Minimum Age To Purchase & Possess Laws in Maryland

Last updated December 31, 2023 .

Maryland generally prohibits any person under age 21 from possessing any “regulated firearm” (handgun or assault weapon).¹ Maryland also prohibits any person from transferring a regulated firearm to a transferee who the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under 21 years of age.²

Maryland also prohibits any person from selling, renting or transferring ammunition for a regulated firearm to a person under age 21, or any ammunition to a person under age 18.³ Maryland also prohibits the sale or transfer of a rifle or shotgun to a person under age 18.⁴

However, there appears to be no minimum age to possess a rifle or shotgun in the state.

See Child Access Prevention in Maryland for related information.

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Notes

Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety §§ 5-101(r), 5-133(d).
Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-134(b)(1).
Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-134(d)(1)(i), (d)(2). Though Maryland prohibits sales and transfers of regulated firearm ammunition to persons under 21, in 2011 the state repealed its law prohibiting persons under age 21 from possessing such ammunition. See 2011 Md. H.B 519, amending Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-133(d).
Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-134(d)(1)(ii).