Licensing Division

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The Licensing Division is responsible for administering the law and conducting investigations concerning the Commissioning of Special Police and Railroad Police Officers, the licensing of Private Detectives, Private Detective Agencies, Security Guards and Security Guard Agencies, the licensing of Security Systems Technicians and Security Systems Agencies, the registration of Maryland Law Enforcement canine dogs, the registering of evesdropping, wiretapping and electronic listening devices, issuance of Outdoor Musical Festival Safety Permits and Vessel Gaming Permits, issuance of State of Maryland Handgun Permits and Law Enforcement Officer Safety Act certifications, and the designation of State of Maryland Qualified Handgun Instructors. In addition, the Licensing Division administers the law and conducts investigations concerning the sale, transfer of regulated firearms and machine guns, the licensing and regulation of Maryland Regulated Firearms Dealers, and the certification of regulated firearm collectors.

Maryland Department of State Police
Licensing Division
1111 Reisterstown Road
Baltimore MD 21208
A new  General Licensing Application has been produced and is available at the bottom of this page. 

THIS APPLICATION IS NOT USED FOR A HANDGUN PURCHASE.  

It is important to note that the application must be electronically completed and contains detailed information. Completed applications should be mailed to the above address.


HOW TO CONTACT LICENSING DIVISION:
Each section in the Licensing Division is available for inquires through e-mail.

Security Guard Section:   msp.securityguard@maryland.gov
K-9 Registration:      msp.securityguard@maryland.gov
Outdoor Music Festival Permits:    msp.securityguard@maryland.gov
Handgun Permit Section:    msp.handgunpermits@maryland.gov
LEOSA:      msp.handgunpermits@maryland.gov
Private Detective:       msp.securitysystems@maryland.gov
Special Police, Railroad Police:     msp.securitysystems@maryland.gov
Security Systems Unit:      msp.securitysystems@maryland.gov
Firearms Registration (Firearm Purchases):    msp.firearmsregistration@maryland.gov

Although, the Licensing Division encourages communication through e-mails, personnel can be contacted at 410-653-4500, M-F from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm., excluding published Holidays and Service Reduction Days.

FIREARMS REGISTRATION SECTION:  STATUS UPDATE, 5/17/13:

The Maryland State Police Licensing Division is dedicated to keeping our Regulated Firearms Dealers better informed regarding the progress being made with respect to the processing of the 52,115 Maryland State Police Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm forms.  It is our hope that this weekly email helps dealers respond to its customers and offers them the ability to better coordinate its plans of operation. 

It is our hope that this weekly correspondence will reduce the number of phone calls, emails and other correspondence being addressed by our employees who are fully dedicated to processing the enormous backlog of applications.

The Maryland State Police Licensing Division continues to thank each of our dealers in advance for their continued support, patience and understanding.  We continue to dedicate our resources every day and are committed to processing each application with care, quality and diligence. The Firearms Registration Section is currently processing applications received on March 15, 2013 for initial reviews while secondary reviews are working on applications received on March 01, 2013.

In keeping with our commitment to public safety, a new NICS check will be conducted for those applications having a NICS expiration date due to expire within 5 days of being stamped "Not Disapproved".     

In an effort to provide guidance regarding the Firearms Safety Act of 2013, scheduled to become effective October 1, 2013, the Maryland State Police Licensing Division is currently working with State partners such as the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention, Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, Maryland Sheriffs’ Association, and the Maryland Attorney General to plan and provide training seminars which will be offered regionally beginning in September. More information regarding training times, dates, and locations will be published once the information is confirmed.



 

Fingerprinting

FINGERPRINT CARDS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AFTER MARCH 19, 2012.

For further information please Click Here. Learn more by clicking here for New Fingerprint Rules
Out of State Handgun Permit applicants must also submit electronic fingerprints.

Applications for State of Maryland Handgun Permits, Security Guards and Security Guard Agencies, Private Detectives and Private Detective Agencies, Security Systems Technicians and Security Systems Agencies, Special Police and Railroad Police Commissions, Regulated Firearms Dealers and Machine Gun purchase and possession must be accompanied by the applicant's fingerprints.

Applications submitted by applicants who participate in the Electronic Fingerprint Capture Process MUST have the receipt provided by the approved fingerprint processing center attached to the upper front left corner of the application when forwarded to the Maryland State Police Licensing Division. Applications that are received without the receipt may not be processed in a timely manner and may be returned to the applicant unprocessed. Authorization codes for the various requests are available at the approved fingerprint processing sites.

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINT PARTICIPANTS: AFTER HAVING YOUR FINGERPRINTS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY YOU MUST FORWARD THE ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINT PROCESSING CENTER RECEIPT AND COMPLETED APPLICATION WITHOUT DELAY. IF YOU FAIL TO SUBMIT THE RECEIPT AND APPLICATION IN 72 HOURS, THE APPLICATION MAY BE RETURNED AS LIVE ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINT SUBMISSION RESULTS ARE NOT MAINTAINED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. DO NOT DELAY! 


FEES PAID TO THE LICENSING DIVISION ARE NON REFUNDABLE. FEES PAID TO THE APPROVED ELECTRONIC FINGERPRINT PROCESSING CENTER DO NOT INCLUDE THOSE FEES OWED TO THE LICENSING DIVISION FOR THE PROCESSING OF THE ACTUAL APPLICATION. PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE CALCULATED YOUR FEES CORRECTLY.
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Fee Schedule

The Maryland Department of State Police, in certain circumstances, is directed by statute to require fees for the processing of applications. In addition, fees are required for state and federal processing of fingerprint submissions. More information pertaining to the fees for specific applications, permits and licenses is available below. The Maryland State Police will not accept cash. Please make checks and money orders out to the Maryland State Police. ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

FEES PAID TO THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE REMAIN THE SAME. HOWEVER, FINGERPRINT FEES CHANGE MARCH 19, 2012. PLEASE SEE THE FEE SCHEDULE AFTER MARCH 19, 2012, TO ENSURE SUBMISSION OF CORRECT FEES.



For the fee schedule please Click here

FAQ

    For an extensive list of frequently asked questions (FAQ's) and other information, click here or you if you have questions related to the required firearms safety course visit www.mdgunsafety.com.

Law Links

The complete Maryland Code can be accessed by clicking here. This valuable resource allows interested parties to view the applicable laws pertaining to licenses, certifications and commissions sought. All applicants should familiarize themselves with the statutes associated with the product sought.

Licensing Division Documents

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