You’ve found the blade you want. The steel is right, the geometry makes sense, and the price fits your budget. Then the question hits: is it actually legal to import this where I live?

It’s a fair question, and the answer varies more than most people expect. We ship from Longquan to buyers across four continents. Over the years, we’ve walked customers through customs paperwork, exemption certificates, and state-by-state quirks more times than we can count. What follows is a plain-language breakdown of sword laws in the countries we ship to most often.

One important note before we start: this is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, local ordinances vary, and we always recommend confirming the current rules with your local authority before placing an order. That said, the picture for legitimate collectors and martial artists is generally a lot more permissive than most people assume.

United States

At the federal level, there is no ban on owning, buying, or importing swords in the United States. Customs will inspect packages, but a hand-forged katana from a legitimate retailer clears without issue. The complexity kicks in at the state and local level.

The good news is that ownership is legal in all 50 states. The distinctions that matter are around carrying, not owning.

State-by-State Notes

• Texas: One of the most permissive states. Legal to own and carry openly since the law changed in 2017. A katana in a saya on your hip is technically within the law, though we’ll leave the practical judgment to you.
• California: Legal to own. Concealed carry of bladed weapons is restricted, so transporting a sword should be done openly, not tucked under a coat or in a bag where it isn’t visible.
• New York: Legal to own statewide. New York City has its own local ordinances that are stricter than state law, so city residents should look specifically at NYC rules before carrying outside the home.
• Massachusetts: Legal to own. Carrying a sword in public is not permitted. Keep it at home, in the dojo, or transporting it in a secured case to and from an event.

A practical note for US buyers: when your order arrives, customs may open the package. We include documentation describing the blade’s construction and origin. Having that paperwork inside the box means fewer delays. If you’re ordering one of our hand-forged katanas for the first time, our buying guide covers what to expect from the import process end to end.

Ink Meteor

San-mai construction, 三枚合 laminated steel. $775.

Silent Thunder

T10 high speed tool steel, clay tempered. $280.

Dark Ravine

T10 high speed tool steel, hamon visible. $340.

United Kingdom

Important: We do not currently ship to the United Kingdom. The information below is provided for educational purposes only.

The UK gets a reputation for being difficult on swords, and that reputation is not entirely wrong. The Criminal Justice Act 2008 introduced a ban on the sale of curved swords with a blade over 50cm. Since every full-length katana exceeds that threshold, this law catches a lot of attention.

What often gets missed is the exemption clause. The ban specifically does not apply to swords that are hand-forged by a blacksmith using traditional methods. That exemption exists precisely because lawmakers recognized the difference between a mass-produced, machine-stamped blade sold as a novelty and a functional sword made by an individual craftsman at a forge.

Every sword we produce in Longquan qualifies for that exemption. Our blades are forged individually by hand, shaped under hammer, clay tempered, and polished by the same artisans who have been doing this work for decades. We are not a factory running stamped blanks through a grinder. The exemption also covers swords purchased for martial arts training, historical re-enactment, and religious ceremony.

For UK orders, we include a certificate of authenticity with each blade, documenting its hand-forged origin and construction method. Declare it correctly at customs as a hand-forged traditional sword, and the import clears under the exemption. We’ve shipped to UK buyers for years without a problem on correctly documented orders.

Canada

Canada is straightforward. Swords are not prohibited weapons under the Criminal Code, and there is no federal restriction on owning one. Import via standard shipping is legal.

The one firm rule: you cannot carry a sword in public. Doing so would be treated as carrying a concealed weapon regardless of whether the blade is visible. For collectors, martial artists, and anyone keeping a sword at home or bringing it to a dojo in a secured case, there are no hoops to jump through.

Canadian orders typically clear customs without issue. We ship as a bladed tool/collectible with accurate declared value. No special documentation beyond standard customs forms is required, though we include our standard product documentation in every package.

Australia

Australia requires more homework than most countries because rules sit at the state level, not the federal level. There is no blanket national ban, but the variation between states is significant enough that where you live genuinely changes the picture.

State-by-State Notes

• Victoria: Swords are classified as prohibited weapons under Victorian law. Ownership is possible but requires an exemption, typically obtained through registration as a martial artist, collector, or re-enactor. This is the most restrictive state for sword ownership in Australia.
• New South Wales: Legal to own. Public carry is not permitted. For home collectors and practitioners, NSW is a reasonable jurisdiction.
• Queensland: Legal to own with appropriate secure storage. Queensland requires that bladed weapons be stored in a way that prevents unauthorized access, which in practice means a locked cabinet or equivalent.

For all Australian states, we recommend checking the specific current wording of your state’s Weapons Act before ordering. If you’re in Victoria specifically, confirm your exemption is in place before we ship. We can hold an order while you sort paperwork if needed.

Silent Thunder

T10 tool steel, HRC 58-60 after clay tempering. $280.

Dark Ravine

T10 tool steel, 73.5cm blade length. $340.

Ink Meteor

San-mai laminate, hard edge with soft core. $775.

Germany

Germany permits sword ownership without a license. The line in German law that matters for buyers is around carrying rather than owning: bladed weapons with a blade over 12cm cannot be carried in public without a justifiable reason. A katana blade is typically 68-75cm, so that threshold is exceeded by a wide margin.

For the home collector or practitioner transporting a sword in a bag to a dojo or event, the “justifiable reason” standard is not hard to meet. Going to practice, attending a tournament, or traveling to an event with the sword in a closed case are all recognized contexts. Wandering through a city center with a sword is where the law applies.

Import into Germany via standard customs procedures is legal. Declare accurately, and expect standard customs processing. German buyers who want to understand material differences between our steel options should look at our steel comparison guide, particularly the section on T10 versus higher-carbon Damascus constructions.

France

France categorizes swords as Category D2 weapons. That classification means they are legal to own without a license or registration. No permit is required to purchase, import, or keep a sword at home.

Public carry is prohibited, as it is in most European countries. A sword belongs in the home, the training hall, or a secured transport case when moving between the two. Import for personal ownership is legal, and French buyers have been ordering from us without complications for years.

Other European Countries

The pattern across most of Western and Central Europe looks similar to France and Germany: ownership is legal, public carry is restricted, and import for personal use is permitted. The specifics vary enough that we can’t give a definitive answer for every country, but here’s what we know from shipping experience.

Countries With Generally Permissive Ownership Rules

• Netherlands: Legal to own. Carrying in public restricted. No license required for home ownership.
• Belgium: Swords fall under the same general weapons framework as France. Category-based classification allows ownership without permit for non-prohibited bladed weapons.
• Sweden: Legal to own. Transport in public requires the sword to be in a secure case and transportation must have a clear purpose (training, event, etc.).
• Spain: Legal to own as a collector item. Regional variation exists, so checking your autonomous community’s rules is worth doing.
• Italy: Swords are legal to own. Import requires accurate customs declaration. Carrying in public is not permitted.

If your country isn’t listed here, contact us before ordering. We know our shipping history and can tell you whether we’ve successfully sent to your country before and what documentation we used. We’d rather have that conversation upfront than have a package stuck at a border.

One thing worth knowing for Damascus steel orders specifically: some customs agents flag multi-layer folded blades because the construction looks unusual on X-ray. We include detailed documentation explaining the san-mai and Damascus construction in every international shipment for exactly this reason.

Shipping Internationally From Longquan

We’ve been sending swords overseas for long enough to know where the friction points are. Most delays happen at customs, and most customs delays happen because of incomplete or inaccurate paperwork, not because a sword is inherently prohibited.

Every order we ship includes the following documentation inside the package: a product description listing the construction method, steel type, and blade dimensions; a certificate of authenticity confirming the blade was hand-forged by a named artisan in Longquan; and accurate customs declaration matching the stated value and contents.

We ship with standard international carriers. Delivery times range from 7-20 business days depending on destination and customs processing speed. We do not under-declare value to reduce duty costs. That practice creates problems for buyers if a package is inspected, and it’s not how we do business.

If you receive a query from customs asking for additional documentation, contact us immediately. We can provide supplementary letters on company letterhead, additional photos of the forging process, or any other paperwork that helps your package clear. It’s rare, but it happens, and we’ve resolved every case we’ve been brought into.

For care instructions once your blade arrives, our sword care guide covers everything from unpacking a new blade safely to long-term storage and maintenance.