Maryland Gun Laws

Summary of current gun safety laws in Maryland

1966 Waiting Period/Background Check: Requires gun dealers to hold handguns for seven (7) days, while the State Police perform a background check on the purchaser to ensure that they are not prohibited by federal of state law from buying a handgun. Restrictions include those convicted of felonies, the mentally ill, and abusers of drugs and alcohol.

1972 Concealed Carry: Bars anyone from carrying a handgun outside of their home without first obtaining a special permit from the State Police. Applicants must establish a legitimate need to carry a handgun.

1988 Saturday Night Special Law: Created the Handgun Roster Board to determine which handguns can be sold in Maryland. The Board has prohibited more than 115 (check) models of low quality Saturday Night Specials or ‘junk guns’ favored by criminals.

1989 Assault Weapon Waiting Period: Includes assault rifles such as the AK-47 in the 1966 waiting period law.

1992 CAP (Child Access Prevention) Law: Demands that gun owners keep their weapons outside of the reach of children under the age of sixteen (16). (Sanctions?)

1993 Gun Show Law: Subjects prospective buyers of guns at gun shows to the same waiting period and background check as those who purchase guns from licensed dealers.

1994 Assault Weapons Ban: Prohibits the manufacture and sale of 18 models of assault pistols, including the TEC-9 and the MAC-10. Also bans gun magazines that can hold more than 20 bullets at one time.

1996 Gun Violence Act: Limits handgun purchases to one per person per month; regulates secondary or private sales to require same waiting period and background check as commercial sales; prohibits “straw purchases”; bars domestic abusers from purchasing handguns; increases the penalties for illegal sales, and imposes additional enforcement methods.