Yes, nunchucks (also called nunchaku) are legal to own in California, but their legality comes with specific limits that many people don’t understand. For decades, California had one of the strictest bans on nunchucks in the country, treating them the same as clubs and blackjacks under a sweeping weapon law. That changed in 2018 after a federal court ruled the total ban unconstitutional. Since then, Californians have been allowed to possess nunchucks — but that doesn’t mean they can carry them everywhere or use them however they like. The right to own nunchaku exists today, yet misuse or public carry can still lead to criminal charges. In short, you can legally have nunchucks in California, but you must be very careful about where you keep them and how you use them.
Why Nunchucks Were Illegal for So Long
California originally banned nunchucks under Penal Code § 22010, grouping them with other dangerous weapons that the state claimed had no legitimate purpose outside crime or combat. For decades, simple possession was a criminal offense unless you were an instructor with a training exemption. The ban became infamous because it even applied to martial artists who used nunchucks for sport or competition.
In Maloney v. Singas (2018), a federal court ruled that a complete prohibition violated the Second Amendment because nunchucks are widely used for lawful martial arts training and self-defense. The ruling forced California to stop enforcing the possession ban. Since that decision, the state has allowed individuals to legally own nunchucks without requiring any training license or registration.
What Is Legal Today?
Since the 2018 ruling, Californians are allowed to:
- Own nunchucks at home
- Train with them at gyms or martial arts schools
- Buy, sell, and transport them legally
- Use them for lawful recreation or practice
This places nunchucks in a similar category to other martial arts weapons like bokken, escrima sticks, and practice swords. You do not need to be a certified martial artist to own them, nor do you need a special permit.
What Is Still Illegal?
Legal ownership does not mean unlimited use. Even though you can possess nunchucks, criminal charges are still possible if you misuse or carry them in prohibited ways. You can still get into legal trouble for:
- Carrying nunchucks as weapons in public places without a lawful purpose
- Brandishing nunchucks in a threatening way (Penal Code § 417)
- Using them aggressively, causing injury (which can be charged as Assault with a Deadly Weapon under PC § 245)
Certain “sensitive areas” may prohibit carrying them entirely, similar to knife restrictions. Misuse can turn a lawful possession into a serious felony.
Public Carry vs. Lawful Transport
Transporting nunchucks to a martial arts studio or competition is allowed, but they should be stored safely — preferably in a gym bag, gear case, or trunk. If an officer finds them loose in your car or on your belt while you’re walking down the street, they may assume they are being carried as weapons, not training equipment.
The key distinction is purpose. Training or competition is lawful. Carrying them like a weapon on the street is risky and unnecessary.
Can Minors Own Nunchucks?
California does not explicitly ban minors from owning nunchucks, but schools and institutions can prohibit them. Many martial arts students who are under 18 use nunchucks under supervised training. However, a minor using one unsupervised in public could trigger multiple other violations (disorderly conduct, endangerment, weapon misuse, etc.). As a result, minors usually handle nunchucks only in structured environments, not casually at home or on the street.
Conclusion
Nunchucks are legal to own in California, thanks to a federal ruling that overturned the previous ban. You can buy them, possess them at home, and use them for training or competitive martial arts without special licenses. However, legality stops where misuse begins. Brandishing them aggressively, carrying them in public without a legitimate purpose, or using them as weapons can still lead to serious criminal charges. California treats nunchucks like many other defensive tools — legal to own, but dangerous if misused. If you’re going to train with nunchucks, do it responsibly, in appropriate places, and with the understanding that “legal” doesn’t mean without boundaries.
