{"title":"Brass Knuckles Legality By State","shortName":null,"slug":"brass-knuckles-legality-by-state","status":"Active","lastUpdated":"2026-02-28","type":"States","regionCount":null,"mapMinHeight":250,"mapImageUrl":"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/4YceX/full.png","fancyMapUrl":null,"imageExtension":".png","mapSource":"custom","excerpt":"Castle doctrine states in the U.S. with self-defense laws, open carry legality, and crime rate data. By DataPandas.","indexable":false,"category":{"name":"Legality","slug":"legality"},"regions":[{"name":"Texas","identifier":"texas-us-state"},{"name":"Hawaii","identifier":"hawaii-us-state"},{"name":"Missouri","identifier":"missouri-us-state"},{"name":"Delaware","identifier":"delaware-us-state"},{"name":"New York","identifier":"new-york-us-state"},{"name":"New Jersey","identifier":"new-jersey-us-state"},{"name":"Mississippi","identifier":"mississippi-us-state"},{"name":"Wyoming","identifier":"wyoming-us-state"},{"name":"Alabama","identifier":"alabama-us-state"},{"name":"Oklahoma","identifier":"oklahoma-us-state"},{"name":"Virginia","identifier":"virginia-us-state"},{"name":"Washington","identifier":"washington-us-state"},{"name":"Nebraska","identifier":"nebraska-us-state"},{"name":"South Dakota","identifier":"south-dakota-us-state"},{"name":"Utah","identifier":"utah-us-state"},{"name":"Nevada","identifier":"nevada-us-state"},{"name":"Indiana","identifier":"indiana-us-state"},{"name":"Maine","identifier":"maine-us-state"},{"name":"Maryland","identifier":"maryland-us-state"},{"name":"Minnesota","identifier":"minnesota-us-state"},{"name":"Kansas","identifier":"kansas-us-state"},{"name":"Alaska","identifier":"alaska-us-state"},{"name":"Pennsylvania","identifier":"pennsylvania-us-state"},{"name":"Tennessee","identifier":"tennessee-us-state"},{"name":"Florida","identifier":"florida-us-state"},{"name":"South Carolina","identifier":"south-carolina-us-state"},{"name":"Colorado","identifier":"colorado-us-state"},{"name":"Louisiana","identifier":"louisiana-us-state"},{"name":"Oregon","identifier":"oregon-us-state"},{"name":"Massachusetts","identifier":"massachusetts-us-state"},{"name":"Iowa","identifier":"iowa-us-state"},{"name":"Montana","identifier":"montana-us-state"},{"name":"Rhode Island","identifier":"rhode-island-us-state"},{"name":"North Dakota","identifier":"north-dakota-us-state"},{"name":"Kentucky","identifier":"kentucky-us-state"},{"name":"Vermont","identifier":"vermont-us-state"},{"name":"North Carolina","identifier":"north-carolina-us-state"},{"name":"Arizona","identifier":"arizona-us-state"},{"name":"Connecticut","identifier":"connecticut-us-state"},{"name":"Illinois","identifier":"illinois-us-state"},{"name":"Ohio","identifier":"ohio-us-state"},{"name":"Arkansas","identifier":"arkansas-us-state"},{"name":"Michigan","identifier":"michigan-us-state"},{"name":"West Virginia","identifier":"west-virginia-us-state"},{"name":"New Mexico","identifier":"new-mexico-us-state"},{"name":"Georgia","identifier":"georgia-us-state"},{"name":"New Hampshire","identifier":"new-hampshire-us-state"},{"name":"Wisconsin","identifier":"wisconsin-us-state"},{"name":"California","identifier":"california-us-state"},{"name":"Idaho","identifier":"idaho-us-state"},{"name":"District of Columbia","identifier":"district-of-columbia-"}],"content":[{"tocTitle":"Introduction","contentTitle":"Introduction","content":"Brass knuckles, those formidable pieces of metal engineered to fit around the knuckles, have been used in hand-to-hand combat for centuries. While many countries worldwide have outright banned their possession and use, the United States lacks a federal regulation. This has resulted in diverse policies across states, with some permitting ownership and others banning them outright. \n\n- There's a distinct divide concerning brass knuckle legality across the U.S, with states either labeling them as 'Legal', 'Illegal', or 'With Permit'.\n- No state ranks dominantly over others in terms of legality, indicating a lack of uniform consensus on the issue nationwide.\n- Interestingly, a number of states opt for a middle ground, allowing ownership 'With Permit'. This includes prominent states such as North Dakota, Alabama, and North Carolina.\n- Of all fifty states, the majority lean towards 'With Permit' status, indicating a tendency for regulation over a complete ban or unrestricted legality.","order":1,"faqs":[]}],"metrics":[{"name":"Brass Knuckles Legality","shortName":"Brass Knuckles Legality","context":"Legal status of brass knuckles possession and use.","type":"Category","inverted":false,"mapColorScheme":"custom","mapInterpolation":null,"colorOverwrite":"#c71e1d,#1da64a,#ffd16d","summary":null,"measurement":null,"dataset":[{"id":"recyerDkyl0X8MJgD","year":2023,"sources":[{"name":"Are Brass Knuckles Illegal? 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