Transporting Firearms in Maryland
Transporting firearms in Maryland is a common practice, but people should be aware of the law surrounding the transportation of firearms. By understanding the law, you minimize the risk of being potentially charged for something you did not know was wrong. Firearms, by nature, are dangerous instruments that should be handled with care and an experienced Maryland gun lawyer could provide you the information you need to assure that you are engaging in responsible firearm ownership.
Reasons to Carry a Firearm in Maryland
There are many legitimate reasons a person might transport a firearm. They could be taking their firearm to be worked on, or to be cleaned by a gun dealer, or getting some sort of preventive maintenance on it.
A person may be transporting firearms in Maryland to take it to a hunting store or they also could be transporting their firearm because they are going to a gun range for practice. Some people use their firearms for recreational activities like hunting or other types of shooting contests, or they could be transporting their firearm because they are moving and they are taking all of their belongings from one place to another.
Who is Prohibited From Possessing a Firearm?
The law is very clear about people who are absolutely prohibited from possessing a firearm, and if a person cannot possess a firearm then consequently they cannot transport it either. If a person is under the age of 21, they are not supposed to transport a firearm. There are also those who are referred to as prohibited persons and are not allowed to possess or transport firearms under any circumstances.
Prohibited Persons
There are a lot of different ways that a person could end up being barred from being able to possess or transport a firearm. There are prohibitions in place for people who have some sort of record related to domestic violence. People who are habitual drug users, people with alcohol-related convictions, and those with mental health issues can be disqualified.
A criminal record is another way that someone could be considered a prohibited person. In Maryland, if someone has been convicted of anything greater than two years, then they are considered a prohibited person and cannot possess or transport a firearm.
Some trouble arises when people do not realize that even though they may, under Maryland law, be able to possess a firearm, there is also the possibility that something in their past disqualifies them under federal law. It is really important that before someone purchases, possesses, or transports a firearm, that they make sure that they are allowed to possess it. If they already owned the firearms and they have some sort of interaction with the criminal justice system, then they should double check and make sure that, after their case is completed, they are still allowed to possess firearms.
Steps For Legally and Safely Transporting a Firearm
A person should be overly conservative when transporting firearms in Maryland. At a minimum, a person would want to make sure that the firearm is unloaded and that the firearm is being transported in some sort of locked case. These can all be purchased online or in any kind of hunting or outdoor activities store. The ammunition should be kept in a completely different place as well, in its own locked compartment for transport. If at all possible, a person should put the gun in their trunk. If a person doesn’t have a separate compartment in their car, then they should just make sure that it’s in its own lockbox or carrying case and that it is in the rear of the car as far away from the driver as possible.
Legally Transporting Firearms Without a Separate Compartment in the Car
When transporting firearms in Maryland, an individual should make sure that the firearm is in a locked carrying case and that they put the carrying case somewhere in the far rear of the vehicle, as far back as they can. People also need to understand that under Maryland law, there is a specific subset of laws about when a person can legally transport firearms. The first thing a person would need to do is to make sure that if they decided that they need to transport their firearm, they know when the transportation of a firearm is allowed under the statutes. It is just important to make sure that they check all of that, and there are some different rules. For example, handguns are a type of firearm but handguns have very specific rules about when a person can legally transport them.
For firearms like rifles and shotguns, it is not quite as strict, but it is never a good idea to transport any type of firearm while it is loaded. It is always important to make sure that ammunition is completely removed from a firearm and is stored in its own separate case as well.
When is the Transportation of a Firearm Considered Unlawful?
There are very limited circumstances in which a person can lawfully transport a handgun. If it is a handgun, the law is specific as to when it would be considered unlawful to transport because there are actually a very limited number of reasons for when transporting a handgun would be lawful. If a person is talking about handguns, it is important that they understand that it is unlawful to carry it unless they are taking it to very specific places. This can include having any sort of repair work done on it, taking it to and from a range, or moving addresses. If an individual wants to know more about lawfully transporting firearms in Maryland, they should consult a skillful gun lawyer that could advocate for them and ensure that their rights are protected.