May I carry a knife in a public place?
An ordinary utility knife – kitchen, pocket, multitool or hunting – is not a weapon under the Weapons Act (ZOro-1), so you may own and carry it, as long as you do not carry or use it as a weapon. The key myth is that 'every knife is banned' or, the opposite, that 'on your own land you may do anything'. The truth is in between: particularly dangerous items are prohibited cold weapons – a spring-loaded dagger (switchblade), a butterfly knife, a blade hidden in an object (a walking stick or a credit card), a knuckleduster, a rubber cosh and a tonfa – which may not be carried or used as weapons and may be held only by collectors and museums with a special permit. Carrying a weapon that requires a weapons document, without that document, in a public place is an offence with a fine of EUR 500 to 1,500. At public gatherings and events, carrying weapons and dangerous objects is specifically prohibited, and even brandishing a knife in a threatening way can amount to a breach of public order or a criminal offence. Unlawful possession of or trade in prohibited cold weapons is even a criminal offence under Article 307 of the Criminal Code (KZ-1).
📋 The rules
- An ordinary knife (kitchen, pocket, multitool, hunting) is not a weapon under ZOro-1; owning and carrying it is not in itself an offence, as long as you do not carry or use it as a weapon.
- Prohibited cold weapons – a spring-loaded dagger (switchblade), a butterfly knife, a blade hidden in an object, a knuckleduster, a rubber cosh and a tonfa – may not be carried or used as weapons; only collectors and museums may hold them with a permit.
- A weapon may not be carried or transported in a public place in a way that alarms people or that people notice; anyone carrying a weapon that requires a weapons document must have the document on them.
- At public gatherings and events, carrying weapons and dangerous objects is prohibited; the police may seize a weapon or a dangerous object.
- Carrying or transporting a weapon without a weapons document is punishable for an individual by a fine of EUR 500 to 1,500, while unlawful trade in prohibited weapons is a criminal offence under Article 307 of KZ-1 (six months to five years in prison).
🔓 Exceptions
- A knife or other blade you need for work, a profession or a sport (a cook, tradesperson, angler or mountaineer) may be carried for that purpose; what matters is the purpose and manner of carrying, not mere possession.
- Collectors and museums may hold prohibited cold weapons under a permit, but may not carry or use them as weapons, only keep or exhibit them.
- Using a knife in self-defence (defence necessarily needed against a simultaneous unlawful attack) is not unlawful, but must be proportionate; exceeding the limits of self-defence is punishable.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
An ordinary knife is not banned, but problems arise once it becomes a weapon. Anyone who carries a weapon that requires a weapons document, without it, in a public place commits an offence punishable for an individual by a fine of EUR 500 to 1,500, and the police seize the weapon. Possession, manufacture or trade in prohibited cold weapons (a switchblade, butterfly knife, knuckleduster or concealed blade) is more serious: it can be a criminal offence of unlawful manufacture of and trade in weapons under Article 307 of KZ-1, carrying six months to five years in prison. If you threaten someone with a knife, brandish it or cause fear, you risk an offence against public order, and with an injury or a threat, criminal prosecution for a threat or bodily harm. At public gatherings and events, carrying weapons and dangerous objects is specifically prohibited; security staff and the police can remove you, seize the object and report you. Beyond the penalty, the seizure of the weapon and a record of the offence or crime leave traces when obtaining a weapons document and in jobs that require security vetting.
📎 Official sources
- PISRS · register of legislation (Weapons Act, ZOro-1) →
- PISRS · Criminal Code (KZ-1, Article 307) →
- Police · carrying and transporting weapons →
❓ Frequently asked
May I carry a pocket knife with me?
An ordinary pocket or multitool knife is not a weapon under the Weapons Act, so in principle you may own and carry it, as long as you do not carry or use it as a weapon. The problem arises if it is a prohibited cold weapon (a switchblade or butterfly knife) or if you carry it at a public gathering or threaten someone with it.
Which knives are banned in Slovenia?
Prohibited cold weapons include a spring-loaded dagger (switchblade), a butterfly knife, a blade hidden in an everyday object, and a knuckleduster, a rubber cosh and a tonfa. These may not be carried or used as weapons, and may be held only by collectors and museums under a special permit.
What is the fine for carrying a weapon without a document?
An individual who carries or transports a weapon that requires a weapons document, without it, in a public place faces a fine of EUR 500 to 1,500. The police can seize the weapon, and with a prohibited weapon it can even amount to a criminal offence under Article 307 of the Criminal Code.
May I carry a knife for self-defence?
The law does not recognise carrying a knife expressly 'for self-defence' as a right, and using a knife is permissible only in self-defence, that is as a necessary and proportionate defence against a simultaneous unlawful attack. Anyone who uses a knife excessively or attacks with it is criminally liable, as exceeding the limits of self-defence is not allowed.
May I take a knife to a concert or a football match?
No, at public gatherings and events carrying weapons and dangerous objects is prohibited, so security staff or the police can turn you away and seize the object. Even an ordinary knife can count as a dangerous object at such an event, and carrying it can amount to an offence against public order.
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