Maryland issues gun permits in the state for both residents and non-residents.

To apply for the license, you must be familiar with Maryland gun permit laws.

Maryland Gun Permit Summary

Maryland has a shall-issue policy for the application of firearms in the state.

The state police department is in charge of issuing the permit, and there is a discretion to either accept or reject the application.

The state issues purchase a permit to buy firearms, and it is compulsory to complete a criminal record check to buy guns.

• Recommended Reading: Maryland Gun Laws

How To Get A Gun Permit In Maryland?

Maryland gun permit application is available for residents and non-residents of the state.

The state requires the permit for both open and concealed carry.

Maryland Gun Permit Laws

Being a licensed open carry state, you must have a pistol permit to open carry.

The possession of firearms is prohibited in places like schools, government buildings, or courthouses in the state.

It is a prohibition to possess assault weapons in the state in an aggressive manner.

The gun law defines assault weapons as machine guns and semi-automatic firearms.

Upon purchasing a machine gun, you must register it at least twenty-four hours from completing the purchase. Also, the firearm but be registered annually at the police department.

Maryland Pistol Permit Requirements

To apply for a gun license in Maryland, the requirements to meet include the following:

• You must be at least twenty-one years old. If you are between the age of eighteen and twenty-one, you may only apply for a permit on employment grounds.
• You must be a legal citizen of the United States.
• You must not be a felony or convict of any crime punishable by serving a jail term of more than one year.
• You must not commit any crime that has to do with violence.
• You must not have any court restraining order.
• You must not be involved in juvenile delinquency for more than one year within the past ten years.
• You must not be a narcotic, a drunkard, or user of any substance controlled by the Drug Enforcement Agency.
• You must be of sound mind, and not diagnosed with any mental illness.
• You must not be under treatment from a psychiatric hospital or any mental home.
• You must not be guilty of any investigation that shows that you tend to invoke violence or are unstable.
• You must not be a fugitive or have an arrest warrant in your name.
• You must not be dismissed from the United States Armed Forces due to any shady character.
• You must not be subject to the forfeiture of firearms.
• You must have a good reason to apply for the permit.
• You must not meet all federal requirements to obtain a CCW permit.

Different Types Of Gun Permits In Maryland

A summary of firearms permits issued in Maryland includes the following:

• State permit to purchase long guns: Maryland does not issue a state permit to buy long guns.
• State permits to purchase handguns: Maryland issues a state permit to purchase handguns.
• State permit to open carry: Maryland is a licensed state, so there is a license required for open carry.
• State permits to conceal carry long guns: Maryland does not issue a state permit to conceal handguns.
• State permits to conceal carry handguns: Maryland issues a pistol permit to conceal carry handguns in the state.

Gun Permits Application And Renewal Law In Maryland

The process to apply for gun permit application in Maryland include the following:

Complete Firearm Course

You need first to complete a sixteen hours Maryland approved firearm training.

Provide Fingerprints

Get your fingerprints taken by the Department of Public Safety processing services.

Provide The Necessary Documents

Visit the state police online portal to complete your application. Paper applications are invalid.

Other documents to provide include:

• Your firearm training certificate
• Your Passport photograph. Taken in the last thirty days
• Your electronic fingerprint
• The required fee.

Get Notification Mail

You will get a notification about the approval or rejection of your permit application.

Renewal permit process begins ninety days before the permit expiration. You must complete all renewal applications before these ninety days.

Failure to do so means that your permit will become invalid, and you have to go through the application process all over again.

To renew, you must complete a firearm training at least two years before the renewal application period. The training course must be at least eight hours.

Note that Maryland no longer accepts a paper application. All applications must be online through a licensing portal.

The documents to submit along with the application include:

• A firearm training certificate.
• Two copies of a recently taken passport photograph, within thirty days of application.
• The application fee.

You will receive a mail about your application status after the processing period.

How Much Does It Cost To Get A Gun License In Maryland?

An initial application for Maryland pistol permit costs seventy-five dollars, while renewal permits cost fifty dollars.

Gun Permit Reciprocity With Maryland

Maryland does not honor gun licenses from any jurisdiction in the US.

Other aspects of its reciprocity include the following:

State That Recognizes Maryland Pistol Permit

In these states, you can possess firearms if you are a Maryland pistol permit holder. They include the following:

• Alabama
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Montana
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Puerto Rico

States That Have Restricted Reciprocity With Maryland

These states have restricted reciprocity with Maryland such that they selectively accept a Maryland gun license based on other permit holders. They include the following:

• Michigan
• Utah
• Texas

States That Have Permitless Carry Policy

These states are constitutional carry states and have a permitless policy for the possession of firearms within their territory. They include the following:

• Arizona
• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Vermont
• West Virginia

FAQs About Gun Permits In Maryland

Some of the most frequently asked questions about gun permit application and other important information include the following:

Do I Need A Permit To Conceal Carry Firearms In Maryland?

Yes, you can only conceal carry in Maryland if you have a pistol permit.

For How Long Is Maryland Concealed Weapon Permit Valid?

For initial permit applications, the validity period is two years after the application year, and it will expire on the licensee’s birthday.

Renewal permits are valid for three years.

Can Non-Residents Apply For Maryland Firearm Permits?

Yes. Application for Maryland pistol permit is for residents and non-residents of the state, and the process for this is similar.

How Can I Change The Name And Address On My Maryland Gun Permit?

Within one month of completing the change, you must send a mail to the licensing division, notifying the change of name or address.

What Can I Do If I Lost My Maryland Pistol Permit Or It Gets Stolen?

After the theft, or realizing that the pistol permit is missing, you must write a letter to the licensing division informing how the license went missing.

Also, send a check of ten dollars and a recently taken passport photograph.

For law enforcement officers, security guards, and special detectives, submit a letter verifying your employment.

​How Soon Can I Apply For Maryland Pistol Permit After Moving To The State?

You can apply for a Maryland gun license upon establishing residency in the state.

Can I Make Use Of Maryland Pistol Permit After Moving To Another State In The Country?

No, upon moving out of Maryland, your pistol permit expires unless you apply for a change of address form and change it to a non-resident license.

Do I Need A Maryland Pistol Permit To Open Carry In The State?

Yes, Maryland pistol permit is for both open and concealed carry in the state.

Maryland is a licensed open carry state, and anybody that is twenty-one years old or more without prohibition to make use of a firearm can open carry in the state.

What Is The Minimum Age Requirement To Apply For Maryland Gun Permit?

You can apply for a Maryland gun permit if you are twenty-one years old. But for employment reasons, eighteen years old.

Do I need A Permit To Purchase Firearms In Maryland?

Yes, Maryland issues purchase permits to buy handguns in the state.

Does My Maryland Pistol Permit Exempt Me From Completing A Criminal Record Background Check Before Buying Firearms In The State?

No. Every buyer must complete a criminal record background check through purchase permits.

Do I Need A Maryland Pistol Permit To Possess Firearms In My Private Property?

No. Anyone with legal rights to possess firearms in Maryland does not need a pistol permit to carry guns on his or her property, home of residence, or business place.

Do I Need To Complete A Firearm Training Before Applying For Maryland Weapon Permit?

Yes, any firearm applicant must complete a training course before applying for a Maryland pistol permit.

What Is The Processing Period For Firearm Permits In Maryland?

The processing period for Maryland gun license is ninety days.

Does Maryland Have Ammunition And Firearm Restrictions?

Yes, Maryland prohibits the possession of manufacturing, sales, and purchase of any ammunition with more than ten rounds in the magazine.

It is also prohibited to use machine guns and other assault weapons aggressively.

Is Maryland A Preemption Gun Law State?

Yes. Maryland has full preemption gun laws for the regulation of firearms in the state.

However, local areas and municipalities can prohibit the use of firearms in off-limit places like schools, parks, and places of worship.

Can I Conceal Carry While Hunting In Maryland?

Yes, you can conceal carry firearms while hunting in the state. But it is a prohibition to make use of weapons during bow hunting in the state.

What Is The Age For Firearm Possession In Maryland?

The minimum age requirement to possess and transport firearms in Maryland is twenty-one years old.

Relevant Gun Laws Permits And Legislature In Maryland

Some of Maryland gun laws that concern pistol permit in the state include the following:

Possession Of Firearms In Private Cars

According to the state laws, [Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-203(b)(2)], you can only possess a firearm in your private car if you have a Maryland gun permit.

Without the permit, Maryland restricts the transportation of firearms within the state, even for legal reasons.

Transportation of handgun is only legal within and between residences, or during transport for repairs, to and fro a professional shooting competition, and between a dwelling place and workplace.

Anybody transporting firearms through the state must make sure that the guns are safely encased, unloaded, and not readily accessible from a passenger compartment in the car.

For vehicles with a separate compartment, you have to lock the firearm away in another chamber in the car.

Possession Of Firearms In Roadside Areas

Maryland gun law, [Md. Admin. Code § 11.04.07.12] prohibits the possession of firearms in roadside areas of the state.

Possession Of Firearms In Parks, Forests, And Wildlife Management Areas

According to [Md. Admin. Code §§ 08.01.07.14 and 08.07.06.04], it is a prohibition to possess firearms in state parks and forests.

However, the gun statue [Md. Admin. Code § 10-408(d)], permits the possession of firearms in Wildlife Management Areas, for gun licensees in the state.

Possession Of Firearms In Restaurant And Bar Areas Of The State

Maryland gun statute does not prohibit the possession of firearms in restaurants and bar ventures for pistol permit holders.

But it is prohibited to possess firearms in these places if there is signage prohibiting such and if you are under the influence of alcohol.

Possession Of Firearms In Hotels

Anybody in charge of a hotel or lodging establishment in the state can refuse to provide accommodation if he or she thinks a person possesses a firearm or any other weapon in such a way that is dangerous to others.

Hotels can develop their privacy policies and the regulation of firearms within the premises.

[Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 15-203(a)6]

Additional Resources

Maryland Gun Laws
Maryland Concealed Carry Laws
Maryland Open Carry Laws