Open carry in Maryland is illegal without a Wear and Carry Permit, and even with a permit, openly displaying a handgun is not a practical option. Maryland Criminal Law § 4-203 prohibits wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun on your person or in a vehicle “whether concealed or open” unless you hold a state-issued permit or fit a narrow statutory exception. A first offense carries 30 days to five years in prison.
Why Open Carry Isn’t a Realistic Option in Maryland
Section 4-203 doesn’t distinguish between open and concealed carry. The statute treats both the same way: without a Wear and Carry Permit, wearing a holstered handgun on your hip in public is a crime, and so is tucking one under your jacket.
Holding a permit changes the legal question but not the practical one. Permit holders in Maryland almost always carry concealed. Openly displaying a handgun invites law-enforcement contact, and Maryland’s dense list of sensitive-place restrictions makes an open-carry stroll through most towns legally risky even when you are permitted. The statute focuses on handguns; long guns like rifles and shotguns fall under separate rules and aren’t covered by the § 4-203 permit framework.
Penalties for Carrying Without a Permit
Consequences under § 4-203 escalate with each prior conviction:
- First offense: 30 days to 5 years in prison, a fine between $250 and $2,500, or both.
- Second offense: 1 to 10 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 1 year the court cannot suspend.
- Third or subsequent offense: 3 to 10 years or more in prison, with mandatory minimums that cannot be suspended.
Prior convictions under related statutes count toward escalation, including § 4-204 (use of a handgun in a crime of violence), § 4-101 (deadly weapons on school property), and § 4-102 (firearms in areas for children or vulnerable individuals). Carrying a handgun in connection with drug crimes triggers additional mandatory minimums where no part of the sentence can be suspended or paroled.
Getting a Wear and Carry Permit
Maryland is a “shall-issue” state. Under Public Safety § 5-306, the Maryland State Police must issue a permit if you meet the statutory criteria. Before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen, applicants had to show a “good and substantial reason” to carry. That requirement is no longer enforceable, and self-defense now suffices. The old language remains in the statute, but Maryland suspended enforcement after the ruling.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 21, unless you are a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, the National Guard, or the uniformed services. Military service is the only path for applicants under 21.
The Maryland State Police will deny an application if any of the following apply:
- A felony conviction, or a misdemeanor conviction that carried a possible sentence over one year, unless you have been pardoned or received federal relief.
- A conviction involving possession, use, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
- Alcoholism, drug addiction, or habitual use of a controlled substance outside legitimate medical direction.
- An investigative finding of a propensity for violence or instability that would make you a danger to yourself or others.
Applicants under 30 face additional scrutiny for juvenile history. If you were adjudicated delinquent for conduct that would have been a violent crime, felony, or serious misdemeanor as an adult, or committed to juvenile detention for more than a year, you’re disqualified.
Training, Fees, and Timing
First-time applicants must complete a 16-hour firearms training course approved by the Maryland State Police before applying. The course covers Maryland firearm law, home safety, and handgun operation, and includes a live-fire qualification requiring at least 70% accuracy. Renewals require an 8-hour refresher. Training must be completed within two years before the application date.
The initial application fee is $125, with additional fingerprinting costs. Renewals cost $75 and don’t require new fingerprints. Active and retired Maryland law enforcement officers pay nothing. Expect to spend an additional $150 to $275 on the training course, depending on instructor and location. Fees are non-refundable and paid electronically through the Licensing Portal.
Once a completed application and fee are on file, you should get a decision within 90 days. Incomplete applications are typically flagged within one to five business days.
Where a Permit Doesn’t Let You Carry
Maryland’s 2023 firearms legislation created a long list of places where carrying is off-limits even for permit holders. In January 2026, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on those restrictions in Kipke v. Moore, upholding most and striking down one.
Restrictions That Still Apply
- Preschools, private K-12 schools, and school grounds.
- State or local government buildings.
- Polling places actively being used for voting or canvassing.
- Healthcare facilities.
- Mass transit facilities.
- State parks, state forests, and Chesapeake Forest Lands, with exceptions for permitted hunting and target shooting.
- Museums, stadiums, racetracks, amusement parks, and casinos.
- Locations selling alcohol or cannabis for on-site consumption.
- Within 1,000 feet of a public demonstration.
What the Fourth Circuit Struck Down
The 2023 law originally required property owners to post a sign or give express permission before a permit holder could carry on their property. The default was “no guns” on all private property open to the public unless the owner opted in. The Fourth Circuit found that unconstitutional as applied to property open to the public. Permit holders may now carry in places like retail stores unless the owner posts signage or otherwise communicates that firearms aren’t welcome. The challenge to restrictions on truly private residential property was dismissed for lack of standing, so you still need the owner’s express permission to carry in a private home.
This area of law is still moving. The state may seek U.S. Supreme Court review, so confirm the current rule before relying on it.
Carrying a Handgun in a Vehicle
With a Wear and Carry Permit, vehicle carry follows the same rules as carrying on your person. Without a permit, vehicle carry is illegal unless you fit one of the narrow exceptions in § 4-203(b).
Those exceptions require that the handgun be unloaded and stored in an enclosed case or enclosed holster. On those conditions, you may transport a handgun:
- Between your home and a place of purchase or sale
- To or from a repair shop
- Between your residences
- Between your home and a business you substantially own and operate
- To, from, or while engaged in a shooting event, hunting, or related sporting activity
The firearm and ammunition can’t be readily accessible from the passenger compartment. For most vehicles that means locking the handgun in the trunk. In a vehicle without a separate trunk, use a locked container that isn’t the glove compartment or center console.
Out-of-State Permits and Visitors
Maryland does not recognize concealed carry permits from any other state. If you hold an out-of-state permit and visit Maryland, that permit gives you no legal authority to carry, and you face the same penalties as someone carrying with no permit at all.
Maryland does issue Wear and Carry Permits to non-residents. The requirements are the same as for residents: approved training, fingerprints, the $125 fee, and a background investigation. A Maryland non-resident permit is recognized by a number of other states, but that list changes. Verify current reciprocity with each state you plan to visit before traveling.