Quick Legal Facts
Statewide Preemption:
No.
Concealed Carry:
Machetes may not be carried concealed.
Schools:
Nevada law provides as to edged tools or instruments that dirks, daggers and switchblades may not be possessed on school property.
Major Cities with Knife Ordinances:
Clark County, Las Vegas, Reno and others have ordinances.
The Nevada State Constitution recognizes and preserves the right of individuals to keep and bear arms for security, defense, as well as recreational uses.
1. Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for security and defense, for lawful hunting and recreational use and for other lawful purposes.
N.R.S. Canst. Art. 1, § 11
Chapter 202 of Title 15 of the Nevada Code, captioned Crimes Against Public Health and Safety, deals with, among other things, weapons and firearms.
Restricted Knives:
There are no knives that cannot be lawfully possessed in Nevada. N.R.S. 202.350.1
Concealment/Carrying:
While there are no knives that cannot be lawfully possessed in Nevada, state law specifically prohibits the concealed carry of machetes:
- Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 202.355 and 202.3653 to 202.369, inclusive, a person within this State shall not:
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(d) Carry concealed upon his or her person any:
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(2) Machete;
(3) Pistol, revolver or other firearm, other dangerous or deadly weapon or pneumatic gun.
N.R.S. 202.350(1)(d)
Because Nevada does not have statutory definition for machete, Nevada knife owners would be wise to avoid carrying any long knife concealed on his person. Knives such as the kukri and the falcata could be classified as machetes. Further, it is not clear whether Nevada courts would extend the phrase “other dangerous or deadly weapon” in N.R.S. 202.350 (1)(d)(3) to knives.
Nevada does have a provision whereby a sheriff may issue a permit to carry a concealed machete. 202.350(3). However, considering that a machete is an awkward weapon to carry concealed, this option will not appeal to most knife owners.
Sale/Transfer:
There are no restrictions on the sale or transfer of knives in Nevada. N.R.S. 202.350.(1). There is a specific Nevada statute which prohibits the sale of firearms to minors; however, statute does not mention knives. N.R.S. 202.310.
Statewide Preemption:
No. Nevada does not have statewide knife preemption and, consequently, locations such as Clark County, Las Vegas, and Reno have enacted ordinances that affect the rights of knife owners. For example, the Clark County ordinance on weapons provides as follows:
12.04.180 – Concealed weapons prohibited without permit.
It is unlawful, within the unincorporated area of Clark County, for any person to carry upon his person a concealed weapon, not permitted in accordance with state law, of any description, including a knife with a blade of three inches or more, capable of being concealed, without first having received written permission therefor from the sheriff. (Ord. 242 § 18, 1965) (Ord. No. 4332, § 7, 10-12-2015)
Thus, it is legal to carry a concealed knife, so long as the blade is less than three inches in length. The Ordinance, however, offers the possibility of filing a request with the Sheriff for permission to carry a larger concealed knife.
Schools:
Nevada law provides as to edged tools or instruments that dirks, daggers and switchblades may not be possessed on school property. N.R.S. 202.265. The terms dirks and daggers are not defined. A switchblade knife is defined as a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife or any other knife having the appearance of a pocketknife, any blade of which is 2 or more inches long and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle or other mechanical device, or is released by any type of mechanism. A switchblade knife does not include a knife which has a blade that is held in place by a spring if the blade does not have any type of automatic release.