Carrying A Handgun
Crim. Law § 4-203 and Pub. Safety § 5-306 — a permit, 16 hours of training, and a minimum of 30 days without one
A permit, open or concealed. Without an exception, a person may not wear, carry or transport a handgun in Maryland, concealed or open, on or about the person, or in a vehicle on a public road, parking lot, highway, waterway or airway. A permit issued by the State to wear, carry or transport a handgun is one of the exceptions.
- On real estate the person owns or leases or lives on, or inside a business the person owns or leases.
- To or from a purchase, sale or repair, between the person's homes, or between home and the person's own business, unloaded and in an enclosed case or holster.
- To, at or from target shooting, hunting, a military activity, a hunter safety class or a dog obedience class or show, unloaded and in an enclosed case or holster.
| Carrying without a permit or exception | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Carrying without a permit or exceptionNo prior conviction | PenaltyAt least 30 days and up to 5 years, or a fine from $250 to $2,500, or both |
| Carrying without a permit or exceptionNo prior conviction, on public school property | PenaltyAt least 90 days |
| Carrying without a permit or exceptionOne prior conviction | PenaltyAt least 1 year and up to 10 years |
| Carrying without a permit or exceptionMore than one prior | PenaltyAt least 3 years and up to 10 years |
The State issues a permit to an applicant at least 21, or a member of the uniformed services or National Guard, with no felony and no misdemeanor sentenced to more than 1 year, no controlled substance conviction, no current protective or extreme risk order, and no propensity for violence found in an investigation, among the conditions the section lists.
16 hours of training. An initial applicant completes a firearms course of at least 16 hours of in person instruction, and 8 hours for a renewal, covering State and federal firearm law including self defense, safe storage, de-escalation and places firearms are prohibited even with a permit, plus a live fire qualification. Law enforcement, current and former military, and qualified instructors are exempt.
Sources for this section (2)
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 4-203 — Wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun
- Md. Code, Pub. Safety § 5-306 — Handgun permit qualifications
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.