Is it illegal to have a sword in your house in the UK?
Any swords bought must be held in your home, and are not allowed in public without a valid reason. You may carry a sword outside the home, for going to and from an engagement such as using the sword as a prop in a sport, re-enactment or stage combat/acting, as long as it is fully covered.
Norfolk Constabulary is welcoming new legislation that will make it illegal to own certain styles of 'ninja' swords. The new law, which will come into force from Friday 1 August 2025, is aimed at removing specific types of swords from circulation and prohibits the sale and importation of swords that meet the criteria.
It's now an offence to keep items such as knuckledusters, flick knives, throwing stars, zombie knives, telescopic truncheons and push daggers in your home. The law will also change on safe retailing for buying knives in store and online.
In general, carrying weapons in the UK is illegal. You are permitted to carry a knife with a non locking blade of less than three inches, but using it or threatening to use it as a weapon would still be illegal. It is also legal to carry a rape alarm; these can be purchased from some police stations and supermarkets.
Since 2008, curved swords with a blade over 50cm long have been prohibited under UK law, with certain 'defences' and exemptions. They are listed on the list of offensive prohibited weapons (alongside things like flick knives).
Any swords bought must be held in your home, and are not allowed in public without a valid reason. You may carry a sword outside the home, for going to and from an engagement such as using the sword as a prop in a sport, re-enactment or stage combat/acting, as long as it is fully covered.
Offensive weapons which are designed to kill or inflict serious injury and do not have a legitimate use are banned or restricted from being imported into the UK. It is an offence to import certain specified weapons including knives, swords and other blades.
You can use reasonable force to protect yourself or others if a crime is taking place inside your home. This means you can: protect yourself 'in the heat of the moment' - this includes using an object as a weapon. stop an intruder running off - for example by tackling them to the ground.
The law does allow people to defend themselves, but you can only do what is reasonably necessary. In short, you can only use force to prevent a crime happening to you or assist an arrest.
(The length of the blade shall the straight line distance from the top of the handle to the tip of the blade). This is a prohibited offensive weapon set out in the Criminal Justice Act (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988.
UK knife law allows you to carry non-locking pocket knives with a blade length up to 3 inches (7.62 cm) without any need for a valid reason. You are allowed to carry a knife which exceeds these guidelines in public, but please remember: you will do need a good reason to carry it.
It is now illegal to own, sell, manufacture or import ninja swords. The government legislation has been brought in following a campaign by the family of 16-year-old Ronan Kanda who was tragically killed with a ninja sword in 2022. Its aim is to reduce knife crime and enhance public safety.
In many places, the carrying of certain types of weapons, including swords, in public areas is restricted or prohibited. These regulations are typically in place to ensure public safety and prevent the misuse of weapons.
We are now going further with ninja swords. By adding ninja swords to the list of prohibited offensive weapons in The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988 it will mean that it will become an offence to manufacture, import, sale or possess a ninja sword.
Example of type of sword which is already prohibited by the curved sword legislation. Katana type swords are already prohibited and fall under the definition of a prohibited item listed in (r) in the Schedule to The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988.
Semi-automatic rifles are permitted when chambered in . 22 rimfire. Handguns, shotguns and air rifles are permitted in various calibres. There is currently no limit on magazine capacity for rifles or handguns.
If you locate a knife or anything you consider to be a weapon please call the police on 101. Do not touch the knife. Stay with the knife until police have arrived, unless unsafe to do so. If you would like to hand in a knife, please call the police on 101 or you can contact the Safer Neighbourhood Police Team.
As a last resort, defend yourself by physically fighting back — Use your body “defenders” — your elbow, your heel, your fist, your voice, and your head. A wheelchair or a cane can also be used as a defender. To get away quickly, 1. Aim for a place on the attacker's body that will hurt a lot.
There are no national laws about swords or knives in the US. Only individual states have laws about swords and knives, and those laws can vary widely from state to state. Knife laws by state. Laws about self defense and home defense are separate from the laws for weapons.
The Criminal Justice Act 1988 (Offensive Weapons) Order 1988, ISBN 0-11-088019-6 also made it illegal to trade in sword canes in the United Kingdom. However, antique swordsticks which are 100 years old or older are exempt.
This has been substantially amended by Section 46 of the Offensive Weapons Act 2019, the effect being that it is now a criminal offence (subject to a number of specific defences) to possess certain offensive weapons in a private place.
It is an offence to carry any sharp or bladed instrument in a public place, with the exception of a folding pocket knife where the cutting edge of the blade is 7.62 cm (3 inches) or less. Please note that the term 'cutting edge' is not limited to an area of the blade that has a textured or serrated edge.
