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Tennessee Switchblade & Automatic Knife Laws (2026)

Permitted: Switchblades are legal to own, possess, transfer and transport — Public Chapter 647 of 2014 removed them from the prohibited-weapons list effective July 1, 2014.

PermittedVerified Jul 30, 2026

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Switchblades are legal to own, possess, transfer and transport — Public Chapter 647 of 2014 removed them from the prohibited-weapons list effective July 1, 2014. But the same act made employing a switchblade during a dangerous offense a Class D felony (39-17-1307(e)) and raised the maximum fine to $6,000 where the deadly weapon is a switchblade (39-17-1307(d)(3)(B)).

Official source: publications.tnsosfiles.com →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Switchblade & Automatic Knife Laws in states bordering Tennessee

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

AlabamaPermitted
No Alabama statute bans switchblade or automatic knives; adults may own and carry them (the concealed-carry law was narrowed to only firearms by Act 2022-133).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: alison.legislature.state.al.us · Full Alabama rule →
ArkansasPermitted
Switchblades and butterfly knives are legal to own and carry; carrying a knife is an offense only if done with a purpose to unlawfully employ it as a weapon (Ark. Code 5-73-120).
Verified Jul 30, 2026 · Source: arkleg.state.ar.us · Full Arkansas rule →
GeorgiaPermitted
Georgia's weapon-carry law defines a regulated knife as a blade greater than 12 inches, so switchblades and automatic knives (and any knife 12 inches or less) are legal to own and carry (O.C.G.A. 16-11-125.1).
Verified Jul 30, 2026 · Source: gov.georgia.gov · Full Georgia rule →
KentuckyPermitted
Kentucky has no ban on automatic/switchblade knives; adults may own and carry them, though any knife other than an ordinary pocket or hunting knife is a 'deadly weapon' under KRS 500.080(4).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: apps.legislature.ky.gov · Full Kentucky rule →
MississippiConditional
Switchblades/automatics are legal to own and open-carry; Miss. Code 97-37-1 only criminalizes carrying them concealed (a misdemeanor) absent a 45-9-101 enhanced permit.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov · Full Mississippi rule →
MissouriPermitted
Missouri repealed its switchblade ban in 2012; owning or carrying an automatic knife is legal unless done in violation of federal law (RSMo 571.020.1(6)(d)).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: revisor.mo.gov · Full Missouri rule →
North CarolinaConditional
No NC statute bans owning or openly carrying an automatic knife, but a switchblade isn't an 'ordinary pocket knife,' so it can't be carried concealed off one's premises (N.C.G.S. 14-269(d)).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: ncleg.gov · Full North Carolina rule →
VirginiaPermitted
Switchblades are legal for adults — VA repealed possession/transfer limits (2022) and removed them from the concealed-carry ban list (2023); only ballistic knives remain prohibited to sell/give (18.2-311).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →

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