Nebraska maintains relatively permissive knife laws, allowing ownership and open carry of most blades for law-abiding adults, with constitutional carry reforms enhancing rights since 2023.
Key restrictions focus on concealed carry for longer blades and prohibited persons, governed by Nebraska Revised Statutes under Chapter 28. Recent preemption via LB77 ensures uniform statewide rules, protecting carriers from patchwork local bans.
Ownership and Legal Blades
Nebraska bans ballistic knives—those ejecting detachable blades as projectiles—but permits folders, fixed blades, daggers, stilettos, autos, and gravity knives without length limits for possession.
Felons, fugitives, and those under domestic violence orders cannot own knives, per state prohibitions on weapons for prohibited persons. Everyday carry like pocketknives or kitchen blades faces no statewide ownership hurdles, with hunters explicitly allowed longer blades over 3.5 inches.
Open Carry Rules
Open carry of any knife is legal statewide for adults 19+, including automatics and large fixed blades, as LB77’s constitutional carry covers all “weapons.” Exercise caution in crowds or near schools, where intent to harm could trigger assault charges regardless of legality. Preemption under the 2023 law voids stricter city ordinances in places like Omaha or Lincoln, standardizing rights.
Concealed Carry Limits
Knives with blades over 3.5 inches cannot be concealed on your person; anything longer qualifies as a deadly weapon per se, per State v. Nguyen (2016) and §28-1201(5). Folders under that threshold, like a 3-inch EDC, carry concealed lawfully; vehicles allow larger blades if not on body, akin to glovebox storage. Constitutional carry doesn’t alter this blade-length concealed restriction.
Prohibited Locations
Schools ban weapons under Chapter 79, permitting expulsions for possession; government buildings and courthouses post signs enforcing no-carry zones. Bars serving alcohol restrict armed patrons if management demands; federal properties like post offices follow U.S. code barring blades. Local venues like stadiums set rules, but state preemption limits municipal overreach.
Prohibited Persons and Penalties
Minors under 19 face juvenile restrictions; felons risk Class IV felony charges for possession, up to 2 years prison. Violations like unlawful concealed carry draw misdemeanors: fines $500-$1,000, jail up to 1 year, plus probation. Aggravated use escalates to felonies; courts suppress evidence from improper stops. Consult attorneys for gray areas post-reform.
Recent Reforms and Preemption
Governor Pillen signed LB77 in 2023, embedding knives in constitutional carry and granting statewide preemption—Nebraska’s 12th such state via Knife Rights advocacy. This nullifies local bans, letting a 4-inch folder travel legally from Lincoln to Scottsbluff. Hunters benefit from clarified long-blade status. Federal bills like S.346 (2025) push interstate transport protections.
Practical Tips for Carriers
Sheath large fixed blades visibly on belts; pocket folders under 3.5 inches discreetly. Lockboxes secure autos in cars. Avoid brandishing—intent matters in self-defense claims under §28-1409. Apps like AKTI track updates; join Knife Rights for alerts. In stops, disclose calmly if asked.
Travel and Interstate Considerations
Nebraska’s laws align with FOPA for interstate transit: unloaded, inaccessible blades legal through strict states. Adjacent Wyoming and Kansas mirror openness; check Colorado’s restrictions. Air travel follows TSA: blades in checked bags only.
Responsible ownership upholds rights; Nebraska’s framework balances freedom with public safety in 2026.
SOURCES:
- https://kniferights.org/legislative-update/nebraska-constitutional-carry-including-knives-signed-by-governor/
- https://nobliecustomknives.com/us-knife-laws/nebraska-knife-laws/
