Maryland gun laws changed this week, bringing new rules for police officers, firearms dealers and retired law enforcement. Another major restriction will follow on January 1, 2027, Baltimore Chronicle reports.
Maryland police face new identification rules
Law enforcement officers generally must display identification on their outermost clothing while performing duties in Maryland. Officers may also have to identify themselves verbally when requested.
The rules include restrictions on face coverings. Exceptions apply in circumstances involving undercover work, health, safety and other authorized situations.
The measure reaches state and local officers. It also seeks to cover federal officers operating in Maryland.
That provision could trigger litigation. Maryland’s attorney general has warned that applying state requirements to federal officers may create constitutional issues involving federal supremacy.
The Maryland General Assembly provides the enacted legislation and legislative records.
Police agencies must provide body armor
A separate law changes equipment requirements for Maryland police departments.
Beginning October 1, agencies cannot assign officers to non-administrative duties unless they have been issued qualifying protective body armor.
The armor must meet required standards and cannot be past its expiration date.
The change creates a statewide baseline for officers whose work takes them outside administrative assignments. Maryland lawmakers approved the measure during the 2026 legislative session.
Gun dealers get a 24-hour reporting deadline
Licensed firearms dealers now face additional reporting duties after certain security incidents.
They must notify Maryland State Police within 24 hours after learning about qualifying incidents, including:
- burglaries or attempted burglaries;
- robberies involving firearms or ammunition;
- thefts involving firearms or ammunition;
- certain compromises of required security systems.
These notifications can be required in addition to reports made to local police or federal authorities.
A first violation can bring a civil penalty of up to $250. A second or later violation can result in a penalty of up to $1,000.
The new requirements are set out in Maryland Chapter 85, approved during the 2026 session.
What happens to guns collected in buyback programs
Maryland also changed the rules governing qualifying gun buyback programs.
Law enforcement must first make reasonable efforts to determine whether a surrendered firearm is connected to a crime. Officers must also check whether it was reported lost or stolen.
After those checks, firearms covered by the program must be destroyed with their component parts.
This prevents surrendered weapons from being returned to commercial circulation through qualifying buyback programs.
Retired officers receive longer handgun permits
Retired Maryland law enforcement officers who left their agencies in good standing can receive handgun permits with longer validity periods.
| Permit rule | New provision |
|---|---|
| Eligible group | Qualifying retired Maryland officers |
| Initial period | About 5 years |
| Renewal | Successive 5-year periods |
| Effective date | October 1, 2026 |
The permit expires on the final day of the holder’s birth month following 5 years from issuance. Renewal remains subject to applicable eligibility requirements.
For qualifying retirees, this replaces the shorter standard permit cycle.
What changes for Maryland gun buyers on January 1, 2027
The biggest direct change for some firearm buyers arrives next year.
Starting January 1, 2027, Maryland will prohibit the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, purchase, receipt or transfer of certain machine gun convertible pistols.
The Maryland General Assembly legislation requires Maryland State Police to establish implementing regulations and publish a list of affected pistols.
The law contains exceptions. They include certain circumstances involving people who already lawfully possess affected firearms and transfers between qualifying immediate family members.
That later deadline could become more significant for buyers than the October changes. Most rules now taking effect primarily concern police departments, firearms dealers and administrative procedures.
Earlier we wrote that Baltimore Inspector General access: Maryland court rejects City Hall’s latest emergency request