whether or not you need to have a license.

How do you know if you can carry bowie knives in public? The Internet is your most powerful tool in this case. Every US state has its own website, where you will find listed the laws governing firearms and bladed weapons. These laws will give you a broad overview of your rights and responsibilities where bowie knives, balisongs, dirks and daggers are concerned. However, your state's laws are not the only consideration that you will have to make. In some states, the laws of counties or cities supersede those of the state in some instances.

Take Arizona for example. Arizona state law allows you to carry bowie knives on your person in public, so long as the knife is not concealed (concealed carry requires a permit). However, the laws of many Arizona counties and cities prohibit the carrying of these knives, as well as many other weapons. Therefore, you should check the laws of your local area (a quick call to the sheriff's office will suffice in most cases).

So, before you venture out of your home with that bowie knife, you need to know the lay of the land, so to speak (or the law of the land, as the case may be). Basic research can ensure that you remain on the right side of the law and are able to enjoy your knife.