A. Recordkeeping.
- (1) A dealer shall keep records of all acquisitions, receipts, sales, rentals, transfers, and other dispositions of firearms affected in connection with the dealer’s business, including a copy of all firearm applications, for a minimum of 3 years.
(2) The records shall include:
- (a) The name and address of each person from whom the dealer acquires a firearm;
- (b) The name and address of each person to whom the dealer sells, rents, transfers, or otherwise disposes of a firearm;
- (c) The make, caliber, model, type, finish, barrel length, serial number, country of origin, and date of manufacture of each firearm acquired, sold, rented, transferred, or otherwise disposed of; and
- (d) The date of each acquisition, receipt, sale, rental, transfer, or other disposition.
- (3) The records shall be maintained in alphabetical or chronological order, in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.
- (4) Records maintained under 18 U.S.C. §923(g)(1)(a) may be used to satisfy the requirements of this section, if the Secretary is granted access to those records.
- B. A dealer shall respond within 48 hours after receipt of a request from the Secretary for information contained in the records required to be kept under this regulation when the information is requested in connection with a bona fide criminal investigation. The information shall be provided in the manner required by the Secretary.
- C. When the Secretary provides written notification to a dealer, the dealer shall submit to the Secretary the information required to be kept under §A of this regulation for the time period specified by the Secretary.
- D. The Secretary may inspect the inventory and records of a dealer at any time during the normal business hours of the dealer’s business. The Secretary shall inspect the records and inventory of a dealer at least once every 2 years.
- E. The Secretary may make available to a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency any information obtained relating to the identities of persons who have unlawfully purchased or received firearms.
- F. When a dealer’s business is discontinued and succeeded by a new dealer, the records required under §A of this regulation shall reflect the business discontinuance and succession and shall be delivered to the successor dealer.
Authority: Criminal Law Article, Title 4, Subtitle 3; Public Safety Article, §5-105; Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: July 21, 1972
Chapter revised effective March 2, 1977 (4:5 Md. R. 383)
Regulations .01—.09 repealed effective April 25, 1994 (21:8 Md. R. 675)
Regulations .01—.15 adopted effective April 25, 1994 (21:8 Md. R. 675)
Chapter recodified from COMAR 12.06.03 to 29.03.01, July 1994
Regulation .01 amended and Regulations .16—.20 adopted as an emergency provision effective April 25, 1994 (21:8 Md. R. 669); adopted permanently effective September 12, 1994 (21:18 Md. R. 1513)
Regulations .01, .02, and .08 amended and Regulation .21 adopted as an emergency provision effective December 23, 1994 (22:2 Md. R. 74); adopted permanently effective June 19, 1995 (22:12 Md. R. 903)
Chapter revised effective May 5, 1997 (24:9 Md. R. 659)
Chapter revised as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2000 (27:20 Md. R. 1836); emergency status expired March 29, 2001
Chapter revised effective May 28, 2001 (28:10 Md. R. 951)
Regulation .01B amended effective July 7, 2003 (30:13 Md. R. 854)
Regulation .02B amended effective September 30, 2002 (29:19 Md. R. 1526)
Regulation .04 amended effective September 30, 2002 (29:19 Md. R. 1526)
Regulation .05C amended effective July 7, 2003 (30:13 Md. R. 854)
Regulation .32C adopted effective July 7, 2003 (30:13 Md. R. 854)
Chapter revised effective February 2, 2004 (31:2 Md. R. 86)
Regulation .03A amended effective December 17, 2007 (34:25 Md. R. 2216)
Regulations .01—.32 repealed and new Regulations .01—.58 adopted as an emergency provision effective October 1, 2013 (40:21 Md. R. 1772); adopted permanently effective December 23, 2013 (40:25 Md. R. 2071)
Regulation .45C amended December 12, 2024 (51:24 Md. R. 1082)
Regulation .58 repealed effective November 23, 2015 (42:23 Md. R. 1436)
Regulation .58 adopted effective December 12, 2024 (51:24 Md. R. 1082)