Weapons — Italy

Italy has no simple "legal knife". Carrying a fixed blade over 8 cm, or a locking or one-hand-opening folder of 5 cm or more, without a justified reason is a crime carrying 6 months to 3 years in prison. The law was tightened in 2026. Switchblades and butterfly knives are banned outright with no excuse available.

Imprisonment (reclusione) of 6 months to 3 years for carrying an over-threshold blade without a justified reason. Switchblades, butterfly knives, double-edged pointed blades and blades disguised or hidden inside other objects are an absolute offence with no justified-reason defence: 1 to 3 years. Penalty increased by one third to one half near banks, ATMs, parks, stations and on public transport. Confiscation is mandatory on conviction, and a prefect may additionally suspend a driving licence for up to one year.

Only small capsaicin self-defence sprays fall outside Italy's weapons law: max 20 ml, max 10% oleoresin capsicum, max 2.5% capsaicin, effective range max 3 metres, sold sealed with a safety catch against accidental firing. Anything stronger is treated as a weapon. Sale to under-16s is banned.

A spray outside these limits is not covered by the self-defence exemption and is governed by weapons law instead. Labelling breaches carry EUR 516 to EUR 25,823 under Consumer Code art. 12. No official source read states a penalty for a traveller carrying a conforming spray, so none is stated here.