Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-102
§1243 Manufacture, Sale, or Possession Within Specific Jurisdictions; Penalty
Title 15 › CHAPTER 29 — MANUFACTURE, TRANSPORTATION, OR DISTRIBUTION OF SWITCHBLADE KNIVES › § 1243
Summary
Making, selling, or having a switchblade within U.S. territories, Indian country, or special maritime/territorial jurisdiction risks a $2,000 fine, up to five years in prison, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §1243
Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, within any Territory or possession of the United States, within Indian country (as defined in section 1151 of title 18), or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States (as defined in section 7 of title 18), manufactures, sells, or possesses any switchblade knife, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective on the sixtieth day after Aug. 12, 1958, see section 6 of Pub. L. 85–623, set out as a note under section 1241 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 1243
Title 15, Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102