Houston, Texas Knife Laws

[FrannaM]

I'm travelling to Houston later this year and would like to EDC my OTF. Are there any laws restricting certain knives. I am almost 100% sure there aren't, just want to make sure. Thanks.

 

[Ernie1980]

In the state of Texas autos are fine, but I don’t live in Houston so hopefully someone will chime in that lives in the city limits.

 

[glistam]

Texas has preemption for its knife laws under § 229.001, meaning that the counties and cities are not allowed to pass laws more restrictive than the state regarding knives.
Because of this, the official Houston code of ordinances contains no laws on knives of interest.

 

[zzyzzogeton]

The only knife laws you have to worry about in Texas --

1- you can't take a knife with a blade longer than 5-1/2" into any area/facility where carrying a hand gun, concealed or open-carry, is prohibited. This is the "location restricted" knife section of the law.

This category was included in the law that pre-empted all non-state level knife laws, including blade length restrictions after a dumbass criminal stabbed and killed a student on the University of Texas at Austin campus with a then "illegal to carry in public" knife (at the time, any knife with a blade length greater than 5-1/2") the Thursday before the bill was to be voted on the following Monday. Knife Rights' lobbyist had to work miracles over the weekend on this compromise to get the bill passed.

2 - you can't take any type of knife into a courthouse, folder or fixed. More criminal dumbasses assaulting judges and lawyers in said court houses.

3 - you can't take a knife into any business that has signs prohibiting the carrying of knives - very, very few of these.

You probably SHOULDN'T pack a knife into a bar or night club. Many have instituted the use of metal detectors and banning anyone from entry while possessing a knife. That's due to drunks getting into fights and bouncers tending to not like getting cut or stabbed by the idiots.

Other than those places, which I usually don't go to anyway, I carry 3-1/2" to 9" bladed knives every day.

 

[AntDog]

The only knife laws you have to worry about in Texas --

1- you can't take a knife with a blade longer than 5-1/2" into any area/facility where carrying a hand gun, concealed or open-carry, is prohibited. This is the "location restricted" knife section of the law.

This category was included in the law that pre-empted all non-state level knife laws, including blade length restrictions after a dumbass criminal stabbed and killed a student on the University of Texas at Austin campus with a then "illegal to carry in public" knife (at the time, any knife with a blade length greater than 5-1/2") the Thursday before the bill was to be voted on the following Monday. Knife Rights' lobbyist had to work miracles over the weekend on this compromise to get the bill passed.

2 - you can't take any type of knife into a courthouse, folder or fixed. More criminal dumbasses assaulting judges and lawyers in said court houses.

3 - you can't take a knife into any business that has signs prohibiting the carrying of knives - very, very few of these.

You probably SHOULDN'T pack a knife into a bar or night club. Many have instituted the use of metal detectors and banning anyone from entry while possessing a knife. That's due to drunks getting into fights and bouncers tending to not like getting cut or stabbed by the idiots.

Other than those places, which I usually don't go to anyway, I carry 3-1/2" to 9" bladed knives every day.

Nailed it. Everything’s pretty much legal everywhere else.

I carry some pretty “offensive” folders during the week and some big fixed blades on weekends. Never gotten anything other than a couple guys saying “now THAT’S a noife!” and giving my a high five or something similar.