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Maryland Concealed Carry Laws (2026)
Restricted: A Maryland Wear and Carry Permit is required to carry, wear or transport a handgun.
A Maryland Wear and Carry Permit is required to carry, wear or transport a handgun. The minimum age is 21 (active military and National Guard are excepted). Requirements include 16 hours of in-person training, Livescan fingerprints and a background check. Carrying without a permit is a crime; a first offense carries 30 days to 5 years in prison and/or a $250 to $2,500 fine, unless an exception applies.
Official source: mdsp.maryland.gov →
General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.
Concealed Carry in states bordering Maryland
The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.
- DelawareConditional
Delaware requires a CCDW (Carrying a Concealed Deadly Weapon) license to carry concealed at 21 and older. Applications go through the Superior Court, and Delaware is not constitutional carry.
Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Source: attorneygeneral.delaware.gov · Full Delaware rule →
- District of ColumbiaRestricted
The District of Columbia requires a permit to carry concealed, and the minimum age is 21. DC is very restrictive: a DC Concealed Carry Pistol License from MPD is mandatory, you must own a DC-registered pistol and complete 18 hours of training, and the District recognizes no other state's permit.
Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Source: mpdc.dc.gov · Full District of Columbia rule →
- PennsylvaniaConditional
A License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) is required to carry a firearm concealed or in a vehicle outside your home or fixed place of business. You must be 21 or older to apply. A county sheriff, or the police chief in Philadelphia, issues it for five years. There is no permitless concealed carry. Carrying without a license is a third-degree felony, or a first-degree misdemeanor if you were otherwise eligible and broke no other law.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: pa.gov · Full Pennsylvania rule →
- VirginiaConditional
A permit is required to carry a concealed handgun on your person, and you must be 21 or older. Virginia residents get a Concealed Handgun Permit from the circuit court, which must issue it within 45 days unless the applicant is disqualified. Applicants must show handgun competence in person, by a course or other listed proof. Out-of-state permits are honored for visitors for now; that is under review.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: vsp.virginia.gov · Full Virginia rule →
- West VirginiaPermitted
No permit is needed to carry a concealed handgun in West Virginia if you are 18 or older, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and not barred from having a gun. This covers visitors as well as residents. A West Virginia license is optional. Cities may restrict guns in city-owned buildings and may bar people without a license from other city-owned property.
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: ago.wv.gov · Full West Virginia rule →
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