Non-Resident permit · FL → MD
Is a Florida Non-Resident Permit Valid in Maryland?
No. In Maryland your Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License counts for nothing, and the state has no permitless carry for visitors. You would need a Maryland permit, which it does issue to non-residents, to carry there.
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 (Florida)
- Permit
- Florida Concealed Weapon or Firearm License
- Issued by
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (Division of Licensing)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Issued to non-Floridians - the statute requires residency in the United States plus US citizenship or permanent resident alien status, not Florida residency (s. 790.06(2)(a)); out-of-state licensees submit fingerprints with renewals.
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
Maryland's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- 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))
Florida vs Maryland: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Florida into Maryland changes 4 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → No); magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All (resident permits only) → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → With a permit).
| Rule | Florida | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All (resident permits only) | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | With a permit |
Going the other way, a Maryland non-resident permit in Florida: permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Maryland
How a Florida non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Maryland:
- Delaware — Recognized — carry with your permit
- Pennsylvania — Not recognized
- Virginia — Recognized — carry with your permit
- West Virginia — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- District of Columbia — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Maryland honor a Florida 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 Florida?
- Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Florida'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
- FDACS - Concealed Weapon License Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- FDACS - Reciprocity and Traveling with a Firearm FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.015 - Nonresidents; recognition of home-state licenses — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.01 - Permitless concealed carry — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.013 - ID requirement for unlicensed concealed carry — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.06 - License to carry; criteria; prohibited places (subsection 12) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Fla. Stat. 790.25 - Lawful possession; private conveyance — accessed 2026-08-08
- FDACS — Concealed Weapon License (Important Notice re Eubanks v. State, 18+ licensing) — accessed 2026-09-27
- FDACS — Eligibility Requirements (Important Notice re Eubanks v. State) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Fla. Stat. 790.053 — open carrying of weapons (statute text still in 2026 Florida Statutes) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Florida Attorney General — Guidance Memorandum on open carry after McDaniels v. State (Sept 15, 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27