In Maryland, “regulated firearms” is a specific legal category that covers every handgun plus a list of assault-style long guns named in state law. Buying, selling, or transferring one triggers a background check, a mandatory seven-day waiting period, and state registration of the transaction. Handguns also require a separate Handgun Qualification License before you can complete a purchase. Maryland regulated firearms are legal to own, but only through this licensed and tracked process.
What Counts as a Regulated Firearm
Maryland Public Safety Code § 5-101(r) defines a regulated firearm as either a handgun or one of the assault weapons specifically named in the statute, along with copies of those weapons regardless of manufacturer.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety – Section 5-101 – Definitions A “handgun” is any firearm with a barrel under 16 inches, which captures virtually every pistol and revolver. The assault weapons portion names specific makes and models, including AR-15 platform rifles and various AK-type rifles.
The “copy” designation matters. If a firearm’s core parts are interchangeable with a listed model, state authorities treat it as regulated regardless of branding. Every sale, transfer, or private exchange of any firearm in this category must go through the full state process.
Two things sit next to this category and are easy to confuse with it. The Handgun Roster under Public Safety §§ 5-404 through 5-406 is a separate list of handgun models approved for commercial sale in Maryland based on safety standards.2Maryland State Police. Handgun Roster A handgun can be “regulated” but not appear on the Roster. Separately, Maryland’s Criminal Law § 4-301 defines “copycat weapons” by physical features (folding stocks, flash suppressors, oversized fixed magazines, and similar), and those are banned outright, not merely regulated.3New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code, Criminal Law, 4-301 – Definitions You cannot possess, sell, or transport a copycat weapon into the state at all.
Who Can Legally Own One
Public Safety § 5-133 sets a minimum age of 21 for possession of a regulated firearm, with limited supervised exceptions. It also disqualifies anyone convicted of a “disqualifying crime,” which broadly covers felonies and certain serious misdemeanors, along with anyone convicted of a common-law crime who received more than two years of imprisonment.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-133 – Restrictions on Possession of Regulated Firearms
Section 5-134 adds a longer list of people a dealer cannot sell to, when the dealer knows or has reason to believe the buyer:5New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-134
- Is a fugitive from justice
- Is a habitual drug or alcohol user, or is visibly under the influence at the transaction
- Has a mental disorder and a history of violent behavior, absent a physician’s certificate; or has been confined to a mental health facility for more than 30 consecutive days without a similar certificate
- Is subject to a current non-ex-parte civil protective order
- Is under 30 and was adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile for an act that would be a disqualifying crime if committed by an adult
- Is buying the firearm on behalf of a prohibited person
These bars apply to every regulated firearm transaction in Maryland, dealer or private.
The Handgun Qualification License
Before you can buy, rent, or receive a handgun, you need a Handgun Qualification License (HQL). This is a prerequisite separate from the background check at the point of sale.6Maryland State Police. Handgun Qualification License The initial HQL costs $50 and is valid for 10 years. Renewal is $20 for another decade.
The path to the license starts with a state-approved firearms safety course that runs at least four hours and covers Maryland law, home firearm safety, and handgun operation, including a live-fire component. You then apply through the Maryland State Police Licensing Portal, uploading the training certificate and a receipt for Livescan fingerprints. The fingerprints feed into a background check before the state issues the license.
The HQL applies only to handguns. For a regulated long gun, the purchase application and background check still run, but no HQL is required.
Who Is Exempt from the HQL
Under Public Safety § 5-117.1, several groups are exempt from needing the HQL at all:7New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-117.1
- Members or retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard
- Active or retired law enforcement officers in good standing from a federal, state, or local Maryland agency
- Licensed firearms manufacturers
- Anyone buying an antique, curio, or relic firearm as defined by federal law or ATF determinations
Who Is Exempt from the Training
Some applicants still need the license but can skip the four-hour course. This group includes honorably discharged veterans, qualified handgun instructors, anyone who already lawfully owns a regulated firearm, and people who completed an approved hunter safety course under Maryland’s Natural Resources Article.6Maryland State Police. Handgun Qualification License They still pay the application fee and submit fingerprints.
How a Purchase Actually Works
Once you have your HQL (for a handgun) or are otherwise eligible for a regulated long gun, the transaction runs through the Maryland State Police Licensing Portal. You create an account and complete your portion of the Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm, known as Form 77R. The portal generates a confirmation email with an application number and PIN.8Maryland State Police. Regulated Firearm Purchases You give both to your licensed dealer or a Maryland State Police barracks, and they finish and submit the 77R.
The dealer’s submission starts a mandatory seven-day waiting period. On the morning of the eighth day, you receive an email with your status. A clean check reads “not disapproved,” and you can go pick up the firearm.
Private Sales and Transfers
Every private transfer of a regulated firearm must go through a licensed dealer or a Maryland State Police barracks. You cannot hand a regulated firearm to another person through an informal sale. Both parties meet at the chosen location, and the transfer follows the retail process: the buyer completes the 77R, the seven-day waiting period runs, and the state must approve before the seller can release the firearm.8Maryland State Police. Regulated Firearm Purchases Rifles and shotguns that aren’t regulated still need a NICS background check through a dealer but skip the 77R.
One Regulated Firearm Per 30 Days
Maryland generally caps purchases of regulated firearms at one within any 30-day period. Public Safety § 5-129 provides narrow exceptions, including firearms that were stolen or irretrievably lost where the owner considers an immediate replacement essential and can supply a police report. Designated collectors may also qualify.9Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-129 For most buyers the practical rule is straightforward: finish one purchase, then wait 30 days.
If Your Application Is Denied
A “disapproved” result on your 77R doesn’t end things, but the clock is short. You have 30 days from the date the written notice was sent to request a hearing from the Secretary of State Police. Once the request is received, the Secretary must schedule the hearing within 15 days, held in the county where you live.10Library of Maryland Regulations. COMAR 29.03.01.21 – Regulated Firearm Application – Appeal You can bring an attorney, and the state carries the burden of proving the denial was justified. If the administrative law judge rules against you, you can appeal to the circuit court under the Administrative Procedure Act. Missing the 30-day window forfeits your right to a hearing on that application.
Transporting a Handgun
Under Criminal Law § 4-203, you may transport a handgun only for specific lawful purposes, and the firearm must be unloaded and carried in an enclosed case or enclosed holster throughout the trip. Keeping it in the trunk is the safest approach.11Maryland State Police. FAQs Approved purposes include:
- Traveling between your home and a place of business you substantially own and operate
- Going to or from a licensed dealer, repair shop, or place of legal purchase or sale
- Moving between bona fide residences
- Traveling to or from target practice, sport shooting events, hunting, or hunter safety classes
- Transporting a collection for public or private exhibition
Casual errands with a handgun in the car don’t qualify. The trip needs a direct connection to one of the listed activities, and detours can create legal exposure.
Magazine Capacity
Maryland prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, receipt, or transfer of any detachable magazine that holds more than 10 rounds.12Library of Maryland Regulations. COMAR 29.03.01.07 – Magazine Capacity Tubular magazines on .22-caliber rifles are exempt, as are law enforcement officers, active and retired in good standing. A legal firearm paired with an oversized magazine is still a separate violation.
Penalties
Illegally possessing a regulated firearm or violating the purchase and transfer rules under Public Safety § 5-144 is a misdemeanor carrying up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. Each violation is a separate offense.13Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-144
Straw purchases are treated more harshly. Under § 5-141, knowingly participating in a straw purchase of a regulated firearm for a minor or a prohibited person is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $25,000, or both, with each straw purchase counting as its own offense.14Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Public Safety 5-141