Maryland Wear & Carry Permit

$225 Original / $150 Renewal

This State approved MD Wear & Carry Permit training course is taught by our Maryland State Police Qualified Handgun Instructor and satisfies the training requirements for your original or renewal permit applications.

The training you receive may also be used to satisfy the training requirements for the application of other State permits, such as Florida.

If needed, an HQL can be obtained free of charge after you receive your MD Wear & Carry Permit. This training also more than satisfies the HQL training requirements, should you wish to apply separately prior to receiving.

COURSE DETAILS

Due to the rising threat of violence many of us now face on a daily basis, many 1st time shooters are turning to guns to help ensure their safety inside and outside of their homes. Here in Maryland, we recently went from a restrictive permit system to a "shall issue" system after a Supreme Court decision to affirm that all Americans have the Constitutional right to protect themselves with a firearm outside of their homes.

We should not just want to be gun owners. We must be safe and responsible gun owners! This course is designed to take you from a new shooter, to a confident owner that can safely and legally carry a firearm for self-defense. We understand that you may be intimidated to go straight to live fire at the gun range, so an experienced instructor will guide you through all the course material using a blend of presentations and hands-on execution of covered skills.

In the safety of a classroom, you will learn how to safety check, load, unload, clear malfunctions, and operate a revolver and semi-automatic handgun using inert training aids. You will then use a SIRT (Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger) laser training pistol to begin to learn the fundamentals of grip, stance, trigger control, and the many elements that go into safe and accurate shooting. You will then progress to a .43 caliber CO2 powered training pistol (exact replica and external functions of an actual firearm), where you will apply those same fundamentals with recoil and marking projectiles on target. At this point, you will be confident in your abilities and ready to complete your live fire qualification at the range.

Quality firearm knowledge is only part of what you need to know in order to safely and legally carry a firearm for self-defense. This course will instill a thorough understanding on how to put yourself in the best positions to avoid a conflict from occurring in the first place. By placing an emphasis on situational awareness, legal use of force, and personal and home security practices, we hope that use of a firearm in self defense will never be needed through diligent efforts to avoid high risk situations. Tactics and strategies to de-escalate or escape a conflict will thoroughly be instilled to help ensure that the last resort use of a firearm will hopefully not be needed.

The course will also cover the psychological effects that you may expect to experience should you have to discharge your weapon in self defense and the steps you should take in the aftermath.

This course exceeds the minimum State content requirements for your Original (16 hours) or Renewal (8 hours) MD Wear & Carry Permit applications. The course will also walk you though the application process from start to finish, so you will be able to effortlessly walk through this new process with confidence.

Although you are encouraged to qualify with your own firearm (and ammunition) on the range for familiarity reasons, you do not have to already own a firearm to complete this course. If needed, a handgun and ammunition will be provided free of charge for use with qualification on the range.

At the completion of this course, you will have all of your questions answered and have been transformed into a safe and knowledgeable gun owner, confident in your knowledge and abilities to legally carry a firearm for self defense. Please feel free to contact with any questions or hesitations that you may have.

Lessons include:

Maryland state firearm law
Home firearm safety
Handgun mechanisms & operation
Personal and home protection plans
Firearm basics and shooting fundamentals
Legal use of force
Violent encounters and the aftermath
Suicide prevention
Conflict de-escalation
Gear and gadgets explained
and more

A USCCA Concealed Carry & Home Defense Fundamentals course textbook ($35 value) is included with your registration (excluding renewal), along with handouts for your review as needed.

What is Wear & Carry Permit Training?

Approved Wear and Carry Permit training courses are offered by Maryland State Police approved Qualified Handgun Instructors who have established an account through the Maryland State Police MyLicense/E-Gov site. Training is valid until the permit expiration. However, you must receive subsequent training within 2 years of submitting your renewal or subsequent application.

Wear and Carry Permit training is 16 hours of instruction for an original application and 8 hours of instruction for a renewal application. The approved training is offered by a Qualified Handgun Instructor and will include instruction on state firearm law, home firearm safety, handgun mechanisms and operation, and a component that requires the applicant to demonstrate gun safety and proficiency with a minimum score of 70% accuracy.

Designated security personnel (security guards, private detectives, special police, and armored car drivers/guards) must shoot a practical police course of at least 50 rounds, from no further than 25 yards and score at least 70% accuracy.

All other applicants must shoot a course of at least 25 rounds, from no further than 15 yards and score at least 70% accuracy.

Who needs to take the training?

Every original application and renewal application submitted after October 1, 2013, unless exempt.

If you are any one of the below you are exempted:

You are an active law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency of the United States, the State or any local law enforcement agency in the State.
You are a retired law enforcement officer with a law enforcement agency of the United States, the State or any local law enforcement agency in the State.
You are an active, retired, or honorably discharged member of the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard.
You are a Qualified Handgun Instructor registered with the Maryland State Police.
You have successfully completed a firearms training course given by a Qualified Handgun Instructor. (The on-line firearm safety course is no longer accepted).