Non-Resident permit · CA → MD
Is a California Non-Resident Permit Valid in Maryland?
Not recognizedVerified 2026-09-27
No — this is one of the pairs where carrying is off the table. Maryland doesn't honor the permit and doesn't allow permitless carry for visitors, so there is no lawful concealed-carry path on this trip.
Why
- Maryland does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
MSP FAQ: 'Maryland does not recognize permits/CCWs from any other state.' Maryland law does not authorize reciprocity agreements with any state.
The permit (California)
- Permit
- California Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) License
- Issued by
- County sheriff or city police chief
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Since January 1, 2026, Penal Code § 26150(b) requires a county sheriff to issue a license to a non-California resident who is 21 or older, is not disqualified under California or home-state law, shows a home-state driver's license or ID, applies to the sheriff of the county where they mainly intend to travel or spend time, completes the required training and live-fire qualification for each listed firearm, and lists each firearm to be carried.
The destination (Maryland)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Maryland
Whatever your permit status, Maryland law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- No Maryland statute imposes a proactive duty to tell an officer you are carrying; the permit must be in your possession whenever you carry, wear or transport a handgun (Pub. Safety §5-308).
- Maryland limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Maryland is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Maryland recognizes.
- A Wear and Carry Permit allows carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle; without a permit, handguns may only be transported unloaded between enumerated locations under the Crim. Law §4-203 transport exceptions.
Off-limits places in Maryland
Maryland bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Public and private K-12 schools, preschools and child care centers (CR 4-102, CR 4-111(c))
- State and local government buildings and higher-education buildings (CR 4-111(d))
California vs Maryland: what changes at the state line
Crossing from California into Maryland changes one rule: open carry (Restricted → With a permit).
| Rule | California | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | None |
| Open carry | Restricted | With a permit |
Going the other way, a Maryland non-resident permit in California: not recognized.
Driving on from Maryland
How a California non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Maryland:
- Delaware — Not recognized
- Pennsylvania — Not recognized
- Virginia — Recognized — carry with your permit
- West Virginia — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
- District of Columbia — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Maryland honor a California resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Maryland non-resident permit holder carry in California?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on California's law, not Maryland's.
- Where does Maryland publish its official reciprocity list?
- Maryland publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- Maryland State Police — Wear & Carry Permit — accessed 2026-08-08
- Maryland State Police — Firearms FAQs (reciprocity statement) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Maryland State Police — Prohibited Places to Carry a Firearm (incl. Kipke v. Moore status) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Md. Public Safety §5-306 (permit qualifications, no residency or good-and-substantial-reason requirement) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Md. Criminal Law §4-305 (detachable magazines over 10 rounds) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Md. Public Safety §5-308 (permit must be carried) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Md. Criminal Law §4-203 — wearing, carrying or transporting a handgun (concealed or open) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Md. Public Safety §5-309 — permit term and renewal — accessed 2026-09-27
- California DOJ — Firearms FAQs (out-of-state permits not valid; 10-round magazine limit) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26150 (CA Legislature) — shall-issue standard, age 21, county residency/employment — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26230 (CA Legislature) — sensitive places off-limits to CCW licensees (SB 2) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 25610 (CA Legislature) — unlicensed vehicle transport (unloaded, locked container) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Penal Code § 26350 (CA Legislature) — crime of openly carrying an unloaded handgun — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26190 (CA Legislature) — license fees (DOJ + local) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26165 (CA Legislature) — 16-hour training course and live fire — accessed 2026-09-27
- Penal Code § 26220 (CA Legislature) — license term (2 years) — accessed 2026-09-27
- California Penal Code § 26150 (as amended by Stats. 2025, ch. 570, AB 1078, eff. 2026-01-01) — accessed 2026-09-27