You can own a kukri in the UK. You cannot carry one down the street on your belt. Those two facts trip up more buyers than anything else about these knives, so here is the law in plain terms, without the scaremongering. None of this is legal advice, and knife law does get updated, so if you are ever unsure, check GOV.UK or ask your local police.
Owning a kukri is completely legal
A kukri is a fixed-blade knife, and there is no law in the UK against owning a fixed-blade knife. It is not on any banned list. You can buy one, keep it at home, use it on your own land or at a private range, lend it, or leave it to someone in your will, with no licence and no paperwork. The only condition on the sale itself is your age.
Buying one: over 18, and the online checks
It is illegal to sell a knife like this to anyone under 18, and any decent retailer verifies that. Since 2026 the rules around online knife sales have tightened, so expect to confirm your age when you order and, in many cases, to show ID to the courier on delivery. It adds a minute to the process and keeps these knives away from people who should not have them.
Carrying one in public: this is the part that bites
It is a criminal offence to have a knife with you in a public place without good reason or lawful authority. The only everyday exception is a folding pocket knife with a blade under three inches that does not lock, and a kukri is nothing like that. As a large fixed blade, a kukri always needs a good reason to be carried. The rule is not aimed at kukris, it covers almost every fixed-blade knife, but it catches people out because they assume that owning something legally means they can also carry it. Those are two separate questions, and this is the one that puts people in front of a magistrate.
What counts as a good reason
Good reason is judged case by case, but the accepted ones include taking it to and from work that needs it, using it for a specific activity such as camping or bushcraft while travelling to that activity, religious grounds, or wearing it as part of a national costume. Carrying a knife you have just bought straight home, or moving it to your land or a range, is fine. Liking the feel of it on your hip is not. If you are ever asked, you have to be able to explain yourself, so transport a kukri sheathed, wrapped and packed away, never worn.
Is any kukri banned?
No. Recent law has gone after flick knives, zombie knives and various styled weapons, none of which a traditional kukri resembles in the slightest. It is a working tool with centuries of history behind it, and the law treats it as one.
In short: buy and own one freely from age 18, never carry it in public without a genuine reason, and you are well within the law.
This article is general information, not legal advice or a substitute for it. Knife law is updated from time to time, so check the current position before acting on anything here.
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