The Maryland State Police Licensing Division made a change Monday to the current handgun- carry permits, eliminating the previous restriction that was imposed on business owners that made their carry permits "valid only while conducting business."Business owners must still establish that they are engaged in business activities that require a "good and substantial reason" for a handgun-carry permit. However, the new changes are about the "good and substantial reason" existing at all times. This means that the circumstance-based restriction of "while conducting business" has been eliminated.Those business owners who apply for the carry permit must still meet all the current requirements, undergo a background investigation, in-person interview, character reference checks and prove they are a business owner with a "good and substantial" for a carry permit. There are no changes to the vetting process.This change does not affect the employees of the business who may have a carry permit with the restriction of "valid only while conducting business." The change is only applied to the documented owners of the business who have or are granted a handgun-carry permit.

The Maryland State Police Licensing Division made a change Monday to the current handgun- carry permits, eliminating the previous restriction that was imposed on business owners that made their carry permits "valid only while conducting business."

Business owners must still establish that they are engaged in business activities that require a "good and substantial reason" for a handgun-carry permit. However, the new changes are about the "good and substantial reason" existing at all times. This means that the circumstance-based restriction of "while conducting business" has been eliminated.


Those business owners who apply for the carry permit must still meet all the current requirements, undergo a background investigation, in-person interview, character reference checks and prove they are a business owner with a "good and substantial" for a carry permit. There are no changes to the vetting process.

This change does not affect the employees of the business who may have a carry permit with the restriction of "valid only while conducting business." The change is only applied to the documented owners of the business who have or are granted a handgun-carry permit.