A Perth resident asking whether they can carry a small multi-tool with a 5cm blade has prompted a lively debate on Reddit, and a reminder that WA's knife laws are stricter than many people realise. Under the state's rules, carrying a knife of any size in public without a lawful excuse is an offence carrying up to three years in jail and a $36,000 fine.
The r/perth post asked about a pocket tool with a bottle opener and scissors that the poster said they just liked to have handy. It drew more than 30 comments, and the short answer from most was: don't.
What the law says
Changes to the Weapons Act 1999 and the Criminal Investigation Act 2006 took effect on 20 December 2024. According to WA Police, it is now an offence to carry or possess an "edged weapon" without a lawful excuse anywhere in WA.
An edged weapon includes a knife, machete, sickle, scythe, a blade from any of those, an axe or axe head, and most articles with a sharpened edge that could be used to injure or disable someone. The only exclusions police list are plastic or wooden knives designed for eating, and knives with a rounded tip and dull edge. There is no exemption for small pocket knives.
What counts as a lawful excuse
WA Police list three broad types of lawful excuse:
- lawful employment, duty or activity
- lawful sport, recreation or entertainment
- lawful collection, display or exhibition.
Self-defence is specifically not a lawful excuse. Even with a lawful excuse, it is an offence to carry a knife in a way that could reasonably be expected to make someone fear being hurt. Both offences carry a maximum of three years' jail and a $36,000 fine.
Photo: Orderinchaos via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Northbridge is one of five Protected Entertainment Precincts where police can scan for weapons.
Metal detector wanding
Police can also require people to stop for a hand-held metal detector scan, without a warrant, in designated areas. All five Protected Entertainment Precincts, in Hillarys, Scarborough, Perth and Northbridge, Fremantle and Mandurah, are permanent designated areas, and a senior officer can declare others. Refusing a scan, or refusing to produce an object the scanner finds, can bring up to 12 months' jail and a $12,000 fine.
What Perth Reddit says
Commenters were blunt. One quoted the WA Police guidance in full; another stressed there is "NO carve out at all for small pocket knives". A user mentioned seeing metal detector checks in Joondalup.
Several long-time carriers said they were surprised. One said they had carried a Swiss Army knife every day for 15 years without knowing it was now illegal, and another said they had given up carrying one since the new laws because it was not worth the risk. A few argued tiny tools pose little threat, while others replied that the point is to keep blades out of pockets entirely.
Some commenters suggested police would use discretion, for example with someone heading fishing with a rod and tackle box. That may be true in practice, but the law itself turns on whether you have a lawful excuse, not the size of the blade.
If you are unsure, WA Police publish a Cut Knife Crime FAQ on their website, and the full legislation is at legislation.wa.gov.au. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Sources: WA Police Force, WA knife and edged weapon laws (updated 8 May 2026); Weapons Act 1999; r/perth.
Hero photo: NiklasPntk via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0). File photo of a Swiss Army knife.
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