Knife Carrying Laws in Florida

Heightened security concerns over carrying prohibited materials into public places such as airport terminals and subways have been raised even further. All that means is that you must be knowledgeable of the legality of any and every commodity you carry with you no matter how innocuous it might be. One such commodity that has drawn attention post-9/11 is the knife. Today, a common pocketknife can land an individual in a lot of trouble. The knife carrying laws in the state of Florida are somewhat different in classification of weapon as compared with the other states in the United States.

Permit

• According to the knife carrying laws in Florida, you are allowed to carry pocketknives, but even these are subject to scrutiny. Any other type of knife will need a permit from the state authority, which in this case, is the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Pocketknife

• While a common pocketknife is allowed, the definition for the knife to be qualified as "common" can be a matter of debate. While the previous legal length for a pocketknife was 3.75 inches, as of 2010 the maximum length is 4 inches for the knife to be a pocketknife. Also, if the knife has additional tactical features, then it becomes a military-grade knife and therefore illegal without a permit.

Section 709.001

• In Florida, the section dealing with definitions of concealed weapons and types is 709.001. It does not term pocketknives as an exception, thereby leaving it to the discretion of the respective law enforcement agency or a jury.

Concealed Weapon

• As a concealed weapon, knives in the form of swords and daggers cannot be carried without a Florida state permit. The permit is valid for five years, after which a fresh permission is to be requested. Also, a concealed weapon cannot be introduced without a self-preservation motive and responsibility. Nonadherence to the law will result in criminal action.

Restriction at School

• In Florida and all other states, knives of any nature cannot be carried into the premises of a school or at any school-sponsored events. The term "school" roughly includes all the scholastic congregations resulting in the process of education and the distribution of knowledge. They are also illegal on the premises that can be susceptible to nuisance, such as jails, police stations, detention facilities and courtrooms. Only the concerned security personnel might be permitted to such carriage of arms.

Prerequisite Permit

• Knives can be carried to a public place that already possesses the prerequisite permit, such as a vocational school training session dealing with such types of arms.