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Maryland Department of State Police

Purchase a Regulated Firearm

Key information

  • You must fill out the Maryland State Police Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm in the Licensing Portal.

  • You must possess a valid Handgun Qualification License before submitting an MSP 77R and when the handgun is transferred.

If you’re thinking about buying, transferring, or registering a firearm in Maryland, make sure you follow all the rules carefully and fully. This information is also important If you are a Regulated Firearms Dealer or a Designated Firearms Collector in Maryland.

Process changes/updates

There have been no changes to the application or the process in the last 12 months.​

Who needs to apply

If you want to buy, rent, transfer or register a regulated firearm in Maryland, whether through a dealer, a private sale, gift, or inheritance, you must fill out the Maryland State Police Application and Affidavit to Purchase a Regulated Firearm  (MSP 77R). The MSP 77R can ONLY be completed through the Licensing Portal. All information entered into your account is kept secure and confidential.

Pre-application requirements

Unless exempt, a person must possess a valid Handgun Qualification License (HQL) before submitting a MSP 77R and when the handgun is transferred.

How to apply

  1. Create or log into your existing Licensing Portal account.
  2. Click “Start 77R”.
  3. Once you complete and submit the MSP 77R, you’ll receive an email with your application number and PIN number.

Note: Both the application number and PIN number will be required by a licensed Maryland Regulated Firearms Dealer or a Maryland State Police barrack to complete and submit the MSP 77R to the Maryland State Police Licensing Division for processing.

  1. Give this information to the regulated firearms dealer or state police barrack who will:
    • Confirm your identity
    • Verify your information
    • Add firearm and payment information
    • Submit your application to the Maryland State Police Licensing Division
  2. The 7-day waiting period begins once your application is received by the Maryland State Police Licensing Division.
  3. You will receive an email with a decision by the 8th day after submission.
  4. If your application is not disapproved, you should contact the Regulated Firearms Dealer or the Secondary (private) seller to arrange for the transfer of the firearm.
  5. If your application is disapproved or placed on hold, you cannot receive the firearm and will need to contact the Firearms Registration Unit for more information.

Regulated Firearms Dealer

Application fees

Acceptable methods of payment include Visa or MasterCard. Application​ fees are non-refundable.

All application fees are collected electronically in the Licensing Portal. 

  • Dealer submitted 77R application: $10.00

  • Secondary Sale through Dealer application: $10.00 *

  • Secondary Sale through MD State Police Barrack application: $10.00

  • Voluntary Registration, Inheritance or Gift** application: no cost

*A licensed dealer may assess an additional processing fee not to exceed $20.00
** A Gift application may only be conducted between immediate family members (spouse, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent) who are residents of Maryland. Gifts to non-immediate family members are considered Secondary Sales and incur the $10.00 application fee.

Application timeline

  • Applicant: MSP 77R can be completed in the applicant’s Licensing Portal within 5-10 minutes.
  • Regulated Firearms Dealer or MSP Barrack: This portion of the MSP 77R is completed at a Regulated Firearms Dealer's establishment or at a Maryland State Police Barrack and consists of verification of applicant's identity, review of the attestation questions, verification and entering of the firearm information and submission of the payment and application. This  can be completed within 10-20 minutes.
  • Licensing Division Processing Time: Once the MSP 77R is submitted by the Regulated Firearms​ Dealer or Maryland State Police Barrack and received by the Licensing Division, the required 7-day wait begins. The Licensing Division will complete the criminal history background investigation and the applicant will be notified of the result by the morning of the 8th day after the Licensing Division received the MSP 77R.

Statutes

Maryland regulated firearm purchase laws can be found in Title 5, Subtitle 1 of the Public Safety Article. The current version of any statute can be found at LexisNexis or the Maryland General Assembly's website​.

Advisories & documents

Visit the archive section to download any prior Advisories and documents.

Questions?