Knife Carrying and Sales Restrictions Under Law No. 7593

What law no. 7593 introduced

The new restrictions on carrying and selling knives were introduced by law no. 7593, the Law Amending the Child Protection Law and Certain Other Laws. It was passed by the Grand National Assembly on 8 August 2026 and published in the Official Gazette of 18 August 2026 (issue 33344).

The regime has two limbs. The first is the misdemeanour of carrying a knife for a purpose outside its intended use, introduced by the new article 43/C of the Misdemeanours Law and punishable by an administrative fine. The second is the offence created by the new article 13/A of law no. 6136, which carries a term of imprisonment where a firearm comes into a child's hands.

The distinction matters in practice. Conduct falling within the first limb is a misdemeanour: the sanction is an administrative fine imposed by law enforcement. The second limb is a criminal offence tried before the criminal courts. Both may be engaged by the same incident.

The knife provisions entered into force on the date of publication, 18 August 2026. The single exception is subparagraph (a) of the first paragraph of article 43/C, which governs sale and display; that provision enters into force on 1 December 2026.

Article 43/C of the Misdemeanours Law

Article 43/C covers every kind of knife, and other cutting, piercing or bruising implements, that fall outside the scope of law no. 6136 on Firearms and Knives and Other Implements. Items already prohibited by law no. 6136 are not the subject of this article; article 43/C creates a new field of restriction for ordinary implements outside that scope.

Two prohibitions are set out. The first concerns sale and display outside licensed premises. Sale may take place only at premises licensed under law no. 2521 on the Manufacture, Purchase, Sale and Possession of Shotguns, Target Pistols and Hunting Knives Used in Hunting and Sport, and at business premises licensed under the relevant regulation. Sale and display anywhere else is prohibited.

The second prohibition concerns children directly: selling such implements to children under eighteen, and the purchase or carrying of them by children, is prohibited. The prohibition is therefore addressed not only to the seller but also to the conduct of the child who buys or carries the item.

The article expressly applies to online sales and distance sales. Businesses selling online may accordingly need to review their age-verification and delivery practices.

The amount of the fine and who bears it

A person who fails to comply with the prohibitions is liable to an administrative fine of five thousand Turkish lira. Where the implements concerned are grave in number or in nature, the fine is ten thousand Turkish lira. The article does not define gravity; the number and type of implements seized are assessed together on the facts.

A separate sanction attaches to the duty to report. An operator or responsible person who learns that the misdemeanour has been committed and fails to notify the competent authorities is liable to a further fine of five thousand Turkish lira. This creates a new obligation for those responsible for points of sale and event venues.

The allocation of powers is set out expressly: law enforcement officers decide on the administrative fine and on seizure, while the civil administrative authority decides on forfeiture of ownership to the State. That division also determines which route of challenge applies.

Seizure and forfeiture to the State

Alongside the fine, the article provides for a sanction directed at the property itself. Forfeiture to the State is ordered in respect of property that constitutes the subject matter of the misdemeanour or that is obtained through its commission. The owner's title comes to an end and the property passes to the State.

In practice the process usually begins with seizure by law enforcement; the file is then passed to the civil administrative authority, which orders forfeiture. The fine and the forfeiture are independent sanctions, and the imposition of one does not displace the other.

An assertion that the implement is a tool of a trade becomes important at this stage. The final paragraph of the article excludes from its scope knives, skewers and similar implements required for the practice of an art or profession or for training, where they are used, kept or carried at the place of practice and by the persons practising. Both conditions must be met together.

Special procedure for children under fifteen

Where the person committing the misdemeanour had not reached the age of fifteen at the time, no administrative fine is imposed. The article states that the best interests of the child are to be observed and provides a separate procedure.

In that case the civil administrative authority applies to the children's judge for protective, supportive and guidance measures under the Child Protection Law no. 5395. The decision rests with the children's judge, not with the administration.

Guidance measures are set out in article 5/A, added to the Child Protection Law by the same law no. 7593. They include social and community service, library and reading measures, environmental work and programmes addressing addiction, and may run from twenty to three hundred hours.

For children who have reached fifteen, the article contains no such exception and the general rules apply. For general information on the rights of children in criminal proceedings, see our Antalya criminal lawyer page.

Firearms coming into a child's hands: article 13/A

Article 1 of law no. 7593 added article 13/A to law no. 6136. Unlike the knife provisions, this article creates an offence rather than a misdemeanour.

A person who, by keeping a firearm in a manner contrary to the duty of care and diligence, causes it to come into the hands of a child is punished by imprisonment from one to three years, provided the act does not constitute another offence carrying a heavier penalty.

Three features stand out. The person punished is not the child but the person who failed to store the firearm properly. The test is breach of the duty of care and diligence; intention is not required. And the article is subsidiary: where the same act constitutes an offence carrying a heavier penalty, that offence applies instead.

For licensed firearm holders the provision makes the manner of storage at home a matter with direct legal consequences. Whether the weapon was locked away, whether ammunition was kept separately and whether access was prevented are among the matters examined when the duty of care is assessed.

Challenging the fine: time limit and forum

The route of challenge against administrative fines under the Misdemeanours Law is set out in the general provisions of that Law. An application may be made to the magistrates' court in criminal matters within fifteen days of service or pronouncement of the decision. The period is a forfeiture period; an application made out of time is rejected without examination of the merits.

The application should state clearly in what respect the decision is said to be unlawful, and any supporting documents should be enclosed. Where the professional-use exception is relied upon, documents evidencing the profession and records showing that the implement was at the place of practice are important at this stage.

The same route applies to a decision ordering forfeiture to the State. Where the fine and the decision concerning the property have been issued separately, whether separate applications are required depends on how each decision was served.

The Misdemeanours Law provides for a reduction of twenty-five per cent where the fine is paid within the payment period. Where the law creating the fine sets no payment period, that period is one month from service; article 43/C sets none. Payment does not affect the right to challenge the decision.

Frequently asked questions

What is the penalty for carrying a knife?

Under article 43/C of the Misdemeanours Law, added by law no. 7593, a person who breaches the prohibitions is liable to an administrative fine of five thousand Turkish lira, rising to ten thousand Turkish lira where the implements are grave in number or in nature.

When did the restrictions enter into force?

They were published in the Official Gazette of 18 August 2026, issue 33344, and entered into force the same day. Only subparagraph (a) of the first paragraph of article 43/C, prohibiting sale and display outside licensed premises, enters into force on 1 December 2026.

Does this cover kitchen knives and pocket knives?

The article covers every kind of knife and other cutting, piercing or bruising implement outside the scope of law no. 6136. However, knives, skewers and similar implements required for the practice of an art or profession or for training fall outside the article where they are used, kept or carried at the place of practice and by the persons practising.

What happens to a seller who sells to a person under eighteen?

Breach of the prohibition on sale attracts an administrative fine. In addition, an operator or responsible person who learns of the misdemeanour and fails to notify the competent authorities is liable to a further fine of five thousand Turkish lira.

Can a child under fifteen be fined?

No. Where the child had not reached fifteen at the time, the civil administrative authority applies to the children's judge for protective, supportive and guidance measures under law no. 5395, having regard to the best interests of the child.

How is an administrative fine challenged?

Under the Misdemeanours Law an application may be made to the magistrates' court in criminal matters within fifteen days of service or pronouncement. The period is a forfeiture period.

What is the penalty where a child obtains a firearm?

Under article 13/A of law no. 6136, a person who causes a firearm to come into a child's hands by keeping it contrary to the duty of care and diligence is punished by imprisonment from one to three years, provided the act does not constitute another offence carrying a heavier penalty.

The two limbs run through different forums: the administrative fine and forfeiture are challenged before the magistrates' court in criminal matters, while the offence under law no. 6136 is tried before the criminal courts. Applications against decisions issued in Antalya are heard by the Antalya magistrates' courts in criminal matters.

For the general framework followed in files arising in Konyaaltı and the surrounding area, see our Konyaaltı lawyer page. The office can be reached through the contact page.

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For further detail on the matters discussed here, see our Criminal Law page.

The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult a lawyer about your own situation.