United States · checked 2026-10-26 · Medium confidence

Knife carry law in Florida

A 'common pocketknife' is not a legal 'weapon', so ordinary small folders face no carry rule except at schools. Other knives are 'weapons': since July 2023 eligible adults may carry them concealed without a licence, and no statute limits open carry of knives. No blade-length limit; ballistic knives are banned. Under-21 concealed carry is unsettled after a June 2026 ruling.

This summary rests on mostly official, partly secondary sources. Open questions are listed at the end. Treat anything marked unclear as a reason to leave the item at home.

How we apply the law

Rules are checked from the top. The first one that fits decides. Every verdict on this site comes from this list, not from hand typed cells.

1No restriction foundA multitool, a keychain tool or scissors only
Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Source
2UnclearA folding knife, automatic or gravity or flick opening
Whether switchblades or balisongs are 'common' pocketknives is not settled by statute or Supreme Court case. If not common, they count as weapons (fine concealed for eligible adults 21+).
Source
3No restriction foundA folding knife, blade up to 101.6 mm
Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Source
4UnclearA folding knife, blade at least 101.7 mm
Folder over 4 in: the Supreme Court expressly declined to decide whether it is a 'common pocketknife'. If a weapon, eligible adults 21+ may carry it concealed; open carry of knives is unregulated.
Source
5RestrictedA fixed blade
Fixed blades are 'weapons'. Eligible adults 21+ may carry concealed without a licence; no statute bars open carry of knives. Under-21 concealed carry is unsettled; school property is banned.
Source
6RestrictedAny knife or tool, double edged
Daggers and dirks are named as concealed weapons. Same conditions: eligible adults 21+ concealed without licence, no open-carry statute for knives, school ban, under-21 unsettled.
Source
7RestrictedAnything else
Catch-all: any other knife is a 'weapon'; concealed carry is for eligible adults (21+, or licence); school property banned. Ballistic (projectile-blade) knives are prohibited outright.
Source

34 popular knives and tools, checked here

Specifications come from the makers. Where a maker does not publish the cutting edge length, a length rule can only be answered if even the full blade length falls on one side of the line. Otherwise the result is unclear, on purpose.

Product	Specs	Result
Buck 110 Folding Hunter	blade 95.3 mm (3.75 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Leatherman Arc	blade 70.1 mm (2.76 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Benchmade Bugout	blade 82.3 mm (3.24 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Victorinox Cadet (Alox)	blade 64 mm (2.52 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Victorinox Classic SD	blade 40 mm (1.57 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Victorinox Climber	blade 67 mm (2.64 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Spyderco Delica 4 (Lightweight)	65 mm cutting edge (2.56 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Gerber Dime	blade 38.1 mm (1.50 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
CIVIVI Elementum	blade 75.2 mm (2.96 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Nagao Kanekoma Higonokami SK (Niwaki-sold Kanekoma)	blade 71 mm (2.80 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Victorinox Huntsman	blade 67 mm (2.64 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Spyderco Ladybug 3	43 mm cutting edge (1.69 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Kershaw Leek	blade 76.2 mm (3.00 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Leatherman Micra	blade 40.6 mm (1.60 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Benchmade Mini Bugout	blade 71.6 mm (2.82 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
W.R. Case & Sons Mini Trapper	blade 69.9 mm (2.75 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Opinel No.07 Stainless Steel	blade 80 mm (3.15 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Opinel No.08 Stainless Steel	blade 85 mm (3.35 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Spyderco Para 3	67 mm cutting edge (2.64 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Gerber Paraframe I (stainless, plain edge)	blade 76.5 mm (3.01 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Ontario Knife Company RAT Model 1 (RAT I)	blade 88.9 mm (3.50 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Spyderco Roadie	44 mm cutting edge (1.73 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Leatherman Skeletool CX	blade 66 mm (2.60 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Victorinox Spartan	blade 67 mm (2.64 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Spyderco Squeak	44 mm cutting edge (1.73 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
CRKT Squid (Thumbstud)	blade 54.76 mm (2.16 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
CRKT Squid Assisted	blade 60.2 mm (2.37 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Leatherman Squirt PS4	blade 40.6 mm (1.60 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Victorinox Swiss Card Classic	blade length not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Victorinox SwissTool Spirit X	blade length not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
W.R. Case & Sons Trapper	76.2 mm cutting edge (3.00 in)	No restriction found Why Folder with blade 4 in or less is a common pocketknife per the Florida Supreme Court (3¾-in blade); not a 'weapon'. The court declined to set 4 in as a bright line.
Leatherman Wave Plus	blade 74.2 mm (2.92 in); cutting edge not published	No restriction found Why Folding multitools, keychain tools and scissors fit the common pocketknife idea or are not weapons; no specific restriction found outside school property.
Morakniv Companion (stainless, Hi-Vis Orange shown)	blade 104 mm (4.09 in); cutting edge not published	Restricted Why Fixed blades are 'weapons'. Eligible adults 21+ may carry concealed without a licence; no statute bars open carry of knives. Under-21 concealed carry is unsettled; school property is banned.
ESEE Izula-II	blade 66.8 mm (2.63 in); cutting edge not published	Restricted Why Fixed blades are 'weapons'. Eligible adults 21+ may carry concealed without a licence; no statute bars open carry of knives. Under-21 concealed carry is unsettled; school property is banned.

What the verdict does not cover

Public transport and restricted zones: Licence-equivalent carry excludes places in 790.06(12): police stations, jails, courthouses, polling places, government meetings, schools and colleges, pro athletic events, bar areas, airport terminals. Unlicensed carriers are bound by these (790.013).
Schools, workplaces and events: 790.115(2): possessing any 'weapon' (incl. razor blade, box cutter) at school events or on school property is a third-degree felony; exhibiting even a common pocketknife threateningly within 1,000 ft of a school in school hours is a felony.
In a vehicle: No knife-specific vehicle rule found; the concealed-carry rules apply to a knife on or about the person.
Age limits: Concealed carry without licence needs licence criteria incl. age 21. On 17 Jun 2026 Florida's 4th DCA (Eubanks) struck the 21 minimum for licences; FDACS now licenses 18-20. Whether unlicensed 18-20s may carry is unconfirmed. Dealers cannot sell bowie or dirk knives to minors (790.18).
Buying and importing: No Florida statute found banning online purchase of knives other than ballistic knives. Federal Switchblade Knife Act limits interstate shipping of automatics; not re-verified.
Penalties: Concealed weapon carried by an ineligible person: first-degree misdemeanour. Ballistic knife: first-degree misdemeanour. School possession: third-degree felony.
Recent changes: HB 543 (ch. 2023-18, eff. 1 Jul 2023) allowed permitless concealed carry of weapons for eligible persons. 17 Jun 2026 Eubanks ruling on the age-21 licence minimum (per FDACS).
Pending changes: Unclear whether legislature will amend 790.06(2)(b) or 790.01 after Eubanks; none verified.

Sources

Fla. Stat. 790.001(20) 'weapon' definition
“except a firearm or a common pocketknife, plastic knife, or blunt-bladed table knife.”
L.B. v. State (Fla. 1997) common pocketknife
“A type of knife occurring frequently in the community which has a blade that folds into the handle”
Fla. Stat. 790.225 ballistic self-propelled knives
“unlawful for any person to manufacture, display, sell, own, possess, or use a ballistic self-propelled knife”
Fla. Stat. ch. 790 (2025, Senate)
FDACS concealed weapon licence notice
790.053 open carrying (firearms only)

What we could not confirm

Open-carry statute 790.053 names firearms and electric weapons only; no knife case law checked.
790.33 preemption covers firearms and ammunition only (opened); I infer local knife ordinances are not preempted, not verified.
Case law on whether OTF/switchblades are 'common pocketknives' not found.
Effect of Eubanks on unlicensed under-21 knife carry not found.

Keep going

General information, not legal advice. Know something we got wrong? Tell us and include a source.