Resident permit · MD → CT
Is a Maryland Resident Permit Valid in Connecticut?
Connecticut says no. Your Maryland resident permit isn't recognized, permitless carry isn't available to you, and carrying regardless is a chargeable offense. Check Connecticut's own permit options, which it does issue to non-residents, if you travel there often.
Why
- Connecticut does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
Connecticut recognizes no out-of-state permit of any kind. CGS 29-35(a) requires a permit 'issued as provided in section 29-28'; out-of-state permit holders must obtain a Connecticut non-resident permit before carrying.
The permit (Maryland)
- Permit
- Maryland Wear and Carry Permit (Handgun Permit)
- Issued by
- Maryland State Police, Licensing Division
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Connecticut)
- 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 Connecticut
Connecticut's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- No duty to volunteer. The holder must carry the permit while carrying and must present it upon request of a law enforcement officer who has reasonable suspicion of a crime (CGS 29-35(b)).
- Connecticut limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Connecticut is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Connecticut recognizes.
- A permit holder may carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle. Without a permit, a pistol may only be transported under narrow exceptions and must be unloaded and not readily accessible from the passenger compartment (or in a locked container) (CGS 29-35(a)(3)-(4)).
Off-limits places in Connecticut
Connecticut bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- K-12 school grounds and school-sponsored activities (CGS 53a-217b, class D felony)
- Any premises where the owner or person in control prohibits firearms (CGS 29-28(e))
Maryland vs Connecticut: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Maryland into Connecticut changes one rule: open carry (With a permit → No).
| Rule | Maryland | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | With a permit | No |
Going the other way, a Connecticut resident permit in Maryland: not recognized.
Driving on from Connecticut
How a Maryland resident permit fares in the states bordering Connecticut:
- Massachusetts — Not recognized
- New York — Not recognized
- Rhode Island — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Connecticut honor a Maryland non-resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can a Connecticut 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 Connecticut's.
- Where does Connecticut publish its official reciprocity list?
- Connecticut 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
- CT DESPP - Connecticut State Pistol Permit — accessed 2026-08-08
- CT DESPP - Pistol Permit FAQ (non-resident application process) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Chapter 529 - Secs. 29-28 (permits) and 29-35 (carrying without permit prohibited) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Sec. 53-202w - Large capacity magazines (10-round limit) — accessed 2026-08-08
- CGS Sec. 53a-217b - Possession of a weapon on school grounds — accessed 2026-08-08
- 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