Statutes: Maryland

In general

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

Antique firearm

(b) “Antique firearm” has the meaning stated in § 4-201 of the Criminal Law Article.

Convicted of disqualifying crime

(b-1)(1) “Convicted of a disqualifying crime” includes:

(i) a case in which a person received probation before judgment for a crime of violence; and

(ii) a case in which a person received probation before judgment in a domestically related crime as defined in § 6-233 of the Criminal Procedure Article.

(2) “Convicted of a disqualifying crime” does not include a case in which a person received a probation before judgment:

(i) for assault in the second degree, unless the crime was a domestically related crime as defined in § 6-233 of the Criminal Procedure Article; or

(ii) that was expunged under Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the Criminal Procedure Article.

Crime of violence

(c) “Crime of violence” means:

(1) abduction;

(2) arson in the first degree;

(3) assault in the first or second degree;

(4) burglary in the first, second, or third degree;

(5) carjacking and armed carjacking;

(6) escape in the first degree;

(7) kidnapping;

(8) voluntary manslaughter;

(9) maiming as previously proscribed under former Article 27, § 386 of the Code;

(10) mayhem as previously proscribed under former Article 27, § 384 of the Code;

(11) murder in the first or second degree;

(12) rape in the first or second degree;

(13) robbery;

(14) robbery with a dangerous weapon;

(15) sexual offense in the first, second, or third degree;

(16) home invasion under § 6-202(b) of the Criminal Law Article;

(17) a felony offense under Title 3, Subtitle 11 of the Criminal Law Article;

(18) an attempt to commit any of the crimes listed in items (1) through (17) of this subsection; or

(19) assault with intent to commit any of the crimes listed in items (1) through (17) of this subsection or a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year.

Dealer

(d) “Dealer” means a person who is engaged in the business of:

(1) selling, renting, or transferring firearms at wholesale or retail; or

(2) repairing firearms.

Dealer’s license

(e) “Dealer’s license” means a State regulated firearms dealer’s license.

Designated law enforcement agency

(f) “Designated law enforcement agency” means a law enforcement agency that the Secretary designates to process applications to purchase regulated firearms for secondary sales.

Disqualifying crime

(g) “Disqualifying crime” means:

(1) a crime of violence;

(2) a violation classified as a felony in the State; or

(3) a violation classified as a misdemeanor in the State that carries a statutory penalty of more than 2 years.

Firearm

(h)(1) “Firearm” means:

(i) a weapon that expels, is designed to expel, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive;

(ii) the frame or receiver of such a weapon; or

(iii) an unfinished frame or receiver, as defined in § 5-701 of this title.

(2) “Firearm” includes a starter gun.

Firearm applicant

(i) “Firearm applicant” means a person who makes a firearm application.

Firearm application

(j) “Firearm application” means an application to purchase, rent, or transfer a regulated firearm.

Fugitive from justice

(k) “Fugitive from justice” means a person who has fled to avoid prosecution or giving testimony in a criminal proceeding.

Habitual drunkard

(l) “Habitual drunkard” means a person who has been found guilty of any three crimes under § 21-902(a), (b), or (c) of the Transportation Article, one of which occurred in the past year.

Habitual user

(m) “Habitual user” means a person who has been found guilty of two controlled dangerous substance crimes, one of which occurred in the past 5 years.

Handgun

(n)(1) “Handgun” means a firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length.

(2) “Handgun” includes signal, starter, and blank pistols.

Handgun qualification license

(o) “Handgun qualification license” means a license issued by the Secretary that authorizes a person to purchase, rent, or receive a handgun.

Licensee

(p) “Licensee” means a person who holds a dealer’s license.

Qualified handgun instructor

(q) “Qualified handgun instructor” means a certified firearms instructor who:

(1) is recognized by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training commissions;

(2) has a qualified handgun instructor license issued by the Secretary; or

(3) has a certification issued by a nationally recognized firearms organization.

Regulated firearm

(r) “Regulated firearm” means:

(1) a handgun; or

(2) a firearm that is any of the following specific assault weapons or their copies, regardless of which company produced and manufactured that assault weapon:

(i) American Arms Spectre da Semiautomatic carbine;

(ii) AK-47 in all forms;

(iii) Algimec AGM-1 type semi-auto;

(iv) AR 100 type semi-auto;

(v) AR 180 type semi-auto;

(vi) Argentine L.S.R. semi-auto;

(vii) Australian Automatic Arms SAR type semi-auto;

(viii) Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 and 1927 semi-automatics;

(ix) Barrett light .50 cal. semi-auto;

(x) Beretta AR70 type semi-auto;

(xi) Bushmaster semi-auto rifle;

(xii) Calico models M-100 and M-900;

(xiii) CIS SR 88 type semi-auto;

(xiv) Claridge HI TEC C-9 carbines;

(xv) Colt AR-15, CAR-15, and all imitations except Colt AR-15 Sporter H-BAR rifle;

(xvi) Daewoo MAX 1 and MAX 2, aka AR 100, 110C, K-1, and K-2;

(xvii) Dragunov Chinese made semi-auto;

(xviii) Famas semi-auto (.223 caliber);

(xix) Feather AT-9 semi-auto;

(xx) FN LAR and FN FAL assault rifle;

(xxi) FNC semi-auto type carbine;

(xxii) F.I.E./Franchi LAW 12 and SPAS 12 assault shotgun;

(xxiii) Steyr-AUG-SA semi-auto;

(xxiv) Galil models AR and ARM semi-auto;

(xxv) Heckler and Koch HK-91 A3, HK-93 A2, HK-94 A2 and A3;

(xxvi) Holmes model 88 shotgun;

(xxvii) Avtomat Kalashnikov semiautomatic rifle in any format;

(xxviii) Manchester Arms “Commando” MK-45, MK-9;

(xxix) Mandell TAC-1 semi-auto carbine;

(xxx) Mossberg model 500 Bullpup assault shotgun;

(xxxi) Sterling Mark 6;

(xxxii) P.A.W.S. carbine;

(xxxiii) Ruger mini-14 folding stock model (.223 caliber);

(xxxiv) SIG 550/551 assault rifle (.223 caliber);

(xxxv) SKS with detachable magazine;

(xxxvi) AP-74 Commando type semi-auto;

(xxxvii) Springfield Armory BM-59, SAR-48, G3, SAR-3, M-21 sniper rifle, M1A, excluding the M1 Garand;

(xxxviii) Street sweeper assault type shotgun;

(xxxix) Striker 12 assault shotgun in all formats;

(xl) Unique F11 semi-auto type;

(xli) Daewoo USAS 12 semi-auto shotgun;

(xlii) UZI 9mm carbine or rifle;

(xliii) Valmet M-76 and M-78 semi-auto;

(xliv) Weaver Arms “Nighthawk” semi-auto carbine; or

(xlv) Wilkinson Arms 9mm semi-auto “Terry”.

Rent

(s) “Rent” means the temporary transfer for consideration of a regulated firearm that is taken from the property of the owner of the regulated firearm.

Secondary sale

(t) “Secondary sale” means a sale of a regulated firearm in which neither party to the sale:

(1) is a licensee;

(2) is licensed by the federal government as a firearms dealer;

(3) devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of earning a profit through the repeated purchase and resale of firearms; or

(4) repairs firearms as a regular course of trade or business.

Secretary

(u) “Secretary” means the Secretary of State Police or the Secretary’s designee.

Straw purchase

(v) “Straw purchase” means a sale of a regulated firearm in which a person uses another, known as the straw purchaser, to:

(1) complete the application to purchase a regulated firearm;

(2) take initial possession of the regulated firearm; and(3) subsequently transfer the regulated firearm to the person.