Heading to Washington DC tomorrow. What's legal?

[loonybin]

I'm heading to DC for a training course, and I have no idea what the laws are in the area. Trying to find out hasn't been easy, either. I will be spending most of my time at a hospital and the hotel and Ruth's Chris Steak House, all with Washington DC addresses.

My thought was to take either my Benchmade 586 mini-Barrage (2.9" blade) or my 940 (3.4" blade). Both look classy enough to pass as dress/gentleman's folders. I just don't know the law on length limits or assisted openers.

Anyone have good knowledge of the DC knife laws?

 

[glistam]

Before covering DC's laws, be advised of two possible issues:
-If the hospital or any other location you visit is federal property rather than just DC, federal law applies.
-Some hospitals have internal non-law policies about knives and subject entrants to search. This could result in them not letting you in until you stow the knife, which if you walked there could be a major pain.

DC law § 22-4514 states:

(b) No person shall within the District of Columbia possess, with intent to use unlawfully against another, an imitation pistol, or a dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, or knife with a blade longer than 3 inches, or other dangerous weapon.

Technically over 3" is legal so long as there is no intent to use it on another person, though given the poor intelligence observed in many DC cops, it's possible one could be detained anyway so that the courts can decided if there was unlawful intent.

 

[loonybin]

Before covering DC's laws, be advised of two possible issues:
-If the hospital or any other location you visit is federal property rather than just DC, federal law applies.
-Some hospitals have internal non-law policies about knives and subject entrants to search. This could result in them not letting you in until you stow the knife, which if you walked there could be a major pain.

DC law § 22-4514 states:


Technically over 3" is legal so long as there is no intent to use it on another person, though given the poor intelligence observed in many DC cops, it's possible one could be detained anyway so that the courts can decided if there was unlawful intent.

Definitely not going on federal property, so that isn't an issue. Not carrying it for self-defense, either. I just haven't been without a knife since I was 12y.o. and see no reason to do so now if I don't have to.

 

[rljohns]

There is a sword shop in downtown DC. I was so surprised to see swords being sold in DC. I carried a 3 in Spyderco in DC without issue. I saw a guy go through a metal detector with a sub 3 in lock blade knife. He emptied out his pockets and the guard gave it back to him on the other side.

 

[Tallahassee]

DC takes 'zero tolerance' to insane extremes There is a real police-state paranoid mentality as reflected by the confused out of state Mom who made a wrong turn at the Penn. Ave. barricades for the White House (happens all day every day), panicked, drove away and was shot dead umpteen times (unarmed, with baby daughter in the car)by an overexcited mob of Federal and DC cops.

I'm in and out of DC a lot. I never carry anything more than a SAK. Tourists can and are arrested for items (like a spent .22 casing in the back of their trunk) which are legal and harmless in all 50 states, but are major felonies in DC. It's not just terrorist High Alert, it's a lucrative revenue stream for the City. It's unConstitutional, but it is what it is.
DC's finest have more than their share of bad cops among the 28 different city/Federal LEO agencies with arrest authority. Much more of the City is Federal property than tourists think. Zero tolerance means they don't care how innocent or law-abiding your intentions. If arrested even on some outrageous technicality over 'gentlemen's folders', you are unlikely to get justice in a DC court, and it will be expensive either way. So yeah, I would discourage carrying anything more than a SAK in DC. My .02.

 

[Rich S]

Besides being a police state where no knives are tolerated in DC, beware of speed cameras, stop light cameras and
on street parking - they are huge money makers for DC (millions and milions of dollars a year) and will get you for even the slightest violation, even sometimes when there is none. Appealing such even if you can prove innocence beyond any doubt
with photos, etc your chances of being aquitted or having the fine re-imbursed are nil. Beware of DC - they are out to get
you even if you're not paranoid. I lived there for 20 years (30 years ago) and haven't been back and never will.

Forgot to mention camera coverage. You will be on camera everywhere you go and I mean everywhere, except maybe
the toilet and I wouldn't bet on that.
Rich

 

[loonybin]

Thanks for the additional tips, guys, but my trip was back in December. Things went fine.