Arizona is one of the most knife-friendly states in America. The laws regulating the ownership and carriage of knives in Arizona are incredibly relaxed and liberal.
In a few words, you can carry any type of knife you want, regardless of the blade length. And you can carry it open or concealed, depending on your own preference.
Only a very few restrictions apply to carrying knives in Arizona and these are listed below.
Legal
All kinds of knives are legal in Arizona. If you are 21 years or above, you are allowed to carry switchblades, pocket knives, gravity knives, Balisong knives, Bowie knives, hunting blades and virtually any other kind of knife. There are no restrictions on blade length, so legally you can even carry a sword in Arizona although we would not recommend it.
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You can carry these knives openly or concealed without any legal restrictions. You can also buy and sell these knives if you meet the age requirement. If you are 20 years old or younger, you are allowed only to carry a pocket knife which must be concealed.
IlLegal
It is illegal in Arizona for anyone under the age of 21 to own any knife other than a pocket knife. Those above 21 can carry any type of knives, concealed or open, anytime they want. However, it is illegal to carry knives at certain places. These include schools, public gatherings or events as well as certain sensitive sites such as nuclear facilities. If you are carrying a concealed knife in Arizona and a police officer stops you, it is illegal for you to conceal the knife. So you are legally required to declare that you are carrying a knife.
length limit
If you are aged 21 or above, there is no limit on the length of knife which you may carry in Arizona. You can legally possess knives of any length if you meet the minimum age limit. However, if you are 20 years old or younger, you are legally allowed to carry only a pocket knife. This means that the knife should be small enough to fit inside your pocket, automatically imposing a general limit on its size.
Concealed Carry
In Arizona, you are allowed to carry any type of knife concealed if you are 21 years or older. Only at places such as schools, certain public facilities such as nuclear power and at public events such as fairs, you are not allowed to concealed carry any knives. If you are 20 years or younger, you can conceal carry only a pocket knife and no other type of knife.
Other Knife Laws in Arizona
One of the best things about Arizona knife laws is that you have to worry only about the state laws. And these, as we have described above, are incredibly liberal towards knife-owners. Unlike many other states, you don’t have to worry about any municipal laws in different localities. As per a 2011 decision of the state, the knife laws of the State of Arizona override all municipal laws. So if you are carrying a knife which is legal according to the knife laws of the state, it will be legal in all the towns and states of the state.
Conclusion
The state of Arizona is the heaven of knife-owners. This state offers the most relaxed set of laws governing knife ownership. These lax laws essentially serve to protect the rights of legitimate knife-owners. Whether you carry a knife for self-defense or are simply a knife enthusiast, you can freely carry any type of knife in Arizona without any legal repercussions as long as you don’t use it in any criminal activity.
