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Maryland
Total
prohibition
Total freedom
0 ------ 10 ------ 20 ------ 30
------ 40 ------ 50 ------ 60 ------ 70 ------ 80 ------ 90 ------ 100
^
Traveler's checklist:
*Handgun ownership:
unrestricted, no permit or
license required
*Rifle and Shotgun ownership:
unrestricted, no permit or license
required
*Assault weapon ownership:
restricted, assault pistol ownership
prohibited
*Machine Gun Ownership:
state registration; otherwise
compliance with federal law
*Firearm law uniformity:
preemption law, firearm laws uniform
throughout state
*Open carry:
prohibited in all public areas
*Concealed carry:
license required; granted
on a discretionary basis; no reciprocity for
non-residents with carry permits from other states
*Vehicle carry and transportation:
loaded, readily accessible
handguns may not be
carried within a vehicle without a Maryland permit, certain
exceptions
exist; rifles and shotguns must remain unloaded
Travelers to Maryland will
experience a multitude of restrictions on the
ownership and possession of handguns. Maryland is one of the few states to
require
that all handgun types offered for sale in the state pass before a
governmental board
for approval before being introduced onto the market. Some handguns, such
as
assault pistols, are banned from possession entirely. The open or concealed
carry of
handguns is similarly regulated so that it is almost impossible for an
unlicensed
individual to carry a handgun legally. The state requires a license to carry
a loaded
handgun on one's person or in a vehicle. Such permits are issued by the
state police
on a highly discretionary basis to persons demonstrating a compelling
need.
Maryland's law allows the issuance of permits to nonresidents. But few of
these
licenses are granted. The state will not recognize carry permits from other
states.
A traveler without a Maryland permit may not carry a handgun on
foot or in
a vehicle in a loaded or readily accessible manner. But he may transport
an
unloaded handgun in a secure case if that individual is traveling to a
recognized
shooting competition, bonafide gun show, hunting exercise, or some other
gun-
related event. Travelers passing through the state may transport handguns in
the
same condition even if they are not traveling to one of these events as long
as the
weapons are unloaded, cased and stowed in the trunk. Rifles and shotguns
may be
transported in a vehicle for any reason. But the weapons must be unloaded
and
secured in commercial cases or gun racks regardless of whether one has a
permit.
Maryland's preemption statute provides uniformity for most gun
laws
throughout the state. But localities may still regulate the discharge of
firearms
within their limits and the carry of firearms within 100 yards of schools,
parks,
churches, public buildings, and places of public assembly.
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