Maine Knife Laws: Legal Carry & Restrictions

A folding blade clipped inside a pocket. A fixed blade on a belt during a hiking trip. A fillet knife packed for a weekend on the coast. Thousands of people carry knives in Maine without giving it much thought.

Maine law permits most of these uses. But the state’s knife statutes include concealed-carry restrictions on certain blade types, and violations can result in criminal charges.

The rules are less strict than those in Massachusetts or New York, but they include nuances that require attention if you plan to carry anything beyond a basic utility blade.

Understanding Knife Carry in Maine

• Most knives have been legal to own and possess in Maine since October 2015, including automatic (switchblade) knives.

• Open carry of knives is generally permitted, but displaying any knife in a threatening manner is a Class D crime.

• Concealed carry of Bowie knives, dirks, stilettos, and similar knives designed for use against people is prohibited under Title 25, § 2001-A.

• Knives used for hunting, fishing, or trapping are exempt from the concealed carry restriction.

• Court facilities and school grounds are off-limits for knife carry.

• Maine has no statewide preemption, so cities can impose additional knife restrictions.

• Penalties for violations include up to 364 days of incarceration and a $2,000 fine.

What Maine Law Actually Says About Knives

The primary statute you need to be aware of is Title 25, § 2001-A of the Maine Revised Statutes. This law makes it unlawful for a person to display in a threatening manner a “firearm, slungshot, knuckles, bowie knife, dirk, stiletto, or other dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person.”

The same section also prohibits wearing underclothing or concealing any of the listed weapon types on one’s person.

What this means in practice is that Maine does not outright ban any specific category of knife from ownership. You can own a Bowie knife, a stiletto, a dagger, or a large fixed blade without running into trouble. The restrictions apply to how you carry certain knives, specifically to concealing them.

Which Knives Can You Carry Openly?

Open carry is broadly permitted across the state. You can walk around with a fixed blade on your hip, a machete in a sheath, or a large folding knife visible on your belt.

The one condition that applies to all of these is that you cannot display the knife in a threatening manner toward another person. That line is somewhat subjective, but the law focuses on intent and behavior rather than the size or type of the blade itself.

Concealed Carry Restrictions

This is the area where the statute becomes narrower and more specific. Under Title 25, § 2001-A, carrying concealed is prohibited for the following knife types:

The statute includes an exception under § 2001-A(2)(C) for knives “used to hunt, fish, or trap.” If your knife falls under that category, you can carry it concealed without issue.

How Courts Interpret “Other Dangerous or Deadly Weapon”

The phrase “other dangerous or deadly weapon usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person” has long been confusing. A 2012 Maine Supreme Court case helped bring some definition to this language.

In State v. Jones (46 A.3d 1125), the court held that determining if a knife falls under this residual clause requires a “fact-specific inquiry.” The court looks at factors like the knife’s design purpose, its primary function, and any modifications that might place it in the restricted category.

In that particular case, the defendant was carrying two manual pocketknives with 3-inch blades. The court set aside the conviction because no evidence was presented that these knives were designed for offensive or defensive use against a person.

This ruling is useful because it tells us that a standard folding pocketknife, carried without modification and without threatening behavior, is unlikely to fall under the concealed carry ban.

Automatic Knives Are Legal in Maine

Maine used to have a ban on automatic (switchblade) and gravity knives under Title 17-A, § 1055. That changed in 2015 when Representative Joel Stetkis sponsored LD 264, a bill to repeal the ban.

Todd Rathner, Director of Legislative Affairs at Knife Rights, testified before the Maine Joint Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety in support of the bill. The Public Safety Committee gave it unanimous approval.

Representative Stetkis argued that certain knives were being targeted by law enforcement under a decades-old statute, even though they were never intended to be covered by the original prohibition. The bill passed both chambers of the legislature, with the House voting 120-24 in favor. Governor LePage signed it into law, and the repeal took effect on October 15, 2015.

Since that repeal, automatic knives can be owned, carried openly, and carried concealed without restriction. They are not included in the category of knives “usually employed” against a person under the concealed carry statute.

Where You Cannot Carry a Knife in Maine

Even with the permissive carry laws, there are places where knives are completely off-limits.

Court Facilities

Any building under the control or supervision of the Maine Judicial Branch is a restricted zone for knives. This restriction comes from Order JB-05-9. If you are entering a courthouse or any related facility, leave your knife in your vehicle.

Schools

Knives are prohibited on school grounds under various district-level rules. Maine school districts set their own policies regarding weapons on campus, and carrying a knife into a school building or onto school property can result in both criminal and administrative consequences.

Other Restricted Locations

Federal buildings, post offices, and other government facilities are subject to federal law, which typically prohibits carrying weapons. If you are entering federal property in Maine, the same rules that apply elsewhere in the country apply there.

Local Ordinances You Should Know About

Maine does not have statewide preemption for knife laws. This is an important detail that catches people off guard. Without preemption, individual cities and towns can pass ordinances that exceed state law requirements. Some municipalities in Maine have done exactly that.

Cities like Augusta, Bangor, and Lewiston have local ordinances that may impose additional restrictions on knife carry. The specifics vary from one municipality to another, and these rules can change without much public notice. Before carrying a knife in a particular city or town, checking the local municipal code is a practical step.

Penalties for Violations

Both concealing a restricted knife and displaying a knife in a threatening manner are classified as Class D crimes under Maine law. According to the Maine Attorney General’s office and Title 17-A, § 1704 of the Maine Criminal Code, the penalties for a Class D crime are:

These are the maximums. Actual sentencing depends on the circumstances of the offense, prior criminal history, and other factors the court considers relevant. A first-time violation with no aggravating factors would likely result in a lighter sentence, but the possibility of nearly a year in jail makes this something worth taking seriously.

Practical Advice for Carrying Knives in Maine

A few simple points will keep most people on the right side of the law:

• Folding pocketknives with a utility purpose are generally fine to carry concealed. The State v. Jones ruling supports this, as long as the knife is not designed for combat or modified to serve that purpose.

• Fixed-blade knives designed for hunting, fishing, or trapping can be carried concealed under the statutory exemption.

• Large fixed blades, Bowie knives, dirks, and stilettos should be carried openly if you choose to carry them. Concealing them puts you at risk of a Class D charge.

• Automatic knives of any kind are legal to own and carry, both openly and concealed.

• Check local ordinances before carrying in Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston, or any other municipality you are visiting for the first time.

• Leave your knife behind when entering courthouses and school grounds.

Maine’s Approach to Knife Carry

Maine gives its residents and visitors a fair amount of room when it comes to knives. Ownership restrictions are almost nonexistent since the 2015 repeal, and open carry is broadly permitted. The sticking point is concealed carry of combat-oriented knives, and even that restriction has a well-defined exemption for outdoor and sporting knives.

The lack of statewide preemption means checking local ordinances before carrying in different municipalities. For anyone carrying a standard pocketknife, a hunting blade, or an automatic knife, Maine’s law remains among the most permissive in the northeastern United States.