Non-Resident permit · MD → PA
Is a Maryland Non-Resident Permit Valid in Pennsylvania?
Your permit stops at the state line. Pennsylvania recognizes no Maryland non-resident permit, and without a Pennsylvania-issued license there is no lawful way for a visitor to carry concealed.
Why
- Maryland is not on Pennsylvania's official reciprocity list.
AG rule: where Pennsylvania grants reciprocity, ONLY individuals who are both residents of the issuing state AND 21 or older may carry in Pennsylvania — non-resident permits are never recognized. Several states are recognized only for specific license classes (see overrides). Virginia became the 30th recognized state in Feb 2026. Not recognized: CA, CT, DE, DC, HI, IL, ME, MD, MA, MN, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, SC, VT, WA.
The permit (Maryland)
- Permit
- Maryland Wear and Carry Permit (Handgun Permit)
- Issued by
- Maryland State Police, Licensing Division
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Pub. Safety §5-306 contains no residency requirement; out-of-state residents apply through the same MSP Licensing Division process.
The destination (Pennsylvania)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 30 states
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Pennsylvania
Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Pennsylvania, these rules replace the ones you know from Maryland.
- No Pennsylvania statute requires a carrier to proactively inform police; carry the license and produce it on lawful demand.
- Pennsylvania sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Pennsylvania is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Pennsylvania recognizes.
- Carrying a firearm in any vehicle, loaded or unloaded, requires a valid LTCF or a recognized reciprocal license (18 Pa.C.S. § 6106).
Off-limits places in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Court facilities (18 Pa.C.S. § 913)
- Elementary and secondary school buildings, grounds and buses (18 Pa.C.S. § 912; statutory 'other lawful purpose' defense)
Maryland vs Pennsylvania: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Maryland into Pennsylvania changes 3 rules: magazine limit (10 rounds → None); out-of-state permits honored (None → 30 states); open carry (With a permit → Yes, no permit).
| Rule | Maryland | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | 30 states |
| Open carry | With a permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Pennsylvania non-resident permit in Maryland: not recognized.
Driving on from Pennsylvania
How a Maryland non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Pennsylvania:
- Delaware — Not recognized
- New Jersey — Not recognized
- New York — Not recognized
- Ohio — Recognized — and permitless carry applies
- West Virginia — Permit not recognized — but permitless carry applies
Frequently asked questions
- Does Pennsylvania honor a Maryland resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Pennsylvania non-resident permit holder carry in Maryland?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Maryland's law, not Pennsylvania's.
- Where does Pennsylvania publish its official reciprocity list?
- Pennsylvania 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
- PA Office of Attorney General — Concealed Carry Reciprocity (per-state map data) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Pennsylvania State Police — Carrying Firearms in Pennsylvania — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA OAG press release — Virginia becomes 30th reciprocity state — accessed 2026-08-08
- Chester County Sheriff — PA License to Carry Firearms Information — accessed 2026-09-27
- Centre County Sheriff — License to Carry Firearms — accessed 2026-09-27
- City of Philadelphia — Application for a Pennsylvania License to Carry Firearm — accessed 2026-09-27
- 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