Maryland gun laws are considered some of the most prohibitive in the nation, and these laws extend to right-to-carry reciprocity and recognition laws. Reciprocity laws represent the agreement between two states to honor concealed carry permits and recognition refers to the actual honoring of said permit.
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According to the
NRA Institute for Legislative Action, there are four types of reciprocity recognition:
- Outright recognition, which recognizes all valid carry permits issued by any state.
- True reciprocity, which recognizes carry permits only from states that reciprocate.
- Conditional reciprocity, which is when permits from other states are recognized if certain conditions are met.
- No recognition/reciprocity, which is when permits issued by any other state are not recognized.
While many states extend recognition to Maryland gun owners, Maryland does not reciprocate with any other state. In other words, Maryland gun laws do not provide for the recognition of concealed carry permits issued in any other state in the nation. Thus, visitors to Maryland may not legally carry their firearm.
According to
USA Carry, states that extend recognition to gun owners with concealed carry permits issued in Maryland include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Maryland’s strict gun law policy on reciprocity and recognition is shared by other states that also do not recognize carry permits issued by any other state. These states are
California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, and Rhode Island. In addition, concealed carry permit recognition is not extended by New York City, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Although some states extend reciprocity and recognition to all other states, many states will only do so when other states meet certain requirements such as licensing, safety, and training specifications. In addition, gun owners need to be aware that even in states with outright recognition, additional state laws may restrict carry in certain public places such as state government facilities, on mass transit, in recreation areas, on campuses, and in hospitals and churches. Certain states may also allow businesses to establish “gun free zones” which also affect concealed carry laws.
This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws of your state and destination before travel.
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