Knife Laws In New Hampshire
Knife laws in New Hampshire are straightforward, and citizens face almost no restriction in carrying knives. The laws are very flexible in that no citizen is restricted to own any restricted knife. People can use any knife as a survival knife to rescue themselves and others.
Laws are imposed to guide people
The knife laws are maintained and enforced to show people a legal path to know about the legal and illegal status of knives in New Hampshire. The bunch of rules and regulations allow people to make comfortable and legal decisions in carrying knives.
Currently under Chapter 637-A:1
“A knife is defined as any instrument that has a cutting edge or blade that is fitted to the end of a handle.”
Under Chapter 637-A:2
“Anyone who does not have a valid license to carry concealed firearms will be required to have their knives in plain sight when in public.”
What is Legal to Own in Hampshire
As per the knife laws in New Hampshire,
“It is legal to own any type of knife, as long as you have not been convicted of a felony against the person or property of another or a felony drug-related offense.”
Stated down are knife types that are explicitly legal in New Hampshire
- Dirks
- Daggers
- Switchblades/automatics
- Butterfly knives
- Stilettos
- Machetes
- Throwing stars
- Gravity knives
- Bowies
- Assisted opening knives
What is Illegal to Own in Hampshire
According to the law,
“It is illegal for a person who has been convicted of a felony against the person or property of another or of a felony drug-related offense to possess a: Stiletto, Dirk or dagger, Switchblade knife”
The knife is considered to be a deadly weapon
As per the new law,
“Deadly weapon” means any firearm, knife, or other substance or thing which, in the manner, it is used, intended to be used, or threatened to be used, is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury. “Serious bodily injury” means any harm to the body which causes severe, permanent or protracted loss of or impairment to the health or of the function of any part of the body.”
Discussion:
For further explanation, a “Deadly weapon” includes all kinds of knives. This is not inevitably a wicked thing in New Hampshire as they don’t make any extensive prohibitions against the carrying of deadly weapons for citizens. A “Serious bodily injury” is similarly significant and likely known to most preppers and students of self-defense, for its allegations in making your use of force verdicts in a treacherous encounter.
According to the 159:16 Carrying or Selling Weapons
“Whoever, except as provided by the laws of this state, sells, has in his possession with intent to sell, or carries on his person any [stiletto, switch knife,] blackjack, [dagger, dirk-knife,] slungshot, or metallic knuckles shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; and such weapon or articles so carried by him shall be confiscated to the use of the state.”
It has led us to something definitively prohibitive stuff in the law of New Hampshire.
159:24 Sale of Martial Arts Weapons
“Martial arts weapon means any kind of sword, knife, spear, throwing star, throwing a dart, or nunchaku or any other object designed for use in the martial arts which is capable of being used as a lethal or dangerous weapon. Any person who shall sell, deliver, or otherwise transfer any martial arts weapon to a person under the age of 18 without first obtaining the written consent of such person’s parent or guardian shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Paragraph II shall not apply to fathers, mothers, guardians, administrators or executors who give a martial arts weapon to their children or wards or heirs to an estate.”
It is pertinent to note that parents are exempted from this statute.
Definition of Deadly Weapon
A deadly weapon is defined by the New Hampshire legislature as,
Any firearm, knife or other substance or thing, which in the manner it is used, intended to be used, or threatened to be used, is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury.”
Limitations on carrying
On May 18, 2010, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch, contracted into law House Bill 1665, amending the law that barred the possession or carrying of dirks, daggers, stilettos, and switchblades for law-abiding citizens.
The new law states,
“The concealed and open carry of any type of knife by anyone who is not a convicted felon.”
Breaching the law
The law states,
“A person is guilty of a class B felony if such person completes and signs an application for purchase of a firearm and the person is a convicted felon under the provisions of paragraph. The state shall confiscate the use of the state the weapon or weapons of persons convicted under this section. It is an affirmative defense to a charge under this section that a felony of which a defendant has been convicted in another jurisdiction would not have constituted a felony in the state of New Hampshire at the time such felony was committed”.
It is only a misdemeanor to own any of the listed dangerous weapons if you are also an offender.
The next relevant statute criminalizing possession of weapons is 159:15,
“It is only a misdemeanor to employ weapons during the commission of a violent crime”
159:15 Possession of Dangerous Weapon While Committing a Violent Crime,
“A person shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor if that person uses or employs slungshot, metallic knuckles, billies, or another deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V during the commission or attempted commission of a violent crime. “Violent crime,” for purposes of this section, means “violent crime” as defined in RSA 651:5, XIII.”
159:19-a Criminal Use of Pistol Cane or Sword Cane,
“Any person who uses a pistol cane or sword cane on another person with the intent to commit a crime punishable as a misdemeanor shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person who uses a pistol cane or sword cane on another person with the intent to commit a crime punishable as a felony shall be guilty of a class B felony. Neither the whole nor any part of a sentence of imprisonment imposed for a violation of this section shall be served concurrently with any other term of imprisonment.”
So, sword canes are unavoidably classified under “deadly weapons” along with other bladed gears.
No-Go Zones
Under RSA 159:6,
“No person shall carry any dangerous weapon on school grounds or any school bus unless the person has written authorization from the school principal or has written authorization from a teacher who possesses a license to carry firearms”.
Some places are of great scrutiny and require constant inspections and scans to spot the presence of weapons, e.g. airports and courthouses.
159:26 Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives; Authority of the State
As per the federal law, the state of New Hampshire shall have,
“Authority and jurisdiction over the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter about firearms, firearms components, ammunition, firearms supply, or knives in the state.”
As provided by statute,
“No ordinance or regulation of a political subdivision may regulate the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter about firearms, firearms components, ammunition, or firearms supplies in the state”.
Action allowed under RSA 207:59
“Affecting a political subdivision’s right to adopt zoning ordinances to regulate firearms or knives businesses in the same manner as other businesses or to take. Upon the effective date of this section, all municipal ordinances and regulations not authorized under paragraph I relative to the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter about firearms, firearm components, ammunition, firearms supply, or knives shall be null and void.”
Bottom Line
New Hampshire is a place where you can enjoy freedom and liberty as far as you are stuck to the grounds of law. New Hampshire is truly a beacon of independence and personal accountability in the bubbling sea of contravention that is New England. It acts on the pithy motto of, “Live Free or Die”, which consents nearly any kind of knives presumable not just for possession, but for carrying as well.
New Hampshire cliques a very high watermark for the rest of the U.S and for the New England states as well.
