2023 Maryland Statutes › Public Safety › Title 5 - Firearms › Subtitle 1 - Regulated Firearms › Section 5-101 - Definitions

(a)    In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)    “Antique firearm” has the meaning stated in § 4–201 of the Criminal Law Article.
(b–1)    (1)    “Convicted of a disqualifying crime” includes:
(i)    a case in which a person received probation before judgment for a crime of violence; and
(ii)    a case in which a person received probation before judgment in a domestically related crime as defined in § 6–233 of the Criminal Procedure Article.
(2)    “Convicted of a disqualifying crime” does not include a case in which a person received a probation before judgment:
(i)    for assault in the second degree, unless the crime was a domestically related crime as defined in § 6–233 of the Criminal Procedure Article; or
(ii)    that was expunged under Title 10, Subtitle 1 of the Criminal Procedure Article.
(c)    “Crime of violence” means:
(1)    abduction;
(2)    arson in the first degree;
(3)    assault in the first or second degree;
(4)    burglary in the first, second, or third degree;
(5)    carjacking and armed carjacking;
(6)    escape in the first degree;
(7)    kidnapping;
(8)    voluntary manslaughter;
(9)    maiming as previously proscribed under former Article 27, § 386 of the Code;
(10)    mayhem as previously proscribed under former Article 27, § 384 of the Code;
(11)    murder in the first or second degree;
(12)    rape in the first or second degree;
(13)    robbery;
(14)    robbery with a dangerous weapon;
(15)    sexual offense in the first, second, or third degree;
(16)    home invasion under § 6–202(b) of the Criminal Law Article;
(17)    a felony offense under Title 3, Subtitle 11 of the Criminal Law Article;
(18)    an attempt to commit any of the crimes listed in items (1) through (17) of this subsection; or
(19)    assault with intent to commit any of the crimes listed in items (1) through (17) of this subsection or a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than 1 year.
(d)    “Dealer” means a person who is engaged in the business of:
(1)    selling, renting, or transferring firearms at wholesale or retail; or
(2)    repairing firearms.
(e)    “Dealer’s license” means a State regulated firearms dealer’s license.
(f)    “Designated law enforcement agency” means a law enforcement agency that the Secretary designates to process applications to purchase regulated firearms for secondary sales.
(g)    “Disqualifying crime” means:
(1)    a crime of violence;
(2)    a violation classified as a felony in the State; or
(3)    a violation classified as a misdemeanor in the State that carries a statutory penalty of more than 2 years.
(h)    (1)    “Firearm” means:
(i)    a weapon that expels, is designed to expel, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive;
(ii)    the frame or receiver of such a weapon; or
(iii)    an unfinished frame or receiver, as defined in § 5–701 of this title.
(2)    “Firearm” includes a starter gun.
(i)    “Firearm applicant” means a person who makes a firearm application.
(j)    “Firearm application” means an application to purchase, rent, or transfer a regulated firearm.
(k)    “Fugitive from justice” means a person who has fled to avoid prosecution or giving testimony in a criminal proceeding.
(l)    “Habitual drunkard” means a person who has been found guilty of any three crimes under § 21–902(a), (b), or (c) of the Transportation Article, one of which occurred in the past year.
(m)    “Habitual user” means a person who has been found guilty of two controlled dangerous substance crimes, one of which occurred in the past 5 years.
(n)    (1)    “Handgun” means a firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length.
(2)    “Handgun” includes signal, starter, and blank pistols.
(o)    “Handgun qualification license” means a license issued by the Secretary that authorizes a person to purchase, rent, or receive a handgun.
(p)    “Licensee” means a person who holds a dealer’s license.
(q)    “Qualified handgun instructor” means a certified firearms instructor who:
(1)    is recognized by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training commissions;
(2)    has a qualified handgun instructor license issued by the Secretary; or
(3)    has a certification issued by a nationally recognized firearms organization.
(r)    “Regulated firearm” means:
(1)    a handgun; or
(2)    a firearm that is any of the following specific assault weapons or their copies, regardless of which company produced and manufactured that assault weapon:
(i)    American Arms Spectre da Semiautomatic carbine;
(ii)    AK–47 in all forms;
(iii)    Algimec AGM–1 type semi–auto;
(iv)    AR 100 type semi–auto;
(v)    AR 180 type semi–auto;
(vi)    Argentine L.S.R. semi–auto;
(vii)    Australian Automatic Arms SAR type semi–auto;
(viii)    Auto–Ordnance Thompson M1 and 1927 semi–automatics;
(ix)    Barrett light .50 cal. semi–auto;
(x)    Beretta AR70 type semi–auto;
(xi)    Bushmaster semi–auto rifle;
(xii)    Calico models M–100 and M–900;
(xiii)    CIS SR 88 type semi–auto;
(xiv)    Claridge HI TEC C–9 carbines;
(xv)    Colt AR–15, CAR–15, and all imitations except Colt AR–15 Sporter H–BAR rifle;
(xvi)    Daewoo MAX 1 and MAX 2, aka AR 100, 110C, K–1, and K–2;
(xvii)    Dragunov Chinese made semi–auto;
(xviii)    Famas semi–auto (.223 caliber);
(xix)    Feather AT–9 semi–auto;
(xx)    FN LAR and FN FAL assault rifle;
(xxi)    FNC semi–auto type carbine;
(xxii)    F.I.E./Franchi LAW 12 and SPAS 12 assault shotgun;
(xxiii)    Steyr–AUG–SA semi–auto;
(xxiv)    Galil models AR and ARM semi–auto;
(xxv)    Heckler and Koch HK–91 A3, HK–93 A2, HK–94 A2 and A3;
(xxvi)    Holmes model 88 shotgun;
(xxvii)    Avtomat Kalashnikov semiautomatic rifle in any format;
(xxviii)    Manchester Arms “Commando” MK–45, MK–9;
(xxix)    Mandell TAC–1 semi–auto carbine;
(xxx)    Mossberg model 500 Bullpup assault shotgun;
(xxxi)    Sterling Mark 6;
(xxxii)    P.A.W.S. carbine;
(xxxiii)    Ruger mini–14 folding stock model (.223 caliber);
(xxxiv)    SIG 550/551 assault rifle (.223 caliber);
(xxxv)    SKS with detachable magazine;
(xxxvi)    AP–74 Commando type semi–auto;
(xxxvii)    Springfield Armory BM–59, SAR–48, G3, SAR–3, M–21 sniper rifle, M1A, excluding the M1 Garand;
(xxxviii)    Street sweeper assault type shotgun;
(xxxix)    Striker 12 assault shotgun in all formats;
(xl)    Unique F11 semi–auto type;
(xli)    Daewoo USAS 12 semi–auto shotgun;
(xlii)    UZI 9mm carbine or rifle;
(xliii)    Valmet M–76 and M–78 semi–auto;
(xliv)    Weaver Arms “Nighthawk” semi–auto carbine; or
(xlv)    Wilkinson Arms 9mm semi–auto “Terry”.
(s)    “Rent” means the temporary transfer for consideration of a regulated firearm that is taken from the property of the owner of the regulated firearm.
(t)    “Secondary sale” means a sale of a regulated firearm in which neither party to the sale:
(1)    is a licensee;
(2)    is licensed by the federal government as a firearms dealer;
(3)    devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of earning a profit through the repeated purchase and resale of firearms; or
(4)    repairs firearms as a regular course of trade or business.
(u)    “Secretary” means the Secretary of State Police or the Secretary’s designee.
(v)    “Straw purchase” means a sale of a regulated firearm in which a person uses another, known as the straw purchaser, to:
(1)    complete the application to purchase a regulated firearm;
(2)    take initial possession of the regulated firearm; and
(3)    subsequently transfer the regulated firearm to the person.