Oklahoma Knife Laws 101: All You Should Know About
Oklahoma knife laws are very flexible. They allow anyone carrying a knife of any length or type, open or concealed unless it is an offensive weapon.
The main problem with the statutes is they don’t clearly define what an offensive weapon is or exactly what knife will be legal or illegal to carry.
According to section 21-1272 under 2021 Oklahoma Statutes, it is unlawful to carry a blackjack, metal knuckles, and other offensive weapons.
Identifying a knife as an offensive weapon is mostly left at the discretion of the court. So, the definition of illegal knives can change depending on the trial.
Still, we will try to clarify some of the statutes regarding the possession and carrying of illegal knives.
Be with us throughout the article to know which knife is legal or illegal in Oklahoma.
There will be necessary sources so that you can verify the information stated here. Let’s get going.
Highlights
Before we explore knife laws in Oklahoma, here are some quick facts about the laws. Check them out.
Statewide Preemption
There is statewide preemption regarding knife laws in this state. So, no local government can impose any statute higher than those mentioned.
Concealed Carry
Oklahoma statutes don’t distinguish between open and concealed carry. So, if a knife is legal to carry open, it will be legal to carry concealed.
Schools
Be it a public school or private school, or school bus, carrying offensive weapons is illegal on school property. Both open and concealed carry will be illegal in this case.
Critical Dimensions
There is no legal knife length limit in Oklahoma. You can carry knives with any blade length without any issues unless it is an offensive weapon.
Punishments
You can face imprisonment from 30 to 90 days and a fine from $100 to $500 depending on the number of convictions for violating unlawful carry laws.
List Of Illegal Knives In Oklahoma
As there is no clear indication in the statutes about illegal knives, it is difficult to list any knife as illegal directly.
But there are some gray areas in the law, which we can use to construct a list of illegal knives in the state.
Here you go.
- Machetes
- Swords
- Automatic knives designed as offensive weapons
- Tomahawks
- Throwing stars
- Blackjacks
- Hand chains
- Metal knuckles
It will still be at the discretion of the court, considering the intent to carry the weapons and the damage they can inflict. In certain cases, these statutes can apply differently.
Let’s check them.
A. Illegality In Certain Areas
Carrying any offensive weapon described in Section 21-1272 on school property is illegal, according to Section 21-1280.1.
Even if a person carries an offensive weapon in a vehicle owned or used by a school, it will be considered school property, and carrying knives will be illegal.
But you can carry a knife in car in Oklahoma as long as you own the vehicle.
B. Illegality In Local Governments
Only authorized personnel can carry an offensive weapon in areas like courthouses. None other than the person exempted by the law can carry such a weapon inside a public office.
C. Illegality Based On Concealed And Open Knives
No knife will be illegal to carry, open or concealed, unless it is an offensive weapon according to section 21-1272.
Only the court has the right to determine whether the weapon is offensive or not.
D. Illegality Of Carrying, Possession, Selling, Manufacturing, Importing, Trading
There is no clear instruction in the Oklahoma knife laws regarding the manufacturing or trading of knives.
The only restriction of manufacturing or selling is on slingshots or other similar weapons, according to section 21-1281.
E. Illegality To The Degree Of Significance Such As The Impact On Interstate Commerce
Though there is not any restriction on carrying knives, committing a crime that may impact interstate commerce will automatically be a felony according to the law.
Penalties And Punishments For Carrying Illegal Knives
You may face different penalties and punishments depending on the number of convictions. Check the following to get a clear picture of that.
If you are convicted for the first time for violating the unlawful carry statutes, it will be considered a misdemeanor. In this case, you may be punished by imprisonment of up to 30 days or a fine from $100 to $250.
But subsequent convictions under the same law will increase punishments. You may face imprisonment from 30 to 90 days and a fine from $250 to $500 depending on the crime.
List Of Legal Knives In Oklahoma
As you might already assume, almost all knives are legal to own and carry in Oklahoma. Here is a list of knives you can carry without any restrictions.
- Pocket knives
- Butterfly knives
- Switchblade knives
- Bowie knives
- Dirk knives
- Daggers
- Stilettos
- Ballistic knives
You can also carry other knives for hunting or recreational purposes without any issues. But be careful not to impose any threat to anyone with offensive weapons.
Knife Length Limit In Oklahoma
Do you know what size knife is legal to carry in Oklahoma?
Fortunately, there is no legal limit on the length of the knife blade in this state. So, you can carry any knife with a blade of any length.
But the knife should not be designed as an offensive weapon that can inflict death on others.
In such cases, carrying the knife will be illegal regardless of open or concealed carry.
Conclusion
Though Oklahoma knife laws are precise, many things aren’t clearly mentioned in the law.
So, it becomes a lot difficult for the mass to understand the law and figure out which knife is legal or illegal.
In most cases, the illegality of knives depends on the discretion of the court.
We tried to explain those statutes thoroughly so that you have a clear picture of the law regarding the possession and carrying of knives.
Only a few knives are considered offensive weapons and have restrictions on carrying.
All other knives can be owned and carried in Oklahoma without any issues.
