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Selling knives – the facts
Here you will find out about the law relating to the sale of knives.
Age restrictions
It is an offence “to sell to a person under the age of 16 any knife, knife blade or razor blade, or axe, with an exemption for folding pocket knives of less than three inches and razor blades permanently enclosed by a cartridge”.
What you can't have
The following items are banned from sale in the UK:
- belt buckle knives
- butterfly knives
- flick-knives
- gravity knives
- knuckle-duster knives
- push daggers
- switchblades
- sword canes
In 2004, an amendment to the law was introduced which restricts the sale of any knife that is not readily detectable by the normal methods of detection, such as by either x-ray or metal detection, unless it can be proven that the knife's sole purpose is for the preparation of food. For example, the Cold Steel CAT Tanto and Lansky knifes are now prohibited within the UK.
You may not buy any knife designed to look like something else, for example one that appears to be a pen. It doesn't matter if the pen works or not, it is still a concealed weapon.
What you can carry
The Criminal Justice Act (1988) says that you may carry a knife with a blade length of 141 mm (3 inches) or less so long as it is capable of folding.
A knife has no place at a football match, in a pub, nightclub or school and becomes an offensive weapon in these circumstances in just the same way as a screwdriver, or any other inanimate tool.
Knives and the law
The Criminal Justice Act (1988)
Outlaws the sale of certain knife categories. Amongst those included are belt buckle knives, push daggers and other so called martial arts weapons.
The Knives Act (1997)
The most recent law to affect knives effectively banned the sale of any knife suitable for combat.
The Offensive Weapons Act (1996)
Restricts the sales of certain types of knife to persons under the age of 16.
The Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act (1959)
Prevents the use and sale of switchblades and automatic knives, due to the violent and widespread use by Teddy Boys back in the 1950s.
Further information
If you have any questions about the sale of knives, you can contact us by:
- calling the City Helpdesk on (023) 9283 4252
- sending us an email at trading.standards@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
- sending us a fax on (023) 9284 1256
The Metropolitan Police have launched an innovative new marketing campaign aimed to discourage young people from carrying knives. You can find a link to Knife City to the right.
