Summary Offences Act 1981

Offences against persons or property

13A: Possession of knives

You could also call this:

"Having a knife in public without a good reason is against the law"

Illustration for Summary Offences Act 1981

You can get in trouble if you have a knife in a public place without a good reason. You might go to prison for up to 3 months or have to pay a fine of up to $2,000. If you are found guilty, the court can also take the knife away from you.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM53545.

This page was last updated on 11 December 2025 — View changes

Topics:

Crime and justice > Police and safetyCrime and justice > Criminal law

13: Things endangering safety, or

"Having things in public that can hurt others is against the law"

13B: Possession of high-power laser pointers, or

"Having a high-power laser pointer in a public place without a good reason is against the law"

13APossession of knives

Every person is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a fine not exceeding $2,000 who, in any public place, without reasonable excuse, has any knife in his or her possession.
On convicting any person of an offence against subsection (1), the court may order that the knife be forfeited to the Crown.

Notes

Section 13A: inserted, on 28 October 1986, by section 2 of the Summary Offences Amendment Act 1986 (1986 No 72).
Section 13A(1): amended, on 1 January 1998, by section 7 of the Summary Offences Amendment Act 1997 (1997 No 97).
Section 13A(2): inserted, on 1 August 1987, by section 2 of the Summary Offences Amendment Act (No 2) 1987 (1987 No 171).