Buying a Gun in Maryland

Handguns and other 'regulated firearms' (handguns and listed assault weapons): a dealer or any other person may not sell, rent, loan or transfer one to a person under 21 (except a loan to a borrower allowed to possess it under §5-133(d)), and a person under 21 may not possess a regulated firearm, with exceptions such as supervised use with parental permission, marksmanship training, hunting and military duty. Rifles and shotguns: a person may not sell, rent or transfer a firearm other than a regulated firearm, or ammunition, to a minor (Maryland's general definition of minor is under 18); ammunition designed solely for a regulated firearm may not be sold to anyone under 21. These rules cover private sellers too.

Yes, for all sales. Handguns: a buyer must have a Handgun Qualification License (issued by the State Police to Maryland residents 21 or older after fingerprinting and a state/national records check, and a firearms safety course of at least 4 hours within the prior 3 years), with exceptions such as police, military and antique/curio buyers; a private seller of a handgun or other regulated firearm must complete the sale through a licensed dealer or a designated law enforcement agency with a firearm application to the State Police. Rifles and shotguns: a private (non-dealer) sale must be processed through a federally licensed dealer, who runs a NICS background check (exceptions include immediate family members and curio/relic transfers between licensed collectors).

7 days for handguns and other regulated firearms: a dealer may not sell, rent or transfer a regulated firearm until 7 days after the firearm application is executed and forwarded to the Secretary of State Police, and the same 7-day rule applies to private (secondary) sales. Maryland has no state law that sets a waiting period for rifles and shotguns that are not regulated firearms; private sales of those guns must go through a licensed dealer for a NICS background check.

Banned unless serialized. A person may not purchase, receive, sell, offer to sell or transfer an unfinished frame or receiver unless it has been imprinted with a serial number by a federally licensed manufacturer or importer, and may not sell or transfer a firearm without a serial number (felony, up to 5 years and/or $10,000). Since March 1, 2023, a person may not possess a firearm unless it has a federally required serial number or has been imprinted by a federal licensee with the owner's or maker's zip code, initials and a unique number and registered with the Secretary of State Police (misdemeanor, up to 2 years and/or $10,000). Firearms made before October 22, 1968 and antiques are exempt.