New Hampshire Sword Laws

A katana on a wall in Manchester, a longsword in a Concord study, a fantasy claymore in a Portsmouth apartment. New Hampshire sword laws form one of the most permissive frameworks in the country after the 2010 HB 1665 reform. The Granite State legalized concealed carry of all blade categories for non-felons, added statewide knife preemption in 2011, and reinforced the framework with HB 1178 in 2022. For sword collectors, New Hampshire is among the cleanest jurisdictions in any state, with ownership and carry essentially unrestricted at the state level.

New Hampshire sword laws live in RSA Title XII, Chapter 159, with the criminal-code "deadly weapon" definition in RSA 625:11(V). The central provisions are RSA 159:3 (convicted felons cannot possess deadly weapons including sword canes), RSA 159:15 (deadly weapon during violent crime), RSA 159:16 (carrying or selling weapons, now narrow), RSA 159:19 (courthouse security), RSA 159:24 (sale of martial arts weapons to minors), RSA 159:26 (statewide knife preemption), and RSA 642:7 (contraband for persons in custody). State v. Beckert, 741 A.2d 63 (1999) provides the relevant case law on deadly weapons in context. This guide walks through what current New Hampshire sword laws say.

What do New Hampshire sword laws actually say?

RSA 159:16 was substantially amended by HB 1665 in 2010. The pre-2010 statute prohibited the concealed carry or sale of "any stiletto, switch knife, dagger, dirk-knife, slungshot, or metallic knuckles." The post-2010 version covers only "any blackjack, slungshot, or metallic knuckles." All knife categories were removed. The current statute is a Class A misdemeanor (up to one year jail and $2,000 fine) but applies only to the three non-knife weapons. Non-felon adults may possess and carry any knife or sword openly or concealed without a permit anywhere in New Hampshire that is not specifically restricted.

The deadly weapon definition under RSA 625:11(V) is functional: "any firearm, knife or other substance or thing which, in the manner it is used, intended to be used, or threatened to be used, is known to be capable of producing death or serious bodily injury." A sword qualifies as a deadly weapon when used or threatened. State v. Beckert (1999) confirmed that a concealed 6-inch hunting knife was a "dangerous weapon" in the context of the defendant approaching police in a crowd while drawing the blade. The deadly-weapon classification matters for felon-in-possession charges (RSA 159:3) and for courthouse restrictions (RSA 159:19), but not for the general carry framework under New Hampshire sword laws, and New Hampshire sword laws keep the use-based test as the controlling standard.

Is it legal to own a sword in New Hampshire?

Yes. New Hampshire sword laws do not restrict the ownership of any knife or sword for non-felons. Katanas, longswords, sabers, machetes, rapiers, kukris, claymores, sword canes, and fantasy replicas can all be purchased and kept in a private residence without a permit, registration, or background check. There is no blade-length cap, no inventory limit, and no list of generally prohibited sword types at the state level.

Switchblades, automatic knives, butterfly knives, gravity knives, dirks, daggers, stilettos, bowie knives, ballistic knives, throwing stars, and double-edged blades are all legal to own for non-felons. The 2010 reform legalized everything in the historical knife-restriction category. RSA 159:3 separately prohibits convicted felons from possessing a list of deadly weapons including "stiletto, switchblade knife, sword cane, dagger, dirk-knife, or other deadly weapon as defined in RSA 625:11, V." Violation by a felon is a Class B felony. For non-felon adults, New Hampshire sword laws place ordinary sword ownership in the maximally permissive tier.

How does RSA 159:26 statewide knife preemption work?

RSA 159:26, enacted in 2011, provides that "the state of New Hampshire shall have authority and jurisdiction over the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter pertaining to firearms, firearms components, ammunition, firearms supplies, or knives in the state." The preemption is comprehensive. Cities, towns, and political subdivisions cannot enact local knife ordinances. The same rules apply in Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth, and every other municipality in the state.

The preemption took effect alongside the 2010 reform and consolidated the gains made by HB 1665. For sword collectors moving across New Hampshire, the framework provides uniform rules from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border. Any pre-2011 municipal ordinance that imposed knife restrictions inconsistent with state law became unenforceable. New Hampshire sword laws now stand among only a handful of state frameworks that combine maximally permissive substantive rules with comprehensive statewide preemption.

Cross the southern border into Massachusetts and the framework flips. New Hampshire's freedom ends precisely where the next state line begins.

What does RSA 159:24 do for swords specifically?

RSA 159:24 is the only New Hampshire statute that explicitly names "sword." Subsection I defines "martial arts weapon" as "any kind of sword, knife, spear, throwing star, throwing dart, or nunchaku or any other object designed for use in the martial arts which is capable of being used as a lethal or dangerous weapon." Subsection II makes it a misdemeanor to sell, deliver, or otherwise transfer a martial arts weapon to a person under 18 without first obtaining the written consent of the minor's parent or guardian.

Subsection III creates an exception: the misdemeanor does not apply to "fathers, mothers, guardians, administrators or executors who give a martial arts weapon to their children or wards or to heirs to an estate." A father may legally give a katana to his 14-year-old son. A retailer may not sell the same katana to the same 14-year-old without the father's written consent. The statute has been in effect since January 1, 1987, and predates the 2010 reforms. For retailers, the practical effect under New Hampshire sword laws is to require an age check at point of sale and a parental consent form for any sword sale to a customer under 18, and New Hampshire sword laws make this the single statute that names swords by category.

What about courthouses and other restricted locations?

RSA 159:19 makes it a Class B felony to carry any deadly weapon, loaded or unloaded, open or concealed, licensed or unlicensed, into a courtroom or any area used by a court. The statute applies to knives that qualify as deadly weapons under RSA 625:11(V). The courthouse restriction is the most serious state-level location ban for sword carriers in New Hampshire. RSA 642:7 separately makes knives "implements for escape and other contraband" for persons in official custody.

Other restricted or sensitive locations include:

• Courtrooms and court-area buildings (RSA 159:19, Class B felony)
• Schools (RSA 193:13 and 193-D:2 school discipline; school codes of conduct)
• Detention facilities and jails (RSA 642:7)
• Federal buildings (governed by federal law)
• Secure areas of airports past TSA screening
• Aircraft regardless of carrier
• Domestic violence protective orders (RSA 173-B:4 restrictions)
• Private property where the owner has banned weapons

How should collectors transport swords across New Hampshire?

Transport under New Hampshire sword laws is among the simplest in the country. A sword in a hard case in the trunk, a katana in original packaging, a sheathed longsword in the back seat, a blade openly carried on a back-mounted scabbard, or a concealed sword inside a coat are all lawful for non-felons. Statewide knife preemption under RSA 159:26 ensures the same rules apply in every city and county across New Hampshire. The 2010 reform eliminated the concealed-carry offense for knives entirely.

The two practical adjustments for collectors are the courthouse rule under RSA 159:19 and the southern border with Massachusetts. Avoid courtrooms entirely. When crossing into Massachusetts, the framework flips dramatically: MGL c. 269 § 10(b) makes per se illegal weapon possession a felony, and many blades legal in New Hampshire are felonies the moment they cross the state line. The American Knife and Tool Institute specifically warns that "the most obvious risk to an individual in New Hampshire who possesses a knife is that he or she might inadvertently stray across the southern border of the state into Massachusetts," and New Hampshire sword laws stop at that border.

The bottom line on owning and carrying swords in New Hampshire

New Hampshire sword laws sit at the very top of the permissive tier of the national spectrum. Ownership is unrestricted for non-felons. Open carry is unrestricted. Concealed carry is unrestricted with no permit requirement after the 2010 reform. Statewide knife preemption under RSA 159:26 keeps local ordinances from eroding the framework. The 2022 HB 1178 reinforced the state framework by preventing enforcement of federal restrictions on knives.

For anyone building a sword collection in New Hampshire, the practical takeaway is short. Buy what you want, carry openly or concealed as preferred, drive across the state without worrying about local ordinances, stay clear of courthouses entirely, never sell a sword to a minor under 18 without written parental consent, and watch the southern border carefully when traveling. The state framework treats non-felon adult collectors with maximum trust, and reserves enforcement for the felon-in-possession category and the courthouse and contraband contexts at the state level.

Frequently Asked Questions

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