UK knife law and knife safety, checked against the source.
My Knife Guide is an independent UK guide to knife law and knife safety. Every legal claim links to legislation.gov.uk or gov.uk and shows the date it was last checked.
The core rule
Yes. You can carry a non-locking folding knife with a cutting edge of 3 inches (7.62 cm) or less in public without needing a reason. Any longer blade needs a good reason under the law. The same applies to any locking or fixed-blade knife.
Read the full carrying ruleThe four UK carry statuses
Every knife on this site is labelled with one of four statuses. The label uses text and a shape. It does not rely on colour alone.
- Legal to carry
- No reason needed. Non-locking, 3 inches (7.62 cm) or less.
- Good reason needed
- Check the legal examples before carrying. See what counts as a good reason.
- Illegal to carry in public
- Legal to own. Not legal to carry without a reason.
- Banned
- Illegal to sell, buy or import. Illegal to own for some items too. See the full list.
What do you need to do?
Latest checked sources
Recently checked primary sources appear here. Each one shows the date we last checked it against the original.
- Buying, carrying and using knives · GOV.UK · 28 Sept 2026
- Extended knife surrender arrangements 2025 · GOV.UK / Home Office · 28 Sept 2026
- Knife Bins (London Assembly question, Metropolitan Police response) · London.gov.uk / Greater London Authority · 28 Sept 2026
- Knife bins in Brent · Brent Council · 28 Sept 2026
- Knives and sharp objects · Nottinghamshire County Council · 28 Sept 2026
- Items we don't accept · British Red Cross Charity Shops · 28 Sept 2026
- Items we cannot accept · British Heart Foundation · 28 Sept 2026
- Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013: supplementary guidance · GOV.UK / Home Office · 28 Sept 2026
- Crime in England and Wales: year ending March 2026 · Office for National Statistics · 28 Sept 2026
- Homicide in England and Wales: year ending March 2025 · Office for National Statistics · 28 Sept 2026
- Knife and Offensive Weapon Sentencing Statistics: January to March 2026 · Ministry of Justice · 28 Sept 2026
- Police powers and procedures: Stop and search, arrests and mental health detentions, England and Wales, year ending 31 March 2025 · Home Office · 28 Sept 2026
Editorial standards
We research from primary sources. These are mainly legislation.gov.uk and gov.uk, plus manufacturer specifications for blade length and lock type. We do not run lab tests or claim to have physically tested knives. Every page shows the date it was last checked and links directly to its sources. Read the full editorial policy .