Florida Knife Laws

J

jon_robz-96

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Jul 6, 2011
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Ok so I'm going to Florida in a few months and i have no idea what the knife laws are. I plan on bringing a Swiss Army Climber and a Buck Bantam bhw (the bigest one). Would these be ok to carry down there? Any help would be appreciated.
 
As long as it's not concealed you can carry just about anything in Florida (knife wise). Automatics, OTF, assisted, fixed blades, folders are all ok. Florida is very gun/knife friendly :thumbup:
 
Last I read, Florida knife laws are local. Each county, city or town could have their own local laws. There was a bill being pushed for the state to have pre-emption over knive laws like it does gun laws, but I don't know the status of the bill. With the knives you listed, you should have no worries. I've seen people walking around carrying some large fixed blade knives.
 
Don't guess you have a handgun permit that Florida honors? If so, you can carry most any knife concealed (not sure about switchblades).

- OS
 
Florida knife laws (from the 18 hours I put into figuring them out) are you can carry any non federally restricted knife (i.e. switch blades, gravity knives and butterfly knives) unconcealed, if you have a concealed carry permit then you can carry up to a 3.9" folder concealed, 4" folders can't be concealed.

"790.001. Definitions.
(3)(a) "Concealed weapon" means any dirk, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon carried on or about a person in such a manner as to conceal the weapon from the ordinary sight of another person.

(13) "Weapon" means any dirk, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a firearm or a common pocketknife."

As far as fixed blades go, no concealed carry, but you can walk the streets with a katana, machete and broadsword, without getting hassled by the cops (depending on the area, no-go in inner cities), but people regularly carry machetes into hardware stores without anyone giving it so much as a first thought. Banks are obvious, no sharp pointy things, just like airports. Theme parks are worse than airports and courthouses, at least at a courthouse or airport they give you the option to go put it in your car.
 
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oXide said:
Florida knife laws (from the 18 hours I put into figuring them out) are you can carry any non federally restricted knife (i.e. switch blades, gravity knives and butterfly knives) unconcealed, if you have a concealed carry permit then you can carry up to a 3.9" folder concealed, 4" folders can't be concealed....
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I don't believe some of that is correct at all.

First of all, of course federal law does not ban ownership or use of switchblade, gravity, or butterfly knives, except on federal or Indian lands or on lands subject to federal jurisdiction (loosely enforced if it all, but that's another discussion). But it has nothing to do with any state's law whatsoever.

Second, I don't believe there are any restrictions on concealed knife carry with a FL weapons permit.

The basic synopsis is simple, from the horse's mouth at:
http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/self_defense.html

"Q. What kinds of weapons are included in the concealed weapons law?

A. The Jack Hagler Self-defense Act defines concealed weapons or firearms as follows: handguns, electronic weapons or devices, tear gas guns, knives and billies."

If you can find type/length restrictions on concealed carry of knives for those with FL concealed weapons permits, by all means please cite them.

- OS
 
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rokclmb said:
Last I read, Florida knife laws are local. Each county, city or town could have their own local laws. There was a bill being pushed for the state to have pre-emption over knive laws like it does gun laws, but I don't know the status of the bill. With the knives you listed, you should have no worries. I've seen people walking around carrying some large fixed blade knives.
Click to expand...

The bill (SB1732) I mentioned above died. The laws about knife carry are still up to each county, city or town. I think if you have a concealed carry license/permit that Florida accepts you should be fine.

However I'm not a lawyer. So my advice doesn't really count for much.
 
rokclmb said:
The bill (SB1732) I mentioned above died. The laws about knife carry are still up to each county, city or town. I think if you have a concealed carry license/permit that Florida accepts you should be fine. ...
Click to expand...

Yes, having a permit from any recognized state preempts local weapons carry laws in FL.

- OS
 
You guys are incorrect on a number of points. There is no "blade length" rule in Florida. The prohibition is against carrying anything other than a "common pocketknife" concealed without a CCW. The problem is that some judges in the more liberal counties in South Florida have tried to interpret that as meaning any knife that looks scary is not a common pocketknife. So carry your uber mall ninja folders unconcealed if you go to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale. :D The easy workaround is that Florida permits the open carry of pretty much any knife whatsoever. Even better is that there is no screwy law that says concealed means "concealed in whole or in part" so the cops can't really get you for having a big folder in a pouch on your belt or having a fixed blade stuck into your waistband with the handle showing. That might get you into trouble in some other states, Georgia being one of them IIRC. With that said, I would NOT risk carrying an automatic exposed and they are for sure illegal concealed without a CCW
 
A few years ago I was walking down the road with as many of my own personal belongings as I could carry you see I was kicked out of where I was staying and to prevent and cool off a dangerous situation I packed my things and left with my ex girlfriend who was pregnant at the time hence why I was kicked out well the point being I had to walk less than a mile to meet a friend at a gas station and among the things I was carrying was a wall hanger katana at the time my job required me to wear black pants the katana was clipped to my belt and the rest of the items o was carrying were cloths and a folder of require documents along with my exs make up crap and a stuffed animal go figure I was almost to my friends car when from behind county police officer pulled up behind us jumped out of her cruiser and proceed to scream for me to put my hands up and lay on the ground I complied dropping everything I had and was hand cuffed while 7 other squad cars where pulling up after hand cuffing me she cuffed my 6 month pregnant ex and slammed her against the cruiser and proceed search her after they took two hours looking in their law books they decided it was a concealed weapon cause of had a sheath and the color of which matched my clothing I spent 21 days in jail over this and eventually it was ruled that it was not a concealed weapon and I was set free though my arrest and mug shot still is show in the system and many other sites which cannot be removed with out money lots of money so the moral of the story is its not illegal to open carry a large blade however you will be arrested you will lose part of your life it may damage your relation ships and Florida will screw you for any reason their is no apology not justice for you if you are wronged in Florida by the legal system meant to protect you also they said I was stopped because some one called I a suspicious person walking down that road and made a report no such report every existed they just needed to fill a quota and if you have a blade guess what your a target good luck to you all who wish to carry any knife in Florida I will continue to carry one my self even if I'm arrested over and over it is my right to do so and I'm not committing any crime and I know when my rights are being violated and I'm sure it will happen again
 
ycastane said:
So having a CCW allows you to carry any knive concealed!? Like a folder in your pocket!?
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Sure does. Just becareful where you carry. Even with a CCW, carrying in Miami will get you hasseled by the Man. Got all sorts of questions by the popos. "Why are you carrying that?" "Cuz my CCW says I can," was my response. He wasnt pleased, but couldn't do sweet screw all about it. I was carrying a Entrek Recon underneath a light jacket.
 
Well honestly im not carrying anything that would be a big deal. Getting into carrying a knife now, mostly just in case i need to cut something but wanted to make sure!!! Thanks for the heads up!
 
Sec. 21-14. - Dangerous weapons; penalty; trial court.

(a) Concealed dangerous weapons. It shall be unlawful for any person to wear under his clothes, or concealed about his person, or to display in a threatening manner any dangerous or deadly weapon including, but not by way of limitation, any pistol, revolver, slingshot, cross-knuckles or knuckles of lead, brass or other metal, or any bowie knife, razor, dirk, dagger, or any knife resembling a bowie knife, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon, except as hereinafter provided.
 
oXide said:
Florida knife laws (from the 18 hours I put into figuring them out) are you can carry any non federally restricted knife (i.e. switch blades, gravity knives and butterfly knives) unconcealed, if you have a concealed carry permit then you can carry up to a 3.9" folder concealed, 4" folders can't be concealed.

"790.001. Definitions.
(3)(a) "Concealed weapon" means any dirk, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon carried on or about a person in such a manner as to conceal the weapon from the ordinary sight of another person.

(13) "Weapon" means any dirk, metallic knuckles, slungshot, billie, tear gas gun, chemical weapon or device, or other deadly weapon except a firearm or a common pocketknife."

As far as fixed blades go, no concealed carry, but you can walk the streets with a katana, machete and broadsword, without getting hassled by the cops (depending on the area, no-go in inner cities), but people regularly carry machetes into hardware stores without anyone giving it so much as a first thought. Banks are obvious, no sharp pointy things, just like airports. Theme parks are worse than airports and courthouses, at least at a courthouse or airport they give you the option to go put it in your car.
Click to expand...

to my understanding its up to a 4 inch folder concealed without a license and any weapon other than a machine gun with a license
 
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