Banned Firearms in Maryland

If you're planning to buy a firearm and are unsure about if it is legal, your first point of contact should be the Maryland Regulated Firearms Dealer assisting with your purchase. These dealers are best equipped to answer questions regarding different firearm types.

In Maryland, it is generally illegal to possess, sell, transfer, or manufacture the following firearms:

• Assault weapons, including rifles and pistols
• Folding pistol grip shotguns
• Short-barreled rifles or shotguns
• Rifle with a detachable magazine that has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition
• Copycat of any banned weapon. The Maryland State Police is responsible for reaching its own conclusions with respect to whether particular firearms are copies of enumerated banned firearms.
• Semi-automatic shotgun with a revolving cylinder or folding stock
• Semi-automatic, detachable-magazine rifle with 2 of these features:
  • A folding or telescoping stock
  • A grenade or flare launcher
  • A flash suppressor

If you can’t find your firearm

If you're unsure whether your firearm is prohibited in Maryland, you can try one of the following:

• Contact your regulated firearms dealer
• Reach out to the firearm’s manufacturer for technical specs
• If you still can’t tell if your firearm is banned, you can submit a Firearm Review Request for each firearm

Note: One firearm per submission. Do not submit handguns or bolt-action rifles​ for review.  

To submit a handgun for review, please contact the Handgun Roster Board at 410-653-4247.

Firearms search

• Before purchasing a firearm, it is important to understand Maryland firearm laws and whether a weapon may be prohibited in the state. View a full list of reviewed firearms.