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Do you live in Wyoming? Are you interested in knives? If so, this article is for you! Here we will cover the basics of knife law in the state of Wyoming. This includes what types of knives are legal, who can carry them, and how old you have to be to buy and possess knives. We will also take a look at any unique knife laws that may apply to the Cowboy State. Stay safe and stay informed!
Luckily for residents, wyoming is one of the more knife-friendly states in the country. There is no general statewide ban on switchblades, butterfly knives, Bowie knives, daggers, or other common knife types, and I couldn’t find a statewide blade-length limit either.
The one part that deserves a little more explanation is concealed carry.
My Top 5 Knives Legal Almost Everywhere
*These knives are listed based on their broad legality across states, but always consult your local laws before making a purchase.
Wyoming doesn’t have a special set of statutes neatly labeled “knife laws.” Instead, knives can fall under the state’s broader laws concerning deadly weapons. Whether that matters depends partly on what you’re carrying and, especially, how or why it is being used or intended to be used.
Here’s the quick version:
| Question | Wyoming Law |
|---|---|
| Are pocket knives legal? | Yes, generally |
| Are switchblades legal? | Yes under Wyoming state law |
| Are butterfly/balisong knives legal? | Yes |
| Are daggers, stilettos and Bowie knives legal? | Yes |
| Is there a statewide blade-length limit? | No general limit found |
| Is open carry legal? | Generally yes |
| Is concealed carry legal? | Usually, but Wyoming’s concealed deadly weapon statute can apply |
| Statewide preemption? | Yes |
| Minimum age to buy an ordinary knife? | No general statewide knife-purchase age restriction found |
| Concealed-deadly-weapon qualification age | 18 as of July 1, 2026 |
Is There Statewide Preemption?
Yes.
Wyoming Statute § 6-8-401 says that the state controls the regulation of the sale, purchase, manufacture, ownership, transportation, use, carrying, and possession of firearms and weapons. Cities, counties, and other political subdivisions generally can’t create a separate patchwork of weapon laws unless state law specifically gives them that authority.
That’s particularly useful with knives because you don’t have to start over researching an entirely different knife code every time you drive into another Wyoming town.
What Kinds Of Knives Are Legal In Wyoming?
Wyoming does not appear to prohibit knives based simply on their design or opening mechanism. The current criminal code doesn’t even use the word “knife” in its main weapons statutes.
That means the following are generally legal to own under Wyoming state law:
- Folding knives and pocket knives
- Fixed-blade knives
- Bowie knives
- Daggers and dirks
- Stilettos
- Poniards
- Switchblades and automatic knives
- Gravity knives
- Butterfly knives or balisongs
- Push knives
- Hunting knives
- Disguised knives such as lipstick knives
- Swords
That does not mean you can carry any of them anywhere, in any manner, for any purpose. The type of knife usually isn’t the problem in Wyoming. The state’s broader deadly-weapon laws are where things can get interesting.
Are There Knife Blade-Length Laws In Wyoming?
I couldn’t find a general Wyoming statute establishing a maximum blade length for ordinary knife ownership or carry.
In other words, Wyoming doesn’t use the familiar “3-inch knife,” “4-inch knife,” etc. cutoff that some jurisdictions do. Instead, the important legal questions are more likely to involve concealment, intent, location, or whether the knife qualifies as a deadly weapon.
When Is A Knife A “Deadly Weapon” In Wyoming?
This is probably the most important part of Wyoming knife law.
Wyoming defines a deadly weapon broadly as certain specifically listed items plus another device, instrument, material, or substance that, based on how it is used or is intended to be used, is reasonably capable of causing death or serious bodily injury.
So a knife isn’t necessarily treated the same way in every situation.
A Swiss Army knife sitting in your pocket because you use it to open boxes is a very different factual situation from carrying a large knife specifically for use as a weapon in a confrontation.
Wyoming case law makes the point pretty well. In State v. McAdams, a woman had a sheathed knife concealed inside her jacket and told deputies that she carried it for protection. She was charged under Wyoming’s concealed-deadly-weapon law. The Wyoming Supreme Court case ultimately dealt with whether the concealed-weapons statute was constitutional, rather than establishing a simple “this size knife equals a deadly weapon” rule, but the facts are a good warning against assuming that a knife can’t fall under the statute.
The Wyoming Supreme Court has also held in cases such as Conine v. State that even an ordinary object—in that case a frying pan—can qualify as a deadly weapon depending on the manner in which it is used.
So, unfortunately, there isn’t a magic blade length that answers everything.
Can You Conceal Carry A Knife In Wyoming?
Generally, yes if you fall within one of Wyoming’s exceptions to the concealed-deadly-weapon prohibition. But this is where the wording of the law matters.
Wyoming Statute § 6-8-104 starts by making it an offense to wear or carry a concealed deadly weapon, then provides several exceptions. Those include peace officers, people with a Wyoming permit, people with qualifying reciprocal out-of-state permits, and people without a permit who are U.S. residents and meet the statute’s listed eligibility requirements.
As of July 1, 2026, the minimum age in those qualification requirements is 18 rather than 21.
One correction to the older version of this article is important here: you do not have to have lived in Wyoming for six months to qualify for the permitless exception. The six-month Wyoming-residency requirement appears in the section governing applications for a Wyoming concealed-firearm permit. The permitless exception instead requires U.S. residency and incorporates several of the other eligibility requirements, but not that six-month Wyoming-residency paragraph.
So visitors from other states aren’t automatically excluded from Wyoming’s permitless provision simply because they haven’t lived in Wyoming.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Buy Or Carry A Knife In Wyoming?
I found no general statewide Wyoming law establishing a specific minimum age simply to buy or possess an ordinary knife. Retailers can still impose their own age policies.
That’s separate from concealed-deadly-weapon law. Since July 1, 2026, the relevant qualification age under § 6-8-104 is 18.
And, obviously, schools are their own can of worms when the person carrying the knife is a student.
Can You Carry A Knife At A School In Wyoming?
This section of the old article needed a fairly major correction.
Wyoming law absolutely can apply to knives at schools when the knife qualifies as a deadly weapon.
For K-12 students, Wyoming Statute § 21-4-306 lists possession, use, transfer, carrying, or sale of a deadly weapon on a school bus or K-12 school property as grounds for suspension or expulsion. The statute provides for a one-year expulsion, although the superintendent and school board can modify that period case by case.
For adults, things changed substantially in 2025. Wyoming’s new Repeal Gun Free Zones Act allows qualifying concealed carry in a number of public places. It also specifically allows people carrying under a Wyoming permit to carry a concealed weapon in public elementary and secondary schools and public colleges or universities, subject to other restrictions and special rules for school employees and volunteers.
So the answer is not simply “knives are allowed at schools” or “knives are banned at schools.” It depends heavily on who is carrying it, whether it is being treated as a deadly weapon, whether the person has a permit, and the particular school situation.
Can You Carry A Knife In Government Buildings In Wyoming?
Don’t lump every government building together.
Wyoming changed its state-law rules in 2025. People who are lawfully carrying concealed weapons under § 6-8-104 may now carry in governmental meetings, legislative meetings, qualifying areas of public airports, and public buildings unless another law or one of the statute’s specific restrictions applies.
Federal buildings are different.
Federal law generally prohibits dangerous weapons in federal facilities, but there is an interesting knife-specific exception: the federal definition of a dangerous weapon under 18 U.S.C. § 930 excludes a pocket knife with a blade shorter than 2½ inches. Individual facilities and federal court security rules can still be more restrictive, so I wouldn’t use that exception as an invitation to argue with the guy running the metal detector.
Where Are Deadly Weapons Specifically Restricted?
Wyoming Statute § 6-5-209 specifically prohibits taking a deadly weapon into places including jails, state penal institutions, certain correctional facilities, the Wyoming State Hospital, and courtrooms unless the required authorization has been given.
If your knife would qualify as a deadly weapon, these restrictions matter regardless of Wyoming’s otherwise permissive attitude toward knives.
Can A Felon Carry A Knife In Wyoming?
This is more nuanced than simply saying “felons can’t carry knives.”
Wyoming’s specific felon-in-possession statute, § 6-8-102, regulates firearms, not ordinary knives. I did not find a blanket Wyoming statute that makes possession of every knife illegal merely because someone has a felony conviction.
However, the permitless exception for carrying a concealed deadly weapon incorporates firearm-eligibility requirements. Someone who is legally prohibited from possessing firearms may therefore not qualify for that concealed-carry exception. If the concealed knife is treated as a deadly weapon, that can create a serious problem.
A person with a felony record should therefore be especially careful about treating “knives are legal in Wyoming” as the end of the analysis.
Are Switchblades Legal In Wyoming?
Yes. I found no Wyoming state statute specifically banning switchblades or automatic knives.
There is, however, a separate federal Switchblade Knife Act regulating certain interstate manufacture, transportation, and distribution of switchblades and possession in certain federal jurisdictions. So “legal in Wyoming” doesn’t mean every possible interstate or federal situation is unrestricted.
Are Butterfly Knives Illegal In Wyoming?
No. Wyoming does not specifically prohibit butterfly knives or balisongs.
As with any other knife, though, how you carry and intend to use it can matter if the circumstances bring it within Wyoming’s deadly-weapon laws.
What Are The Penalties For Violating Wyoming’s Concealed-Weapon Law?
For an unlawful first offense of carrying a concealed deadly weapon under § 6-8-104, the maximum penalty is:
- $750 fine
- Six months in county jail
- Or both
A second or subsequent offense is a felony punishable by up to:
- $2,000 fine
- Two years imprisonment
- Or both.
There is another statute worth knowing about as well. Knowingly possessing, manufacturing, transporting, repairing, or selling a deadly weapon with intent to unlawfully threaten someone, commit assault, or inflict bodily injury is a felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.
So Wyoming is permissive about knives. It is considerably less permissive about carrying one around with unlawful intentions.
Wyoming State Knife Law References
The main laws I used for this update are:
- Wyoming Statute § 6-1-104 — definition of “deadly weapon”
- Wyoming Statute § 6-5-209 — deadly weapons in jails, correctional facilities, the state hospital and courtrooms
- Wyoming Statute § 6-8-103 — deadly weapons possessed or handled with unlawful intent
- Wyoming Statute § 6-8-104 — concealed weapons, exceptions and permits
- Wyoming Statute § 6-8-105 — Wyoming Repeal Gun Free Zones Act
- Wyoming Statute § 6-8-401 — statewide weapons preemption
- Wyoming Statute § 21-4-306 — weapons and K-12 student discipline
If you’re researching knife laws outside Wyoming, the Knifeade State Knife Law Directory is the easiest place to start.
Conclusion
Wyoming is still a very knife-friendly state. There are no general statewide bans on common knife types, no general blade-length limit, and no separate maze of city knife laws thanks to statewide weapons preemption.
The main thing I wouldn’t do is reduce Wyoming law to “all knives are legal, so carry whatever you want however you want.”
A knife can become legally significant as a deadly weapon, particularly because of how it is carried, used, or intended to be used. Concealed carry, schools, courtrooms, correctional facilities, and federal property all deserve a little more attention than the basic “Are switchblades legal?” question.
I’m still just a normal guy doing my best to muddle through all these legal texts but, hopefully, this saves you the trouble of doing quite as much muddling yourself.
For a situation involving an actual charge, a school, a courthouse, or a questionable carry situation, I’d verify the specifics with a Wyoming attorney or the authority responsible for that facility rather than betting on a blog post—including this one.
Conclusion
Wyoming knife laws are quite lenient due to the lack of specific regulations surrounding knives. The ambiguity in the law tends to work in favor of knife enthusiasts as it doesn’t technically define the types of knives to be carried in a concealed manner in the state of Wyoming; therefore, most are regarded as legal to be carried.
I’m just a normal guy doing my best to muddle through all these legal texts but, hopefully, I was able to clear things up for you and save you the trouble of looking things up for yourself!
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