Md. Code Ann., Bus. Occ. & Prof. § 19-304
License application
Effective Apr 22, 2025Added by Acts 1996, c. 602, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1996. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 418, §§ 1, 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2002, c. 517, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2003, c. 21, § 6, eff. April 8, 2003; Acts 2024, c. 737, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; Acts 2024, c. 738, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 142, § 1, eff. April 22, 2025.State of Maryland
(a)
(1) An applicant for a license shall:
- (i) submit to the Secretary an application in the manner and format designated by the Secretary;
- (ii) submit the documents required under this section; and
- (iii) pay to the Secretary, in a method approved by the Secretary, the fees required under subsection (b) of this section.
- (2) If the applicant is a firm, the representative member shall complete the application and otherwise be responsible for the firm's compliance with this section.
(b)
(1) An applicant for a license shall pay to the Secretary an application fee of:
(i) 1. $200, if the applicant is an individual; or
- 2. $375, if the applicant is a firm; and
- (ii) the fees authorized under subsection (c) of this section.
(2)
- (i) As part of the application for a license, the applicant shall submit to the Secretary the fingerprints required under subsection (c) of this section.
- (ii) If the applicant is a firm, the applicant shall pay the cost of the fingerprint card record checks for each firm member.
(c)
- (1) The Department of State Police shall apply to the Central Repository for a State and national criminal history records check for each applicant.
(2) As part of the application for a criminal history records check, the Department of State Police shall submit to the Central Repository:
- (i) two complete sets of the applicant's legible fingerprints taken in a format approved by the Director of the Central Repository and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
- (ii) the fee authorized under § 10-221(b)(7) of the Criminal Procedure Article for access to Maryland criminal history records; and
- (iii) the mandatory processing fee required by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history records check.
- (3) In accordance with §§ 10-201 through 10-235 of the Criminal Procedure Article, the Central Repository shall forward to the applicant and the Department of State Police a printed statement of the applicant's criminal history record information.
(4) Information obtained from the Central Repository under this section shall be:
- (i) confidential and may not be disseminated; and
- (ii) used only for the purpose authorized by this section.
- (5) The subject of a criminal history records check under this section may contest the contents of the printed statement issued by the Central Repository as provided in § 10-223 of the Criminal Procedure Article.
(d)
(1) If the applicant is an individual, the application provided by the Secretary shall require:
- (i) the name of the applicant;
- (ii) the age of the applicant;
- (iii) the address of the applicant; and
- (iv) the current and previous employment of the applicant.
(2) If the applicant is a firm, the application provided by the Secretary shall require:
- (i) a list of all of the firm members; and
- (ii) for each firm member, the same information required regarding an individual applicant under paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(3) For all applicants, the application shall require:
- (i) the address of the applicant's proposed principal place of business and of each proposed branch office;
- (ii) any trade or fictitious name that the applicant intends to use while conducting the business of the security guard agency;
- (iii) the submission of a facsimile of any trademark that the applicant intends to use while conducting the business of the security guard agency; and
(iv) as the Secretary considers appropriate, any other information to assist in the evaluation of:
- 1. an individual applicant; or
- 2. if the applicant is a firm, any firm member.
- (e) The application provided by the Secretary shall contain a statement advising the applicant that willfully making a false statement on an application is a misdemeanor, subject to a fine or imprisonment or both, as provided under §§ 19-605 and 19-607 of this title.
(f)
- (1) If the applicant is an individual, the application shall be signed, under oath, by the individual.
- (2) If the applicant is a firm, the application shall be signed, under oath, by the representative member, as the representative member, and shall provide proof to the Secretary that the representative member is a member of the firm.
(g)
- (1) If the applicant is an individual, the application shall be accompanied by at least three names of individuals who can attest to the character of the applicant.
- (2) If the applicant is a firm, the application shall be accompanied by at least three names of individuals who can attest to the character of each firm member.
- (h) An applicant for a license who intends to employ one or more individuals as security guards shall submit with the application proof of commercial general liability insurance, as required under § 19-504 of this title.
- (i) In addition to meeting the other requirements of this section, a nonresident applicant shall submit a consent and any related document, as required by § 19-505 of this title.
Added by Acts 1996, c. 602, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1996. Amended by Acts 2002, c. 418, §§ 1, 3, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2002, c. 517, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2002; Acts 2003, c. 21, § 6, eff. April 8, 2003; Acts 2024, c. 737, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; Acts 2024, c. 738, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; Acts 2025, c. 142, § 1, eff. April 22, 2025.