Maryland requires that licensed dealers forward information of a completed transaction involving the transfer of a “regulated firearm” (handguns and assault weapons)¹ to the Secretary of the Maryland State Police (“Secretary”) within seven days following the delivery of a regulated firearm.² The Secretary must maintain a permanent record of all such notifications.³

Private sellers of regulated firearms (those sellers that are not licensed) must also forward completed transaction information to the Secretary within seven days after a regulated firearm transfer.⁴ The Secretary shall maintain permanent records of these notifications as well.⁵ See the Maryland Universal Background Checks summary for additional information on Private Sales.

Maryland requires that dealers transacting in regulated firearms keep for at least three years copies of applications to purchase or transfer such firearms.⁶

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1. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-101(r).[↩]
2. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-123(d)(1).[↩]
3. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-123(d)(2).[↩]
4. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-124(e)(1).[↩]
5. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-124(e)(2).[↩]
6. Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-120(b), Md. Code Regs. 29.03.01.09(D).[↩]