A Brief Summary of Iowa Knife Laws
Iowa has a comprehensive set of knife laws that have gone through various changes over the years. In general, Iowa law prohibits individuals from carrying knives on school grounds and forget it if you are a felon. Furthermore, certain knives are not permissible.
Knife is defined under Iowa Code § 702.15 as "any dagger, dirk, stiletto, or other cutting or stabbing instrument with a sharpened point." This specific list of knives impacts the general code provisions in the section below.
Iowa law provides a general provision regarding knives and the specific provisions for criminalizing the use of knives for specific acts. The general prohibited acts are found in Iowa Code § 724.4 regarding weapons.
No person, except those persons expressly exempted by the laws of this state, shall go armed with, carry, transport, or be in possession of, any dangerous weapon, offensive weapon, or pistol or revolver concealed upon person, without having on the person a valid permit issued under section 724.7.
It is important to note that this does not mean you can carry these knives anywhere, just like you can’t carry a gun anywhere.
Iowa Code § 724.4A provides an exception for those who have a valid permit to carry weapons:
724.4A Weapons – exception to weapons prohibition. 724.4A(1) Notwithstanding sections 702.15 and 724 . 4, a person may carry, transport, or be in possession of a dagger, dirk, stiletto, or other knife, with a blade over five inches in length, in the state of Iowa if the dagger, dirk, stiletto, or other knife is carried, transported, or possessed for legal purposes and:
(a) The dagger, dirk, stiletto, or other knife is in plain view; or
(b) The person carrying, transporting, or possessing the dagger, dirk, stiletto, or other knife has a valid permit issued pursuant to section 724.7.
724.4A(2) Section 724.4B does not apply to daggers, dirks, stilettos, or other knives as defined in section 702.15.
Iowa Code § 724.4B prohibits carrying specific knives or any knives for any felons.
724.4B Use of throwing stars, or other personal weapons. 724.4B(1) Except as provided in subsection 2, it is unlawful for a person to possess, receive, sell, transport, manufacture, or be in physical control of a throwing star, or any other object or weapon designed for the purpose of inflicting serious injury or death by throwing, excluding a knife, unless the person possesses, or is eligible for, a professional permit to carry weapons issued under section 724.7 and the throwing star or other personal weapon is carried, transported, or possessed for legal purposes.
724.4B(2) A throwing star, or an object or weapon designed for the purpose of inflicting serious injury or death by throwing, that is an antique, collectible, curio, or decorative item is not subject to subsection 1. 724.4B(3) For purposes of this section, "throwing star" means any instrument which is multi-pointed, star-shaped, or otherwise not straight, that when thrown, will or is intended to lodge into its target, including but not limited to a shuriken or shuriken-ryû.
What’s Legally Considered a Knife in Iowa?
Specifically, there are knives that are illegal to own or possess in Iowa. A switchblade is one of those illegal knives. A switchblade is a knife with a blade that opens automatically by flinging the blade into the open position by a spring. In addition to switchblades, daggers, dirks, stilettos, and "other dangerous knives." Iowa Code Section 724.1.
Additionally, any knife that would fall into the category of an "automatic knife." An automatic knife is a knife that opens through some action other than shaking the blade open, flipping the blade open with one hand, or unduly rotating the wrist to uncoil the knife. Similar to a switchblade, an automatic knife most typically will have a button or lever to flip the blade out into the open position. These knives are included in the illegal possession list as well. See Iowa Code Section 724.1(1).
Another prohibited knife would be a bowie knife. A bowie knife is a knife that has a blade over five inches long, with a hilt that may or may not have a cross-guard. This knife can be straight or it might have a contour to it. At any rate, with a blade over five inches in length, it would be considered illegal to own or possess in Iowa.
Iowa is a state where daggers, dirks, stilettos, bowie knives, switchblades, and automatic knives are illegal to carry on your person.
Hands-Off Knife Carrying in Iowa Public Spaces
Iowa’s laws do not prohibit carrying knives in public places per se. However, certain locations and circumstances are treated more harshly than others. School grounds, government property, and occupied structures carry the harshest penalties, as each is a possible felony crime.
School Property – The Iowa Code defines a "school" under Iowa Code § 702.6A(2) as "any public or private elementary or secondary school or any other institution of higher education." The Code is clear, "a person shall not bring or possess on the grounds of a school any dangerous weapon." Iowa Code § 724.4B(1). A minor found in violation is a simple misdemeanor. A violation by all others is an aggravated misdemeanor. Iowa Code § 724.4B(4).
Weapons are prohibited in occupied residential structures, such as a house, apartment building, hotel, etc., if a minor is there and the minor knowingly possesses the dangerous weapon. Iowa Code § 724.4B(7-8).
Weapons may also be prohibited in public buildings and construction sites, but the rules are different (and more lenient). Pursuant to Iowa Code § 724.4B(3-5), a person may not bring or possess a dangerous weapon on government property unless the weapon is otherwise authorized by law. An aggravated misdemeanor is assessed for violations for weapons on buildings with restricted access (i.e., courts and corrections facilities), an aggravated misdemeanor is assessed for non-restricted areas for—furthermore for a minor who violates this section the non-restricted area is a simple misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is assessed for all other violations.
Note that different rules apply depending on whether the public location is associated with the state, the county, a municipality, or a township. Also, there are additional exceptions, such as for hotel and motel staff and travelers.
Typical Penalties for Breaking Iowa Knife Laws
Violating Iowa knife laws carries hefty penalties that can vary depending on a number of factors – including the type of knife in question and whether the knife was illegally concealed or used against another person. Additionally, if you are charged with a knife law violation that involves moving or passing through a certain area in Iowa, it’s important to consider that you may be facing additional charges regarding illegal transport.
On the low end of the spectrum, a person can receive a simple misdemeanor charge for unlawfully carrying a utility knife. Simple misdemeanors carry a maximum fine of $300. Carrying an illegal dagger or dirk is considered an aggravated misdemeanor, a serious criminal charge that results in a minimum of 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of $625 or the same amount in community service . Carrying a shotgun, rifle, or pistol for offensive or aggressive purposes, a crime often referred to as "carrying while endangering others," also results in an aggravated misdemeanor charge with a minimum fine of $500. Furthermore, if an individual is caught illegally carrying any of the aforementioned weapons, the items can be seized and confiscated and the person can also be charged with an additional aggravated misdemeanor for illegally transporting a weapon.
Knife law violations that occur in certain locations can result in additional felony or aggravated misdemeanor charges. For example, a person caught carrying a dagger or dirk, throwing star, or other illegal knife concealed on a school ground, in a public library or museum, or in a public meeting can face an aggravated misdemeanor charge. An enhanced aggravated misdemeanor, a felony that carries a two-year prison term, may also be issued if the knife was thrown, used, or displayed at the aforementioned locations, regardless of whether or not it was concealed.
Iowa Knife Rights and Self-Defense
Self-defense, as a legal concept, applies in Iowa to all sorts of criminal actions, including the use of knives. In Iowa, the use of deadly force—knife included—is justified if it is "necessary to avoid a serious injury, statutory rape or death." The law views this as an affirmative defense to the charge, which means that if you are charged with a crime against another for an act you committed in self-defense, the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your actions were not made in self-defense.
Let’s say, for example, that you and an acquaintance frequently make bets on games, until an argument breaks out over money owed for losing those bets. If you pull out a knife in an attempt to intimidate the other person, and they attack you out of fear for the weapon, your use of the knife is justified as self-defense. However, if, prior to the argument, you concealed the knife and chose to "pull it out" during a period of relative calm, and then proceeded to stab him in the neck, your use of the knife is more likely to be considered an unlawful action.
As already mentioned above, there are many factors that come into play when evaluating self-defense cases. Some of these include whether you were the initial aggressor, whether the other person was physically bigger or could have attacked you, whether the person has ever harmed you before, whether the person was armed with a physical weapon, and whether you could have simply run away from a fight.
Staying Up to Date on Knife Laws in Iowa
Predominantly, online resources about knife law, trends, and legislation are geared toward their state. For instance, here are four important Iowa websites worth your time: Iowa Code , §72C.1: allows you to see the entire Iowa Code. Your primary tool for determining any new Iowa knife laws that may be passed or amended in Iowa legislative session. Iowa Department of Public Safety: the first place to look for proposed or recently enacted knife legislation available online by year. Use the search box to look for all knife-related bills and bills that may involve knives. Knife Rights: International news source for the knife enthusiast and collector that is tracking knife law in Iowa and all around the country as well. The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Lawfully Carrying a Knife in Your State: a short, easy-to-read guide summarizing the most significant state knife laws.