Legal information provided is for reference and not legal advice. Consult an attorney for specific legal concerns.
Legal information provided is for reference and not legal advice. Consult an attorney for specific legal concerns.
Gun control laws in the U.S. remain highly controversial due to increases in gun violence and mass shootings, prompting public demand for laws to protect the public. At the same time, lawmakers must balance safety concerns with individuals’ right to own guns. Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have upheld an individual’s right to bear arms under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, influencing the drafting of firearm-related laws.
Each state’s gun laws vary, reflecting specific local concerns and political climates. Maryland has more restrictive gun laws than many other states, including an assault weapons ban passed in 2013 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.
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Maryland’s gun control laws are comprehensive, addressing the purchase, possession, use, and carry of firearms. The state also restricts who can possess guns and bans certain dangerous firearms and accessories.
To keep guns out of the wrong hands, Maryland prohibits individuals under 21 from possessing handguns or assault weapons and those under 18 from purchasing long guns (rifles, shotguns) or ammunition. Additionally, convicted felons and individuals with specific other criminal convictions, as well as those adjudicated as incompetent or not legally responsible due to mental health issues, are banned from possessing firearms and ammunition.
In 2018, Maryland passed a red flag law allowing police officers or family members to petition a court to remove firearms from individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others.
Maryland requires anyone purchasing a handgun or assault weapon to be at least 21 years old and complete an application for a purchase license. Those seeking to buy, rent, or receive a handgun must also complete an approved firearms safety training course and obtain a handgun qualification license (HQL).
The Maryland State Police oversees the permit application process through its licensing division. A criminal background check is required for all firearm transactions, whether through licensed dealers or private transactions. Gun dealers must also be licensed to operate a firearms business in the state.
Individuals seeking to wear and carry a handgun, concealed or open, must apply for a concealed carry permit. Without this permit, they are limited to carrying the firearm only at their residence, on land they own, or at their place of business. Concealed carry permits are available to individuals who are 21 years old and otherwise eligible under state laws.
Maryland law prohibits carrying firearms in certain locations, with common exemptions for on-duty law enforcement officers and active members of the Armed Forces. These prohibited locations include:
- Areas for children and vulnerable adults (e.g., preschools, schools)
- Public infrastructure and government buildings (e.g., state and local government buildings, university buildings, polling locations)
- Special purpose areas (e.g., stadiums, museums, amusement parks, racetracks, video lottery facilities, establishments that serve alcohol or cannabis for consumption)
- Private property open to the public unless explicitly permitted by signage
- Demonstrations in a public place or in a vehicle within 1,000 feet when law enforcement has provided notice
Maryland state law generally preempts localities from passing gun regulations that conflict with state laws. However, exceptions exist for local government regulations involving minors and the discharge of guns, except at shooting ranges. Cities like Baltimore and Annapolis can regulate gun-related conduct in or within 100 feet of parks, churches, schools, public buildings, and other places of public assembly.
Maryland’s gun control laws are outlined in the following statutes:
- Maryland Code, Criminal Law, Title 4, Sections 4–101 through 4–407
- Section 4–102: Deadly weapons on school property
- Section 4–104: Child’s access to firearms
- Section 4–106: Bulletproof body armor
- Section 4–107: Bulletproof body armor — permit to use, possess, or purchase
- Section 4–110: Possession or use of restricted firearm ammunition
- Section 4–111: Wearing, carrying, or transporting firearms
- Section 4–203: Wearing, carrying, or transporting handguns
- Section 4–208: Possession of firearm at public demonstration
- Section 4–301: Definitions (assault weapons)
- Section 4–303: Assault weapons — Prohibited
- Section 4–305: Detachable magazines — Prohibited
- Section 4–305.1: Rapid fire trigger activators — Prohibited
- Section 4–306: Penalties
- Section 4–402: Possession of machine gun
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- Maryland Code, Public Safety, Title 5, Sections 5–101 through 5–805
- Section 5–106: Dealer’s license
- Section 5–117: Application for regulated firearm required
- Section 5–117.1: Handgun qualification license required to sell, rent, or transfer handguns
- Section 5–118: Firearm application
- Section 5–123: Time for licensee to complete transaction
- Section 5–128: Purchases within 30 days
- Section 5–130: Gun shows
- Section 5–132: Handgun safety devices
- Section 5–133: Restrictions on possession of regulated firearms
- Section 5–136: Straw purchases
- Section 5–142: Removal or alteration of identification mark or number on firearm
- Section 5–203: Possession of short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun
- Section 5–204.1: Sale, rental, or transfer by non-licensees
- Section 5–205: Possession by person with mental disorder
- Section 5–206: Persons convicted of crimes of violence prohibited from possession of rifle or shotgun
- Section 5–207: Sale, rent, transfer, or loan prohibited
- Section 5–303: Permit required
- Section 5–304: Application for permit
- Section 5–306: Qualifications for permit
- Section 5–307: Scope of permit
- Section 5–314: Carrying, wearing, or transporting handgun while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Section 5–703: Serial numbers required
Maryland law prohibits the possession of the following weapons and accessories, with limited exceptions:
- Assault weapons
- Short-barreled rifles
- Short-barreled shotguns
- Machine guns
- Detachable magazines with a capacity for over 10 rounds of ammunition
- Bulletproof body armor
- Certain unserialized firearms, frames, and receivers
Maryland statutes list a variety of weapons that qualify as assault weapons, including specific semi-automatic pistols.
Maryland enforces a seven-day waiting period between the purchase application and delivery for sales of regulated firearms (handguns and assault weapons). No waiting period is required for the sale of rifles or shotguns.
Under Maryland law, individuals are prohibited from possessing a firearm if they:
- Are under 21 years of age (handguns and assault weapons)
- Have been convicted of a violent crime, felony, or other specified crimes
- Are fugitives from justice
- Are habitual drunkards
- Are addicted to or habitual users of controlled substances
- Have mental health disorders and a violent criminal history
- Have been found incompetent to stand trial or not criminally responsible
- Have been confined to a mental health institution for 30 consecutive days
- Have been involuntarily committed to a mental health care facility
- Are under the protection of a guardian by court order for other than a physical disability
- Are subject to a qualifying protective order
- Are under 30 years old and have been adjudicated delinquent by a juvenile court for an act that would disqualify them from owning a gun if committed by an adult
Yes. A handgun qualification license (HQL) is required to purchase a handgun in Maryland.
Yes. With few exceptions, carrying a handgun without a concealed handgun permit is prohibited in Maryland. Gun owners must comply with state location restrictions.