North Dakota Sword Laws

A katana on a wall in Fargo, a longsword in a Bismarck study, a fantasy claymore in a Grand Forks apartment. North Dakota sword laws are among the rare modern state codes that list "sword" as a categorical "dangerous weapon" by name. The state operates a clean open-carry framework with a license-based concealed-carry restriction that requires a Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license. Open carry of any sword is fully legal. Concealed carry without a license is a misdemeanor. North Dakota sword laws are moderately permissive at the state level, but the public-gathering restrictions sweep broadly to include schools, churches, athletic events, and publicly owned buildings.

North Dakota sword laws live in Title 62.1 of the Century Code, captioned "Weapons." The central provisions are N.D.C.C. § 62.1-01-01 (general definitions, "dangerous weapon" naming sword), § 62.1-02-04 (firearm or dangerous weapon in liquor establishment), § 62.1-02-05 (firearm or dangerous weapon at public gathering), § 62.1-04-01 (definition of concealed), § 62.1-04-02 (carrying concealed firearms or dangerous weapons, license distinctions), § 62.1-04-03 (license to carry concealed, Class 1 firearm license and Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license), and § 62.1-04-03.1 (reciprocity). HB 1588 (effective August 1, 2025) updated the blade-length threshold in § 62.1-01-01 from 5 inches to 6 inches. This guide walks through what current North Dakota sword laws say.

What do North Dakota sword laws actually say?

N.D.C.C. § 62.1-01-01 defines "dangerous weapon" to include "any switchblade or gravity knife, machete, scimitar, stiletto, sword, dagger, or knife with a blade of five inches [12.7 centimeters] or more" (now six inches after HB 1588). The definition also includes throwing stars, nunchaku, billies, blackjacks, sap, bludgeons, cudgels, metal knuckles, sand clubs, slungshots, bows and arrows, crossbows, and spears. The definition is the broadest in any state code for swords specifically.

N.D.C.C. § 62.1-04-02 makes carrying a dangerous weapon concealed unlawful unless the carrier holds either a Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license (under § 62.1-04-03) or a reciprocal out-of-state CCW permit (under § 62.1-04-03.1). Constitutional carry under North Dakota law applies to firearms only, not to dangerous weapons such as swords. § 62.1-04-01 defines "concealed" as carried so as not to be discernible by ordinary observation of a passerby. The statute also clarifies that a dangerous weapon is not concealed if locked in the trunk or luggage compartment, carried in a wholly or substantially visible holster or case, or carried while lawfully hunting, trapping, or target shooting under North Dakota sword laws, and North Dakota sword laws treat those three carve-outs as the practical safe-harbor for sword transport.

Is it legal to own a sword in North Dakota?

Yes. North Dakota sword laws do not restrict the ownership of any knife or sword. Katanas, longswords, sabers, machetes, scimitars, rapiers, kukris, claymores, 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 for ownership, 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, and double-edged blades are all legal to own. The state has no categorical knife ban for adult possession. Switchblades and gravity knives are categorically "dangerous weapons" but are not prohibited; they are simply subject to the concealed-carry license requirement. Ballistic knives are not specifically banned in the reviewed statutes. Ordinary sword ownership is unrestricted statewide under North Dakota sword laws, and North Dakota sword laws give home collectors substantial latitude.

Does § 62.1-04-02 apply to traditional swords?

Yes. A traditional katana, longsword, scimitar, or saber is expressly named in § 62.1-01-01 as a "dangerous weapon." Concealed carry of a sword without a Class 2 license is a violation of § 62.1-04-02. Penalty is generally a misdemeanor for first offenses. The concealment standard under § 62.1-04-01 is whether the weapon is "discernible by ordinary observation of a passerby." A sword carried in a back-mounted scabbard with the hilt clearly visible is open carry, not concealed. A sword wrapped in a blanket on the passenger seat is concealed.

The transport exemptions under § 62.1-04-01 are useful for collectors. The statute provides that a weapon is not "concealed" if:

• It is locked in the trunk or luggage compartment of a vehicle
• It is carried in a holster or case where it is wholly or substantially visible
• It is carried in any manner while lawfully hunting, trapping, or target shooting

For sword collectors, the cleanest transport approach is to lock the blade in the trunk during in-state travel. A sword carried in a transparent or partially visible case in the back seat may also qualify as non-concealed. For active concealed carry on the person, a Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license is required. Class 2 licenses are available to applicants 18 or older who possess a valid driver's license or state-issued ID and meet the other statutory requirements under North Dakota sword laws, and North Dakota sword laws treat the Class 2 license as the central legal mechanism for active sword carry.

North Dakota is honest about it. The state code uses the word "sword" by name. No catch-all, no "weapon of like kind," no interpretive gymnastics.

What about public gatherings and other restricted locations?

N.D.C.C. § 62.1-02-05 is a broad public-gathering restriction. It provides that "an individual who knowingly possesses a firearm or dangerous weapon at a public gathering is guilty of an infraction." "Public gathering" is defined to include "an athletic or sporting event, a school, a church or other place of worship, and a publicly owned or operated building." The statute reaches more locations than equivalent statutes in most other states. § 62.1-02-04 separately prohibits dangerous weapons in licensed liquor establishments.

Other restricted locations include:

• Public gatherings: athletic events, schools, churches, publicly owned buildings (§ 62.1-02-05)
• Licensed liquor establishments and bingo gaming (§ 62.1-02-04)
• Courthouses and courtrooms (typical state and federal rules)
• Detention facilities and jails
• Federal buildings (governed by federal law)
• Secure areas of airports past TSA screening
• Aircraft regardless of carrier
• State Capitol Building
• Bismarck Ordinance 6-08 (Weapons) and Fargo Ordinance 10-0304 (carrying, possession, discharge of dangerous weapons) impose additional restrictions
• Private property where the owner has banned weapons

Exceptions are provided for public rest areas, restrooms, state and federal parks, and various categories of law enforcement, military personnel, government officials, designated first responders at schools, and private security persons on duty who hold a concealed firearm or dangerous weapon license.

How should collectors transport swords across North Dakota?

Transport requires attention to the § 62.1-04-01 concealment definition. The cleanest approach for sword collectors is to lock the blade in the trunk or luggage compartment during transit. The § 62.1-04-01 carve-outs explicitly recognize trunk transport as non-concealed. Alternative approaches include open carry on a back-mounted scabbard or transport in a substantially visible case (hard case with visible handle and hilt). For collectors with a Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license, concealed carry on the person is also lawful.

The two practical adjustments for collectors are the public-gathering rule under § 62.1-02-05 and the patchwork of municipal ordinances. North Dakota has no statewide knife preemption, so Bismarck (Ordinance 6-08) and Fargo (Ordinance 10-0304) may impose additional restrictions. Verify local code before in-city transport. For collectors heading to knife shows, dojos, or hunting trips outside restricted areas, North Dakota sword laws give substantial latitude through the trunk-transport exemption and the open-carry framework. North Dakota sword laws also give the hunting and trapping exemption to collectors who can frame transport in those terms.

The bottom line on owning and carrying swords in North Dakota

North Dakota sword laws sit in the moderately permissive tier of the national spectrum. Ownership is unrestricted. Open carry is fully legal. Concealed carry requires a Class 2 firearm and dangerous weapon license or reciprocal state CCW permit. The state explicitly names "sword" as a dangerous weapon in § 62.1-01-01, which makes carry rules categorical for sword collectors. Public gatherings (schools, churches, athletic events, publicly owned buildings) are off-limits. Liquor establishments are off-limits.

For anyone building a sword collection in North Dakota, the practical takeaway is to display at home, open-carry when on foot in public, lock blades in the trunk during transport, never carry a sword to a public gathering or liquor establishment, verify Bismarck and Fargo ordinances before in-city transport, and consider a Class 2 license for active concealed carry. The state framework treats sword collectors with substantial trust through the trunk-transport carve-out and the open-carry framework, while keeping the concealed-carry license requirement intact.

Frequently Asked Questions

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