Yes, brass knuckles are illegal to carry in Maryland in most situations. Criminal Law § 4-101 classifies “metal knuckles” as a dangerous weapon, and the statute covers knuckle weapons regardless of whether they are made of brass, steel, or another metal.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
What the Statute Actually Prohibits
Maryland draws a sharp line between concealed and open carry, and the rules are not the same for both.
Concealed carry is flatly prohibited. You cannot wear or carry metal knuckles hidden on your person under any circumstances outside the statutory exceptions.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons No intent to harm anyone is required. Having them in your pocket, your bag, or anywhere on your body violates the law.
Open carry is different. The statute prohibits openly carrying a dangerous weapon only when it is done “with the intent or purpose of injuring an individual in an unlawful manner.”1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons Prosecutors would have to prove you meant to hurt someone unlawfully. In practice, walking around with brass knuckles visible will attract police attention, and officers will assess the circumstances for harmful intent.
The statute itself does not define “metal knuckles” or specify which metals qualify. Because the text says “metal” without qualification, any knuckle weapon made from a metallic material is covered. Plastic or resin knuckle-style devices occupy a gray area since they fall outside the literal statutory text, but officers may still treat them as dangerous weapons depending on how they are used or carried.
Brass Knuckles in a Vehicle
Section 4-101 prohibits wearing or carrying a dangerous weapon concealed “on or about the person.” Courts have generally interpreted that language to include weapons within a driver’s or passenger’s immediate reach inside a vehicle. Brass knuckles stashed in a glove compartment, center console, or under a seat are treated the same as brass knuckles in your jacket pocket. If an officer finds them during a traffic stop or vehicle search, you can be charged.
Can You Keep Them at Home?
Section 4-101 prohibits “wearing or carrying” a dangerous weapon. It does not explicitly criminalize mere possession inside a private residence. Someone who keeps a set of brass knuckles in a display case and never takes them outside has a reasonable argument that no violation has occurred, because the statute targets carrying rather than ownership.
Context still matters. If police find brass knuckles during a search of your home alongside other weapons, drugs, or evidence of criminal activity, prosecutors may use them as evidence of intent even without a standalone carrying charge. The safest reading of the law is that passive home possession is not criminalized under § 4-101, but the moment the knuckles move to your car, your bag, or your person, the carrying prohibition applies.
Penalties
A violation of § 4-101 is a misdemeanor punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons Those are the ceilings. Actual sentences depend on factors like prior record, whether the knuckles were used or only possessed, and whether other charges are involved.
When brass knuckles appear alongside charges like assault, robbery, or drug offenses, prosecutors tend to stack the weapon count on top. That drives up potential prison time and makes plea negotiations harder. Even standing alone, a conviction with a three-year maximum exceeds the two-year threshold that triggers federal firearm disabilities, so a conviction can cost you the right to purchase or possess firearms under federal law. Many people don’t anticipate that consequence from what they assumed was a minor charge.
A misdemeanor weapon conviction also shows up on background checks and can affect employment, professional licensing, housing applications, and security clearances.
Exceptions and the Apprehended Danger Defense
Section 4-101 lists four categories of people exempt from the carrying prohibition:1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons
- State, county, and municipal officers entitled or required to carry the weapon as part of their official duties, along with conservators of the peace (including those temporarily visiting from other states).
- Railroad special agents.
- Individuals holding a valid permit to carry a handgun under the Public Safety Article.
- Any person carrying a weapon as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger.
The fourth exception is the one ordinary citizens most often rely on, and it is the most misunderstood. It does not cover a general sense of being unsafe. You need a specific, articulable threat, and the court decides whether carrying the weapon was reasonable and whether the occasion justified it. Maryland courts apply this standard skeptically. In Spears v. State, the court noted that a jury was free to disbelieve the defendant’s testimony about being threatened and reject the apprehended danger defense entirely. Relying on this exception means betting your freedom on a jury’s assessment of your fear.
Traveling or Driving Through Maryland
If you are flying, the TSA prohibits brass knuckles in carry-on bags. You may place them in checked luggage, but TSA warns that if the bag is opened and the item is illegal at the destination, the agency will report it to local law enforcement.2Transportation Security Administration. Brass Knuckles Because Maryland treats metal knuckles as a dangerous weapon, arriving at BWI with them in checked luggage could lead to a criminal charge the moment you take possession of the bag.
Driving through Maryland carries the same risks as living there. The fact that you legally bought the knuckles in another state or are only passing through does not create an exception under § 4-101. The statute includes no traveler’s exemption, and having the weapon within reach in a vehicle meets the concealed-carry prohibition. Keeping them locked in a container in the trunk, away from the passenger compartment, may reduce exposure, but nothing in the statute guarantees protection.
Extra Rules for Minors
Maryland imposes an added restriction on minors in a specific set of counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Cecil, Harford, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, and Worcester. In those counties, a minor cannot carry a dangerous weapon between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, whether the weapon is concealed or not.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 4-101 – Dangerous Weapons The only exceptions are for bona fide hunting trips, trap shoots, sport shooting events, or organized civic or military activities. For a minor caught with brass knuckles at night in one of these counties, the concealed-versus-open distinction does not help, because both are prohibited during those hours.