The state of Maryland requires gun owners to obtain a Wear and Carry handgun permit. Before you are issued a permit, you must first pass a background check and complete a required Maryland State Police firearms training course.
There are, of course, legal penalties for carrying a firearm without a permit, but what about storing a firearm in your car or carrying a firearm with a permit from another state?
Transporting firearms within Maryland
You can transport a firearm in your vehicle in Maryland without a permit under specific circumstances.
The gun must be stored in a locked container, unloaded, with ammunition stored in a separate locked container. The firearm cannot be accessible to the driver while they are behind the wheel. Instead, it must be stored in the trunk or, if there isn’t a trunk, as far back in the car as possible.
Transporting a gun while not following these rules can result in a fine of up to $2,500 and up to three years in prison.
Furthermore, you can’t have a firearm in your trunk while just going about your day. You must be intentionally transporting the gun from one place to another. You can have a gun in your car on your way to and home from a firing range, but if you decide to run errands with the firearm in your car, you could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Do permits from other states work in Maryland?
Just as your Maryland Wear and Carry permit is invalid as soon as you leave Maryland, likewise, permits from other states are not honored in Maryland.
If you would like to transport firearms through Maryland, you need to obey the transport laws stated above.
If you intend to transport firearms out of Maryland, you need to know and follow the laws in each state you will be passing through on your journey, as you could potentially be charged with a crime if you are pulled over or even if you only stop the car for gas.
Where you can carry a firearm without a permit in Maryland
Anyone can carry firearms on their private property or someone else’s private property with their permission and/or business establishments under the same conditions.
Where and when firearms are banned for everyone
Whether or not you have a permit, Maryland bans firearms in a number of places, including but not limited to:
- On school property
- Within 1,000 feet of a demonstration in a public place
- Legislative buildings
- Hotels and other lodging establishments
- State forests and parks
- In or around state-owned public property
Furthermore, one can be charged with a misdemeanor for carrying a gun while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.