ARTICLE 6. Undetectable Knife [20810. - 20820.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 6.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 20810. Section 20810.

(a) Any person in this state who commercially manufactures or causes to be commercially manufactured, or who knowingly imports into the state for commercial sale, or who knowingly exports out of this state for commercial, dealer, wholesaler, or distributor sale, or who keeps for commercial sale, or offers or exposes for commercial, dealer, wholesaler, or distributor sale, any undetectable knife is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, commencing January 1, 2000, all knives or other instrument with or without a handguard that is capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury or death that are commercially manufactured in this state that utilize materials that are not detectable by a metal detector or magnetometer, shall be manufactured to include materials that will ensure they are detectable by a metal detector or magnetometer, either handheld or otherwise, that is set at standard calibration.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 20815. Section 20815.

Section 20810 does not apply to the manufacture or importation of any undetectable knife for sale to a law enforcement or military entity with a valid agency, department, or unit purchase order, nor does Section 20810 apply to the subsequent sale of any undetectable knife to a law enforcement or military entity.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 20820. Section 20820.

Section 20810 does not apply to the manufacture or importation of any undetectable knife for sale to a federal, state, or local historical society, museum, or institutional collection that is open to the public, provided that the undetectable knife is properly housed and secured from unauthorized handling, nor does Section 20810 apply to the subsequent sale of the knife to any of these entities.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026