Maine Concealed Carry Reciprocity Map & Gun Laws

Yes. Stun guns and Tasers are legal to purchase and possess without a permit. They may be used in defense of a person or that person's dwelling place.

[17-A Me. Rev. Stat. 41 § 1004]

No. Maine does not restrict magazine capacity for handguns.

Yes. Maine is a permitless carry state.

Maine is a shall-issue state.

No. You are not allowed to carry concealed weapons that are not handguns.

Yes. You can concealed carry in a vehicle without a permit in Maine.

Yes, with a permit in state or national parks and state or national forests. Permitless carry is not allowed. See the National Parks webpage for links to each Park in Maine.

[State Park Rule 20(b) and Title 12 Me Rev. Stat. 220, §1803(7) ]

Anyone may carry concealed in Maine WMAs. A permit is not required.

An innkeeper or campground owner may eject from a hotel, lodging house or campground, or may refuse or deny any accommodations, facilities or privileges to any person the innkeeper or campground owner reasonably believes is bringing in firearms. The individual hotel should be contacted to inquire about it's concealed carry policy. See the Handguns at Hotels page for additional information.

[Me. Stat., 30-A § 3838(3)]

No. The public has no access to Maine's concealed carry registry.

Yes. There is full state preemption of all gun laws.

[25 Me. Rev. Stat. 252-A, § 2011]

Yes. Maine allows non-resident permitting.

No. Your Maine driver’s license is not linked to your Maine permit to carry a concealed handgun, unless it is requested by the permit holder. Therefore, a law enforcement officer (LEO) will not be notified that you are a concealed carry permit holder immediately when they run your driver’s license.

Not while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs or a combination of liquor and drugs or with an excessive alcohol level (BAC of 0.08 or greater) in a licensed establishment.

[17-A Me. Rev. Stat. 43, § 1057]

As a responsibly armed American, regardless of the laws in your state, it is unwise to carry while under the influence of any substance that could impair your judgement, slow your reaction times, or impact your decision-making abilities. Any decision you make while carrying a firearm could have life-altering consequences.

You must be at least 18 years old to concealed carry in Maine.

[17A Me. Rev. Stat. 23 §554-B]

No. A permit is not required for the purchase of a firearm in Maine.

No.

No. Gun owners are not required to register their handguns in Maine.

New permits  $35

Renewals  $20

$2 for duplicates, change of address or name changes.

An applicant must:

• Be at least 18 years old;
• Not be prohibited by state law from possessing a firearm;
• Demonstrate to the issuing authority a knowledge of handgun safety;
• Be of good moral character (the issuing authority will make this determination based on past evidence recorded through government entities within the last 5 years);
• Not have been convicted in a Maine court of a violation of possession of firearms in an establishment licensed for on-premises consumption of liquor within the past 5 years;
• Not have been the subject of an investigation by any law enforcement agency regarding the alleged abuse of family or household members within the past 5 years;
• Not have been convicted in any jurisdiction within the past 5 years of 3 or more crimes punishable by a term of imprisonment of less than 1 year or of crimes classified under the laws of a state as a misdemeanor and punishable by a term of imprisonment of 2 years or less;
• Not have engaged within the past 5 years in reckless or negligent conduct that has been the subject of an investigation by a governmental entity;
• Not have been convicted in a Maine court of any drug crime within the past 5 years; and
• Meet federal law requirements.

*Consult with an attorney if you have any questions about your eligibility. If you don’t have an attorney, you can find one by contacting the State Bar of Maine.

​Link to resident application​

You must make notification of changes of address within 30 days of moving. If you wait more than 30 days, your permit becomes invalid and you must start over as a new applicant at full cost. If you currently hold a valid permit issued through the Maine State Police (MSP):

• If you move to another address in the same town, you can call the MSP and update your address over the phone; you do not need to send any money and you will not receive a new permit; if you want a new permit reflecting your new address in the same town, send in page one of the application, filled out completely, and include a check/money order for $2.00 payable to Treasurer, State of Maine.
• If you move to another town in which the MSP is still the Issuing Authority, you must fill out page one of the resident application or non-resident application completely and send it in with a check/money order for $2.00.
• If your current valid permit has been issued from an Issuing Authority other than the MSP – a police department or the town’s selectmen – and you move to a town in which the Maine State Police is the Issuing Authority, you must fill out the complete resident application packet, even the authority to release information pages at the back of the packet, and send it to the MSP with a check/money order for $2.00. Note: The MSP requires a photo, a copy of your birth certificate, a copy of your current concealed carry permit and a copy of a handgun safety certificate. Normally the handgun safety certificate must be less than 5 years old, but in this instance only, it does not have to be; it can be more than 5 years old. 

Name changes can be made using the same resident application or non-resident application form.

Moving to Maine and interested in applying for a resident permit? How soon can you apply?Maine issues resident and non-resident permits, so you can apply for your permit at any time. You may apply as a resident once you have a voter's registration card, a Maine driver's license or state ID.

Moving from Maine and have a Maine resident permit? Does that permit transfer to your new state? Is there a grace period during which your Maine permit remains valid?If a person with a Maine permit to carry concealed handguns establishes residency in another state, the permit is valid provided you follow the procedures in the above referenced Name/Address changes section.

• Carry in bars/restaurants that serve alcohol? Yes, unless posted and provided you are not under the influence.
• Carry in my vehicle without a permit/license? Yes.
• Carry in roadside rest areas? Yes.
• Carry in state/national parks, state/national forests and Wildlife Management Areas? Yes, although open carry is prohibited in state parks.
• Carry in places of worship? There is no State statute prohibiting concealed carry in places of worship. However, since places of worship are private property, they may post signs prohibiting firearms.

There is no known statute in Maine making it illegal to wear a COVID mask while carrying concealed.

Yes with a valid concealed carry permit, however it cannot be used to shoot a deer or dispatch a wounded deer.

[ME Dept of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Archery Season Provisions]

Yes. A person may not intentionally or knowingly interfere with the lawful hunting, fishing or trapping of a wild animal, wild bird or fish. A person may not intentionally or knowingly disturb or attempt to disturb a wild animal, wild bird or fish with the intent to interfere with the hunting, fishing or trapping of a wild animal, wild bird or fish.

[Me. Rev. Stat. 12, §10654]