Yes, OTF knives are legal to own in Michigan. The state repealed its ban on automatic knives in October 2017, so buying, selling, and possessing an out-the-front knife no longer violates state law.1Michigan Legislature. Enrolled Senate Bill No. 245 – Public Act 96 of 2017 Carrying one in public is a separate question, and Michigan still regulates how and where bladed weapons can be carried.
What Changed in 2017
Before Public Act 96 of 2017, MCL 750.226a made it a misdemeanor to sell or possess any knife that opened by a button, handle pressure, or other mechanical device. That statute was repealed in full. The Michigan State Police confirmed the change eliminated the prohibition on possessing a knife “solely because it has the appearance of a pocket knife, but can be opened by the flick of a button, pressure on a handle, or other mechanical contrivance.”2Michigan State Police. Michigan State Police Legal Update No. 130
The mechanism itself is no longer the problem. An OTF knife is now treated like any other knife under state law. What determines whether you can carry it, and how, is the shape of the blade and the way you’re carrying it.
Open Carry vs. Concealed Carry
Michigan generally allows open carry of knives. You can wear an OTF knife in a visible belt sheath without a license, provided you aren’t carrying it with intent to use it against someone.
Concealed carry is where OTF owners get into trouble. MCL 750.227 makes it a felony to carry certain bladed weapons concealed on your person: daggers, dirks, stilettos, and double-edged nonfolding stabbing instruments of any length.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.227 If your OTF knife has a double-edged blade, carrying it concealed in a pocket or under clothing is a felony no matter how short the blade is. Many tactical OTF models are double-edged, so this hits a lot of common designs.
A single-edged OTF doesn’t fall neatly into any of those named categories. The statute also reaches “any other dangerous weapon” carried concealed, and whether a specific knife qualifies depends on context, including how it’s carried and what it’s intended for. A single-edged OTF carried as a utility tool isn’t automatically caught, but the line is fact-driven.
Knives in Your Vehicle
MCL 750.227 doesn’t stop at concealed carry on your person. It also makes it illegal to have a dagger, stiletto, double-edged nonfolding blade, or other dangerous weapon in any vehicle you operate or occupy, whether the knife is concealed or in plain view. The exceptions are your home, your place of business, or land you own.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.227 A double-edged OTF sitting in the center console while you drive is treated the same as one concealed on your body.
A Concealed Pistol License Does Not Cover Knives
A Michigan CPL authorizes concealed carry of a pistol, and only a pistol. The pistol provision sits in subsection (2) of MCL 750.227; the knife and dangerous weapon provision sits in subsection (1). The MSP legal update reminded officers that a person can still be arrested under subsection (1) even if they have a valid CPL.2Michigan State Police. Michigan State Police Legal Update No. 130
The Hunting Knife Exception
MCL 750.227 exempts a hunting knife “adapted and carried as such.”3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.227 If you’re traveling to or from a hunt with a knife designed and used for that purpose, the concealed carry ban doesn’t apply. The exception is narrow, and a tactical OTF carried through a city is unlikely to qualify.
Where You Still Cannot Carry
Legal ownership doesn’t override location-based restrictions. Michigan’s weapon-free school zone law, MCL 750.237a, prohibits possessing weapons on K-12 school property and in vehicles used to transport students. School property covers buildings, playing fields, and any property used for instruction or school-sponsored events, and the statute defines “weapon” broadly enough to reach knives.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.237a Bringing a non-firearm dangerous weapon onto school grounds is a misdemeanor under that section.
Federal buildings and courthouses restrict weapons under 18 U.S.C. § 930. National Park Service sites may cap blade sizes, with rules varying by park. Hospitals, arenas, and private businesses can prohibit knives on their premises; violating a private policy isn’t a crime by itself, but you can be asked to leave and charged with trespassing if you don’t.
Michigan’s firearm preemption law does not clearly extend to knives, so cities and counties may impose their own knife rules. If you’re carrying outside your home area, it’s worth checking the local ordinance.
Crossing State Lines and Flying
The Federal Switchblade Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1242, makes it a crime to knowingly introduce a switchblade into interstate commerce or transport one across state lines. The statutory definition, a blade that opens automatically by button, inertia, or gravity, covers OTF knives. Penalties reach up to five years in prison, a $2,000 fine, or both.5U.S. Government Publishing Office. U.S. Code Title 15 Chapter 29 – Manufacture, Transportation, or Distribution of Switchblade Knives Common carriers shipping in the ordinary course of business are exempted,6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1244 – Exceptions which is why online retailers can ship OTFs to Michigan without issue. There is no blanket exemption for personal interstate transport, so a technical risk exists if you drive across state lines with one.
For air travel, TSA prohibits all knives in carry-on bags aside from rounded, blunt, non-serrated blades. An OTF has to go in checked luggage, sheathed or securely wrapped.7Transportation Security Administration. Sharp Objects The law at your destination may differ from Michigan’s; several states still ban automatic knives outright.
Penalties If You Get It Wrong
Two Michigan felonies apply most often to knife-carry cases:
- Concealed carry of a dangerous weapon under MCL 750.227, including having one in a vehicle you occupy: up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 750.227
- Going armed with unlawful intent under MCL 750.226, which covers a dagger, dirk, razor, stiletto, or a knife with a blade over three inches carried with intent to use it against another person: up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500. The knife doesn’t have to be concealed for this charge.2Michigan State Police. Michigan State Police Legal Update No. 130
Ownership of an OTF knife in Michigan is straightforward. The care goes into how the blade is shaped, where the knife rides when you’re moving around, and where you’re taking it.