There is a lot of confusion around Queensland’s knife laws, and we are often asked about when it is lawful to carry a knife in public in Queensland. We have obtained advice on the issue, and while it is a complex situation, we can offer the following overview:
GENERAL RULES
Broadly speaking, it is illegal to possess a knife in public in Queensland without a “lawful reason”. What constitutes a “lawful reason” for having a knife in public is not specifically defined in Legislation and will depend on the circumstances of the case. For the purposes of this legislation, “public place” has been found to include your car (or ute, or truck) when it is on public roads/carparks etc. Yes, even if your car is locked.
When considering carrying a knife, we suggest you ask yourself: “Do I need this knife for what I am about to do or what I have just been doing?” If the answer is “No”, you will find it difficult to establish a reasonable excuse to legally possess that knife in public, and may find yourself with legal headaches as a result. It is also important to note that it is illegal to sell knives of any kind to minors in Queensland.
SOME EXAMPLES OF WHEN CAN I (AN ADULT) LEGALLY CARRY A KNIFE IN QLD?
If you are a primary producer you can carry a knife in public. This extends to travelling into town during the course of the primary production duties. However, if you were not working on a particular day and were in town to go to the local hotel, then this is not a reasonable excuse to carry a knife.
You can carry a Swiss Army Knife or pen knife on your person or in your vehicle “for its normal utility value”. Whilst this is not defined, this can be for any lawful purpose including opening food packets, opening baggage, cutting tags off clothing, or making small repairs.
You can carry a hunting or fishing knife, or have it in your vehicle, when on your way to or from a hunting, camping, or fishing trip. You can also carry the knife while you are hunting or camping or fishing. If you need to visit a rural town for supplies during your trip, you may also be able to carry your knife there – but not in a way that might be considered threatening.
You can legally carry a knife for legitimate occupational reasons in public – for example, a chef or butcher taking knives to and from work, an electrician carrying a knife for cutting cables, or a retail worker with a boxcutter for opening and breaking down cardboard boxes. Carrying a knife in public for eating food (eg at a picnic) is also legal, BUT you must actually be intending to use the knife. That means you can have a knife to cut or eat food at a planned picnic, but you can’t just carry a knife around on the off-chance you decide to have lunch in the park that day. It is also legal to carry knives in public for the purposes of displaying them at an event such as an
Arms & Militaria Fair or Antiques Fair.
WHAT IS NOT PERMITTED
It is absolutely prohibited to carry a knife in Queensland for self-defence purposes, or for use as a weapon. As a vehicle is considered to be “in a public place”, you cannot leave a knife in it the glove box just because it’s more convenient – for example, if you live in an urban area and often go camping, you cannot leave a hunting knife in the glove box between trips “just so you don’t forget it”.
Following the passage of the Queensland Community Safety Act 2024, it is now an offence to post social media content “advertising” or promoting unlawful use or possession of knives in public in Queensland. In other words, think extremely carefully about what you post on social media if knives are involved.
It is also now illegal to sell knives – even kitchen knives – to anyone under 18 in Queensland.
