Can You Carry a Folding Knife or Multitool in Bali?

No, not without a clear purpose. Since 2 January 2026, possessing or carrying a stabbing, piercing or striking weapon without lawful reason carries up to 7 years in prison (Article 307 of the new Criminal Code, Law 1/2023), unless the item is clearly for farming, household work, lawful work, or is an heirloom or antique.

This article replaced Article 2 of Emergency Law 12/1951, which carried up to 10 years; Article 622 of the new Code repealed it. Many travel sites still quote the old rule. The text was checked on 30 October 2026.

Why this matters this week

In the early hours of 27 October 2026, two Saudi Arabian tourists stabbed two ride-hailing drivers and a hotel security guard outside a nightclub in Pecatu, South Kuta. Denpasar Police chief Kombes I Wayan Winaya, in remarks reported by detikBali on 29 October 2026, said the men used folding knives smuggled into the club, and police are still tracing where the knives came from. Cases like this make venue security and police stricter about bag checks.

Before you go: situations people ask about

• A folding knife or Swiss Army knife in your day bag in town, at the beach or at a club. Risky. "Self-defence" is not one of Article 307's exceptions. Leave it in your suitcase or the room safe.
• A multitool under the scooter seat for roadside repairs. Easier to explain if it sits with other tools and you actually ride. Do not move it to your pocket for a night out.
• Kitchen knives at your villa. Household use is an exception. For a picnic, keep a small fruit knife with the food and cutlery, not in your pocket.
• Dive or fishing knives. Normal on a boat or while diving with an operator. Take it off and pack it in your gear bag once back on land. Fishing gear rules are in our spearfishing and fishing article.
• New souvenir keris, machetes or carving knives. Carry them wrapped, straight from the shop to your hotel, with the receipt. The "heirloom or antique" exception is meant for genuine heirlooms, not new replicas. Packing for flights is covered in the keris and knife flight rules.
• Batons, knuckle-dusters and other striking weapons. Article 307 names striking weapons too, so treat them like knives.

If you are caught with a knife

Article 307 stands on its own: you can be charged even if the knife was never used. If it is used to injure someone, police add an assault charge, as in the Pecatu case under Article 466(2) with up to 5 years. For foreigners, Immigration can also deport and ban you once the case ends. Your rights during questioning are covered in what to do if police detain you in Bali.

Context usually decides: the time, the place, how the item was carried and your reason. A folding knife in your pocket at 2 a.m. outside a club will be judged very differently from a kitchen knife in a shopping bag at midday.

Safer alternatives

Book rides through an app from inside the venue grounds, go home with friends, and save 110 (police) and 112. A personal alarm is a legal option discussed in our pepper spray article, since pepper spray has legal problems of its own. Other rules for visitors are on our Bali rules page.

FAQ

Are small scissors or nail clippers banned too?

Personal-care items like these are not normally treated as stabbing weapons. Police look at the object's form and why you carry it. Airport rules still apply for cabin bags.

Can I buy a knife at a market or craft shop?

Buying is not the offence. Possessing and carrying it without lawful reason is, so keep it in your suitcase until you fly home.

What about a knife in a rental car?

A kitchen knife in a lunch box for a family picnic is easy to explain. A folding knife in the glovebox with no reason is harder. Sources: Law 1/2023 Articles 307 and 622; detikBali, 28 and 29 October 2026; checked 30 October 2026.