Maryland generally prohibits wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun, whether concealed or open, on or about the person without a permit.¹ This prohibition does not apply on real estate that the person owns or leases, where the person resides, or within the confines of a business establishment that the person owns or leases.²

In 2023, Maryland strengthened its requirements to obtain a concealed carry permit. As of October 1, 2023, any person wishing to obtain a handgun carry permit must:³

• Be at least 21 years old;

• Have no felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions for which a sentence of imprisonment for more than one year has been imposed (unless such a person has been pardoned or successfully petitioned for relief from this prohibition);

• If under age 30, have no adjudications of delinquency in a juvenile court for any act that would be a felony or “crime of violence” if committed by an adult or for any misdemeanor carrying a statutory penalty of two years or more, and have never been committed to any detention, training or correctional institution for more than one year as a juvenile;

• Have no convictions involving the possession, use or distribution of controlled substances, and not be presently an alcoholic, addict or habitual user of a controlled dangerous substance, (unless the habitual use of the controlled dangerous substance is under legitimate medical direction);
• Is not on supervised probation for
  • A conviction of certain crimes involving driving while under the influence;⁴ or
  • Violating a domestic violence protective order⁵
• Does not suffer from a “mental disorder,” as defined, and have a history of violent behavior against the person or another;
• Has not been involuntarily admitted for more than 30 consecutive days to a mental health treatment facility;
• Is not a respondent against whom:
  • A current, non-ex parte civil domestic violence protective order has been entered;
  • A current extreme risk protective order has been entered; or
  • Any other type of current court order has been entered prohibiting the person from purchasing or possessing firearms.

• Has successfully completed a firearms training course approved by the Secretary;
• Has not exhibited a propensity for violence or instability that may reasonably render the person’s possession of a handgun a danger to the person or to another; and

• Meet all federal and state requirements to possess a handgun, as outlined in the Maryland Prohibited Purchasers Generally section.

The secretary may not issue a permit:⁶

• For five years, if the person has been convicted on or after October 1, 2023 of violating the child access prevention law, or permanently, if the person has been convicted on or after October 1, 2023 of a second or subsequent violation of the child access prevention law; or
• Has been convicted on or after October 1, 2023, of the child access prevention law if the violation resulted in the use of a loaded firearm by a child minor causing death or serious bodily injury to the child minor or another person.

The Secretary must revoke a permit on a finding that the holder is no longer qualified to possess a permit and regularly review information regarding active permit holders using the criminal justice information system central repository of the department of public safety and correctional services to determine whether all permit holders continue to meet the qualifications.⁷

The Secretary may revoke a permit if the permittee violates the law requiring the permittee to carry the permit in the person’s possession whenever the person carries, wears, or transports a handgun.

Maryland law previously required a person to establish a “good and substantial reason” for carrying a handgun before obtaining a permit.⁸ However, in NYSRPA v. Bruen, the Supreme Court struck down New York’s comparable “proper cause” requirement and called out this provision of Maryland law as problematic.⁹ Maryland courts have since held that this provision of Maryland law is unconstitutional under Bruen. ¹⁰

A handgun carry permit will be revoked if the permittee no longer satisfies the qualifications to hold a permit or fails to carry the permit any time they carry, wear or transport a handgun.¹¹ Anyone failing to return to the Secretary their revoked permit is criminally liable for a misdemeanor.¹²

Permittees are criminally liable for a misdemeanor if they wear, carry or transport a handgun while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.¹³ Maryland also imposes a misdemeanor upon any person who carries, wears or transports a handgun, whether concealed or in open view, without a valid handgun permit. The Secretary of State Police retains the power to limit the geographic area, circumstances, or times in which the handgun permit is effective.¹⁴

Firearm Safety Training

To qualify for a handgun permit, applicants must also have successfully completed prior to application and each renewal, a firearms training course approved by the Secretary that includes:¹⁵

• For an initial application, a minimum of 16 hours of in-person instruction by a qualified handgun instructor; or
• For a renewal application, 8 hours of in-person instruction by a qualified handgun instructor;
• Classroom instruction on
  • State and federal firearms laws including:
    • Self defense
    • Defense of others
    • Defense of property
    • The safe storage of firearms
    • The circumstances under which an individual becomes prohibited from possessing a firearm under state and federal law, including becoming a respondent against whom:
      • A current non ex parte civil protective order has been entered;
      • An order for protection has been issued by a court of another state or a Native American tribe and is in effect; or
      • A current extreme risk protective order has been entered.
      • The requirements and options for surrendering, transferring, or otherwise disposing of a firearm after becoming prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law;
    • The requirements for reporting a loss or theft of a firearm to a law enforcement agency as required;
    • The firearms and firearm accessories which are banned under state and federal law;
    • The types of firearms that require a special permit or registration to acquire or possess under state or federal law;
    • The law prohibiting straw purchases;
    • The law concerning armed trespass; and
    • The locations where a person is prohibited from possessing a firearm regardless of whether the person possesses a permit issued under this subtitle;
  • Home firearm safety;
  • Handgun mechanisms and operations;
  • Conflict de-escalation and resolution;
  • Anger management; and
  • Suicide prevention.
• A firearm qualification component that includes live-fire shooting exercise on a firing range and requires the applicant to demonstrate:
  • Safe handling of a handgun; and
  • Shooting proficiency with a handgun.

Duration & Renewal

Maryland handgun carry permits generally expire “on the last day of the holder’s birth month following 2 years after the date the permit is issued.”¹⁶ Permits may be renewed for successive periods of three years each, upon application and payment of a renewal fee.¹⁷ Applicants must continue to possess the qualifications set forth in the handgun permitting rules of Maryland Code Ann., Public Safety § 5-306 to renew a permit.¹⁸

Disclosure or Use of Information

In Maryland, any information obtained by the Secretary from the Maryland Criminal Justice Information System Central Repository of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services pursuant to the Secretary’s request for a criminal history records check on a handgun permit applicant:

• Is confidential and may not be disseminated; and

• Shall be used only for the licensing purpose authorized by Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-305.¹⁹

Reciprocity

No relevant statutes currently exist, indicating that Maryland does not recognize concealed weapons permits issued in other states.

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1. Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-203(a), (b)(2), Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-303.[↩]
2. Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-203(a), (b)(2).[↩]
3. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-306(a), (c).[↩]
4. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-133(b)(3)(II) ref. Md. Transportation Code Ann. § 21-902(b) and (c).[↩]
5. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-133(b)(3)(III) ref. Md. Family Law Code § 4-509.[↩]
6. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-306(D)(1).[↩]
7. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-310.[↩]
8. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-306(b)(ii).[↩]
9. N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen, 142 S. Ct. 2111, 2124 (2022).[↩]
10. In re Rounds, 255 Md. App. 205, 206, 279 A.3d 1048, 1048 (2022).[↩]
11. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-310(a).[↩]
12. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-313. For review procedures for persons denied a permit, see Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety §§ 5-311 and 5-312.[↩]
13. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-314.[↩]
14. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-307(b).[↩]
15. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-306(A-1).[↩]
16. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-309(a).[↩]
17. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-309(b).[↩]
18. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-309(b).[↩]
19. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-305(e).[↩]