Am I allowed to carry a knife in public in Denmark?
Only with a recognisable purpose — otherwise carrying a knife in public is forbidden. Under the Knife Act you may not carry or possess a knife in a public place, a school or a leisure facility, unless it is as part of your work or for hunting, angling, sport or another recognisable purpose. No knife is automatically legal — it is a concrete assessment. Knives with a blade over 12 cm also need police permission. Flick knives, gravity knives and butterfly knives are always forbidden without permission. The purpose lapses if you take the knife somewhere with a nearby risk of tense situations, such as a bar.
📋 The rules
- Only legal with a recognisable purpose
- Legal for work, hunting, angling or sport
- No knife is automatically legal — a concrete assessment
- A blade over 12 cm needs police permission
- Flick and butterfly knives are always forbidden
🔓 Exceptions
- A craftsman or chef may carry a work knife, also to and from work
- A fishing or hunting knife to and from angling or hunting is legal
- The purpose lapses somewhere with a risk of conflict, such as a bar or nightclub
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Carrying a knife illegally can bring a fine, up to 4 months prison, or up to 2 years in aggravated cases. In practice the fines are about 3,000 kr the first time and 10,000 kr the second.
📎 Official sources
- Knife Act · Retsinformation →
- Politi.dk · Worth knowing about weapons →
- Politi.dk · Weapons and knives →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I carry a knife in public?
Only with a recognisable purpose such as work, hunting, angling or sport. Otherwise it is forbidden.
Is a folding knife always legal?
No. No knife is automatically legal to carry. It is assessed concretely by the purpose.
Which knives need permission?
Knives with a blade over 12 cm need police permission, and flick and butterfly knives are always forbidden.
Can I take a knife to a bar?
No. The purpose lapses somewhere with a nearby risk of tense situations, such as a bar or nightclub.
What is the penalty for carrying a knife?
A fine, up to 4 months prison, or up to 2 years in aggravated cases. The fine is about 3,000 kr the first time.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “can I carry a knife in public denmark”
- “knife act recognisable purpose”
- “knife over 12 cm permission”
- “flick butterfly knife banned”
- “knife work hunting”
- “penalty carrying knife”