Retailers in South Australia will be required to securely store or tether dangerous knives for sale from July 1, 2026, under the final phase of the state government’s knife law reforms.
The rules mean any dangerous knives displayed in publicly accessible areas must be locked away or physically secured. Stores will also need to display signage reminding customers that knife sales to minors under 18 are prohibited.
Exemptions will apply for knives deemed to pose little or no threat, such as disposable food knives, butter knives, cutlery sets without sharp points, and razor blades permanently enclosed in cartridges. Fishing and tackle stores will also be exempt from secure storage requirements, in recognition of the sector’s challenges following the algal bloom.
“Our nation leading knife law reform package is all about better protecting South Australians from knife crime,” said Kyam Maher, Attorney-General of South Australia.
“This is the final stage in a suite of significant, but common-sense changes that will help minimise the risk of knife theft that could then be used in the commission of a crime.”
The reforms build on earlier changes, including expanded police search powers and the reclassification of swords and machetes as prohibited weapons. Penalties of up to $20,000 or two years’ imprisonment now apply for possession of those weapons. The minimum purchase age for dangerous knives was also raised from 16 to 18, which came into effect on July 1, 2025.
As part of the earlier measures, a three-month knife surrender period began on July 1. To date, 2,353 weapons have been surrendered to South Australia Police, including 1,156 machetes and 722 swords.
The surrender period remains open until midnight on September 30 at SAPOL stations outside the Adelaide CBD.
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