Maryland Firearms Safety Training Course Requirements

Maryland’s firearms safety training course requirements depend on which license you are pursuing. To get a Handgun Qualification License (HQL), the prerequisite for buying a regulated handgun, you must complete at least four hours of in-person instruction with a Maryland State Police-certified instructor, including a live-fire component.¹ To get an initial Wear and Carry permit, the course is sixteen hours; renewal applicants need eight. Both tracks share the same core curriculum, but the Wear and Carry course goes deeper and holds you to a scored shooting standard.

The Four-Hour HQL Course

The HQL course is the entry point for handgun ownership in Maryland. You must be at least 21 to apply for the license itself, and your training certificate stays valid for three years from the date you complete the course.² Let that window close without applying and you have to take the course again. Once your HQL is issued, renewing it does not require any additional training.¹

Maryland regulations require every approved HQL course to cover four areas.³

State firearm law: what counts as a regulated firearm, how to legally purchase or transfer one, where you can carry or transport a handgun, when a carry permit is required, and who is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Home firearm safety: preventing unauthorized access (especially by children), proper storage and locking methods, and use of safety devices like lockboxes.
Handgun mechanisms and operation: how revolvers and semi-automatic handguns work, including loading, unloading, cleaning, and maintenance.
Live-fire demonstration: a hands-on component where you safely fire at least one round of live ammunition under supervision. Firing is not required beyond 15 yards.

The live-fire portion of the HQL course is deliberately basic. The point is showing you can safely load, fire, and unload a handgun under the instructor’s direct observation, not marksmanship. If you cannot demonstrate safe handling, the instructor will not sign off on your certificate, and you will need more practice before trying again.

The Sixteen-Hour Wear and Carry Course

If you want to carry a handgun on your person or readily accessible in a vehicle, you need a Wear and Carry permit, and the training requirement is substantially heavier. First-time applicants complete at least sixteen hours of in-person instruction; renewals require eight.¹ The curriculum covers the same foundational material as the HQL course and adds classroom instruction in conflict de-escalation and anger management, which Maryland Code Public Safety § 5-306 requires by statute.⁴

The live-fire standard is also scored. You must complete a Basic Practical Handgun Course of at least 25 rounds fired from no further than 15 yards and hit at least 70% accuracy. Security personnel — guards, private detectives, special police, and armored car drivers — shoot 50 rounds from up to 25 yards, with the same 70% threshold.¹ Falling short does not disqualify you permanently, but no certificate issues until you pass. Most instructors offer remedial range time, sometimes at additional cost.

Training is only part of Wear and Carry eligibility. You also have to meet the statutory requirements under § 5-306, which include being at least 21 (unless an active member of the uniformed services or National Guard), having no felony or drug convictions, and having no history of violent behavior or disqualifying mental health commitments.⁴ Pay for the course only after you have confirmed you can clear the background requirements.

Who Can Skip the Training Course

Maryland law treats the HQL requirement and the training requirement as two separate things, and the exemptions are not the same.

Exempt From the HQL Entirely

These people can purchase a handgun without an HQL at all:⁵

Active and retired-in-good-standing law enforcement officers from a federal, state, or local agency.
Active or retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard.
Licensed firearms manufacturers.
Buyers of antiques, curios, or relics as defined by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Need the HQL but Not the Course

These applicants still have to get the license but can skip the four-hour training:⁵

Anyone who has previously completed a firearms training course certified by the Secretary of State Police.
Anyone who has completed a hunter safety course prescribed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Qualified Handgun Instructors already certified by Maryland State Police.
Honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces or National Guard.
Armored car company employees who hold a carry permit under Title 5, Subtitle 3.
Anyone who already lawfully owns a regulated firearm in Maryland.

That last one catches people off guard. If you already lawfully own a regulated firearm, you do not have to take the course to apply for an HQL; bring proof of your existing ownership with your application.

Finding a Qualified Handgun Instructor

Every Maryland firearms safety course must be taught by a Qualified Handgun Instructor (QHI) authorized by the Maryland State Police.⁶ Training from anyone else does not count, even an NRA-certified instructor who lacks the Maryland QHI credential. The Maryland State Police publishes a searchable list of certified instructors, and it is worth checking before you pay. If an instructor’s certification has lapsed, the certificate they issue is worthless at application time.

Instructors set their own prices. Four-hour HQL courses typically run from roughly $75 to $250, and sixteen-hour Wear and Carry courses cost more. Some instructors fold range fees and ammunition into the price; others bill them separately. Ask before you book.

After the Course

Your training certificate carries an identifying number that you enter into the online application exactly as it appears on the certificate. For the HQL, the certificate has to be dated within three years of your application.²⁷⁸ The Maryland State Police has 30 days to process an accepted HQL application; Wear and Carry investigations typically take longer, so do not plan around a specific carry date.

1
Maryland Department of State Police. Firearms Safety Training
2
Maryland Department of State Police. Handgun Qualification License
3
Legal Information Institute. Maryland Code Regulations COMAR 29.03.01.29 – Handgun Qualification License
4
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-306
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Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-117.1 – Handgun Qualification License Required for Purchase of Handguns
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Maryland Department of State Police. Qualified Handgun Instructor Certification
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Maryland Department of State Police. Fingerprinting
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Maryland Department of State Police. Wear and Carry Permit