2023 Maryland Statutes › Criminal Law › Title 4 - Weapon Crimes › Subtitle 3 - Assault Weapons and Detachable Magazines › Section 4-302 - Scope of Subtitle

This subtitle does not apply to:
(1)    if acting within the scope of official business, personnel of the United States government or a unit of that government, members of the armed forces of the United States or of the National Guard, law enforcement personnel of the State or a local unit in the State, or a railroad police officer authorized under Title 3 of the Public Safety Article or 49 U.S.C. § 28101;
(2)    a firearm modified to render it permanently inoperative;
(3)    possession, importation, manufacture, receipt for manufacture, shipment for manufacture, storage, purchases, sales, and transport to or by a licensed firearms dealer or manufacturer who is:
(i)    providing or servicing an assault weapon or detachable magazine for a law enforcement unit or for personnel exempted under item (1) of this section;
(ii)    acting to sell or transfer an assault weapon or detachable magazine to a licensed firearm dealer in another state or to an individual purchaser in another state through a licensed firearms dealer; or
(iii)    acting to return to a customer in another state an assault weapon transferred to the licensed firearms dealer or manufacturer under the terms of a warranty or for repair;
(4)    organizations that are required or authorized by federal law governing their specific business or activity to maintain assault weapons and applicable ammunition and detachable magazines;
(5)    the receipt of an assault weapon or detachable magazine by inheritance, and possession of the inherited assault weapon or detachable magazine, if the decedent lawfully possessed the assault weapon or detachable magazine and the person inheriting the assault weapon or detachable magazine is not otherwise disqualified from possessing a regulated firearm;
(6)    the receipt of an assault weapon or detachable magazine by a personal representative of an estate for purposes of exercising the powers and duties of a personal representative of an estate;
(7)    possession by a person who is retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency of the State or a local unit in the State and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving an assault weapon or detachable magazine if:
(i)    the assault weapon or detachable magazine is sold or transferred to the person by the law enforcement agency on retirement; or
(ii)    the assault weapon or detachable magazine was purchased or obtained by the person for official use with the law enforcement agency before retirement;
(8)    possession or transport by an employee of an armored car company if the individual is acting within the scope of employment and has a permit issued under Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Public Safety Article; or
(9)    possession, receipt, and testing by, or shipping to or from:
(i)    an ISO 17025 accredited, National Institute of Justice–approved ballistics testing laboratory; or
(ii)    a facility or entity that manufactures or provides research and development testing, analysis, or engineering for personal protective equipment or vehicle protection systems.