Can Police in North Minnesota Search Your Phone During a Traffic Stop? To keep you on the right side of the law regarding knife laws in Illinois, you need to understand the rules.
Whether you are a collector, you love to spend time outdoors, or carry knives for everyday jobs, this guide explains the most important things you should know about owning and carrying knives in Illinois.
The rules regarding guns in Illinois are relatively clear, but there are always exceptions and restrictions that the owner of a knife should know about.
Overview of Illinois Knife Laws
In Illinois, knives are considered dangerous weapons and can’t be used, as state and local rules point out. Here, by this, we mean you are free to carry and own some tools, but not the rest. And, to stay out of trouble with the law, you must tell which are which.
Cutlery in Illinois is classified by the blade type, the length and the intended purpose. Let’s find out what is the most significant parts:
Legal Knives in Illinois
dual Knives: It is absolutely legal to have and to carry any folded knives with common usage such as pocket knife and utility knife. The knife cannot be a self-opening blade. It must open up when you apply some mechanical support by pressing a button or turning a mechanism.
Fixed-Blade Knives: You can also own in the law fixed-blade knives, like hunting and camping tools. In public, though, you may not be able to carry them according to their size and purpose.
Kitchen Knives: Clearly you can own and use at home kitchen and food knives. But if they resemble guns, carrying them in public, even for good reasons, might land you in jail with law enforcement.
Restricted Knives
Switchblades: In Illinois, switchblades and other automatic knives were banned until not long ago. But as of 2017, Illinois law changed to let people with a legal Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card carry certain types of automatic knives.
People who do not have a FOID card are still not allowed to own or carry switchblades.
Ballistic knives are altogether prohibited in the state of Illinois. A ballistic knife is the one whose blade shoots through the air like a missile. Such knives are dangerous and are not tolerated in the state.
Throwing Stars: Due to their hazardous nature, Illinois law does not permit ownership of throwing stars as well as other similar weapons.
Knife Length Restrictions
The law of Illinois does not specify the maximum length of a knife, but each city or town can create its own rules. For instance, the city of Chicago has stricter rules:
The law in Chicago prohibits carrying any knife with a blade length of more than 2.5 inches in public place. Even if you are not carrying the knife within your clothes and it is openly visible, you are still breaking the law. You may get fined or even charged with a crime for such a breach.
Outside of Chicago, state law does not place any length limit on knives, but police may interrogate you if they suspect you’re carrying a knife with the intent to commit a crime.
Where You Can and Cannot Carry Knives
You may carry a legal knife on your private property, such as your house, car, or business.
However, having knives in public places or schools and government buildings is totally prohibited. And one should take notice of where they are and what knife they carry.
Schools and Public Buildings: It is against the law to carry any kind of knife in or near public parks, schools, or colleges. If you are found with a knife on school grounds, you could be charged with a felony, no matter how big the knife is or what it is used for.
Public Transportation: Buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation have their own rules about knives. If you get caught carrying one on these systems, you could be fined or have it taken away.
Exceptions and Special Considerations
When it comes to carrying automatic knives, Illinois has some exceptions for people in the military, police officers, and people with a legal FOID card.
For example, you can have and carry automatic knives if you have a FOID card, but it is prohibited for the rest of citizens.
In other instances, Illinois also accepts “reasonable use” defenses. For instance, you may be allowed to carry knives in public places if you require them for work or entertainment purposes, such as hunting or fishing. However, that will depend upon the person to prove that the use is lawful.
Effects of Violating Knife Laws
For breaking Illinois knife laws, there are severe penalties including fines, you lose the knife, and even time in jail.
Depending on the circumstances, you can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or a felony when caught with an illegal knife or violating local laws.
Conclusion
Know the knife rights that will help you out of trouble with the law in Illinois. A lot of different kinds of knives are legal to own, but in certain areas or places, even having knives may be considered illegal, especially public places.
It is very important to look into both state and local laws, especially if you will be carrying a knife in Chicago or any other city. If you want to adhere to the knife laws of Illinois, then you must always be alert and mindful of your surroundings.
