Crossing Maryland

[SSCUSTER]

My wife's sisters live in Virginia where my PA CCW is honored. I wanted to find out how I can legally take my toys across Maryland to Virginia when we go visiting, so I wrote the MD Attorney General. I thought some of you would be interested in the response:

Dear Mr Custer:

Under Maryland law it is generally illegal to wear, carry or transport a pistol on your person or in a motor vehicle. Exceptions do exist for wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun in connection with a target shoot, formal or informal target practice, sport shooting event, hunting and similar functions. Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Law Article, Section 4-203(b).

An individual may also wear, carry or transport a handgun if they possess a handgun permit issued by the Maryland State Police. Maryland does not give legal recognition to handgun permits issued by other states.

However, federal law does permit the interstate transportation of a firearm, regardless of state law, under certain circumstances. 18 USC 926A provides that:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving an firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console."

This provision supersedes any state law or local ordinance. Accordingly, it would be permissible for a non-resident to transport a firearm through Maryland while traveling to another state provided that the weapon is unloaded and not readily accessible.

Mark H. Bowen
Assistant Attorney General
Maryland State Police

[Calvin]

just so you know that is standard for Maryland, heaven forbid you protect yourself there. Thats what the state police are for.

X-marylander
thats why I moved to PA

[Johannes_Paulsen]

Well, at least you won't be arrested for just having it secured in your trunk....

Drive quickly!

[Lambo]

I live in Maryland not far from the Mason-Dixon. As a member of a Pa. Gun Club in Lancaster County I cross State Lines regularaly. When I Transport any Firearm it is unloaded & cased with ammo separate. That is the Law here! Now, here is something one should know coming into Cuba on the Chesapeake........ Handguns, even though one is in compliance to the above if you should stop at any point for any reason you are in violation of a Law & can be arrested! In other words it's from point A to B on the Express. Better make sure when transporting Handguns you gas-up & shake the dew off your lilly before entering the so-called Free state!

[TwistedCopper]

X-marylander
thats why I moved to PA

Not the sole reason, but one of the many for me too.

Another thing to take note of if you are in Maryland:

They are a "must inform" state. This means if you have a firearm and you are pulled over for any reason, you must legally inform the law enforcement officer that there is a gun in the vehicle.

So... if for some reason you got pulled over, and they ended up searching your vehicle (not too uncommon in MD for them to search an out of state vehicle without true probable cause) and they find you are legally carrying a pistol in your trunk, and you didn't first inform them then you are in violation of MD state law

Nice, huh?

Good grief I don't miss that socialist State.

[Lougotzz]

Are you sure that it is for legal transport or carry. Please post a statute. I drive through Maryland to go to FL once a year and I try to stay in stealth mode.

[Nate]

Not the sole reason, but one of the many for me too.

Another thing to take note of if you are in Maryland:

They are a "must inform" state. This means if you have a firearm and you are pulled over for any reason, you must legally inform the law enforcement officer that there is a gun in the vehicle.

So... if for some reason you got pulled over, and they ended up searching your vehicle (not too uncommon in MD for them to search an out of state vehicle without true probable cause) and they find you are legally carrying a pistol in your trunk, and you didn't first inform them then you are in violation of MD state law

Nice, huh?

Good grief I don't miss that socialist State.

Thats just dumb!

[TwistedCopper]

Are you sure that it is for legal transport or carry. Please post a statute. I drive through Maryland to go to FL once a year and I try to stay in stealth mode.

Didn't he do that here?:

federal law does permit the interstate transportation of a firearm, regardless of state law, under certain circumstances. 18 USC 926A provides that:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving an firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where such person may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console."

This provision supersedes any state law or local ordinance. Accordingly, it would be permissible for a non-resident to transport a firearm through Maryland while traveling to another state provided that the weapon is unloaded and not readily accessible.

Mark H. Bowen
Assistant Attorney General
Maryland State Police[/INDENT]

[PocketProtector]

Wow

"shall not be infringed"

Unbelievable

[Nate]

Wow

"shall not be infringed"

Unbelievable

I know... it's anti-Amer*can