Switchblades are legal in Maine. The state repealed its ban on automatic knives in 2015, and nothing replaced it, so you can own a switchblade, carry it openly or concealed without a permit, and buy one from a Maine dealer. The catches are narrow but real: certain locations are off-limits, local ordinances can go further than state law, and a federal statute still makes it a crime to ship a switchblade across state lines.
Carrying a Switchblade in Maine
Before 2015, Maine classified automatic knives as “dangerous knives” under 17-A M.R.S. § 1055, and possessing, selling, or manufacturing one was a Class D crime.1Justia Law. Maine Code 17-A 1055 – Trafficking in Dangerous Knives (2005) The Legislature repealed that statute in full through LD 264, effective October 15, 2015.2American Knife and Tool Institute. 2015 ME LD 264 Nothing in the current Maine code defines or restricts switchblades.
Because the ban was repealed outright rather than replaced, you can carry a switchblade on your belt, in your pocket, or in a bag. No permit is required. You can keep as many as you want at home.
Maine does still restrict concealed carry of some other knives. Under 25 M.R.S.A. § 2001-A, carrying a bowie knife, dirk, stiletto, or other weapon “usually employed in the attack on or defense of a person” concealed on your person is prohibited. Switchblades are not in that category after the 2015 repeal, so a switchblade carried concealed does not violate § 2001-A. The same statute carves out hunting, fishing, and trapping activity defined under Title 12, § 10001, which protects anglers and hunters who might otherwise be caught by the concealed-carry rule.3Maine Legislature. Maine Code Title 25 2001-A – Threatening Display of or Carrying Concealed Weapon
Where You Still Can’t Bring One
Schools
Maine school weapons policies explicitly list switchblades alongside firearms, brass knuckles, and throwing stars as prohibited on school property and at school events.4Maine Department of Education. EUT Policy on Weapons, Violence and School Safety The fact that state law allows switchblades does not override school rules. A student caught with one can face expulsion and potential criminal charges.
Courthouses
Maine’s courthouse weapons statute, 17-A M.R.S. § 1058, is written for firearms rather than knives.5Justia Law. Maine Code 17-A 1058 – Unauthorized Possession of Firearm in Courthouse In practice, most Maine courthouses screen visitors at the door and will confiscate any knife regardless of statute. Leave it in the car.
Federal Buildings and Airports
Federal buildings, post offices, and TSA-controlled airport areas prohibit knives under federal rules. Private property owners can also bar weapons from their premises.
Local Ordinances
Maine has no statewide preemption law for knives. Cities and towns can pass ordinances that go further than state law, and they can change quietly. If you’re carrying in an unfamiliar municipality, a quick check of the local code is worth the time. A knife that is clearly legal statewide can still violate a city ordinance.
Buying One in Maine and the Federal Shipping Trap
In-state sales are unrestricted. When § 1055 was repealed, the prohibition on manufacturing, selling, lending, and giving away automatic knives went with it.1Justia Law. Maine Code 17-A 1055 – Trafficking in Dangerous Knives (2005) No special retail license is required to sell switchblades in Maine, and the state code does not set an age floor for buying one. Individual retailers often set their own age policies.
The problem is buying across state lines. The federal Switchblade Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1241–1245, makes it a crime to knowingly introduce a switchblade into interstate commerce, transport one across state lines, or distribute one between states. Penalties run up to a $2,000 fine, up to five years in prison, or both.6U.S. Government Publishing Office. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 29 – Manufacture, Transportation, or Distribution of Switchblade Knives The federal definition covers any knife with a blade that opens automatically by hand pressure on a button or other handle device, or by gravity or inertia.7U.S. Government Publishing Office. 15 U.S.C. 1241 – Definitions
The Act contains narrow exceptions for common carriers, military contracts, active-duty military, and people with only one arm (for blades of three inches or less). Knives whose spring biases the blade toward closed are excluded from the definition entirely.6U.S. Government Publishing Office. 15 U.S.C. Chapter 29 – Manufacture, Transportation, or Distribution of Switchblade Knives For an ordinary buyer, none of these apply.
The practical rule: ordering a switchblade online from an out-of-state seller and having it shipped to Maine is federally illegal, even though both you and the seller may live in states where switchblades are perfectly legal. To stay clear of the federal statute, buy from a Maine-based dealer or pick one up in person within the state.
A constitutional challenge to the Federal Switchblade Act is pending in federal court on Second Amendment grounds. As of early 2026, the case is at the appellate briefing stage with oral arguments pending, and the interstate shipping ban remains fully in effect.
Carrying Is Legal; Threatening Is Not
Owning and carrying a switchblade is one thing. Pulling one out during an argument is another. Under 25 M.R.S.A. § 2001-A, displaying any dangerous or deadly weapon in a threatening manner is a crime.3Maine Legislature. Maine Code Title 25 2001-A – Threatening Display of or Carrying Concealed Weapon Maine’s criminal threatening statute, 17-A M.R.S. § 209, separately covers intentionally placing another person in fear of imminent bodily injury, and it applies regardless of what weapon was involved.
A switchblade clipped to your pocket is a legal tool. The same knife waved at someone becomes evidence in a criminal case. Maine law doesn’t care that you were lawfully carrying it a moment earlier.