Maryland   Department of State Police

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Bulletproof Body Armor Application

Effective 1/1/2025, all Professional Licensing applications (including Security Guard, Private Detective, Security System Technician, Special Police, Railroad Police, Security Guard Agency, Security Guard Employer, Private Detective Agency, Dual Agency and Security Systems Agency) ​and application fees shall be submitted electronically in the Licensing Portal. Additional information and training videos can be found on the Security Guard page at the following link:​

Security Guard​


ATTENTION: Only a person with a prior conviction for a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime as defined in the statutes listed on the left side of the page, must apply to use, possess or purchase bulletproof body armor. Before you may use, possess or purchase bulletproof body armor, your application must be approved.


Application Process Changes/Updates​

  • January 2025 - Bulletproof body armor application process was converted to an electronic application and submission process in the Licensing Portal. Paper applications are no longer accepted.​


Who Should Apply​

Only individuals who have a prior conviction for a crime of violence or a drug trafficking crime as defined in §14–101 and §5-621 of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.​​


Prerequisites to Apply for Bulletproof Body Armor

  • COLOR PASSPORT STYLE PHOTOGRAPH - The applicant will be required to upload a color passport style photograph into the bulletproof body armor application in the Licensing Portal. A photo editor and complete instructions will be found on the photograph page of the bulletproof body armor​ application. It is not necessary to purchase passport style photographs for this process. ​​​


​How to Apply

The Maryland State Police application for bulletproof body armor can ONLY be completed through the Licensing Portal. Applicants for bulletproof body armor​​​ will be required to submit the above prerequisites and required documentation. 

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Application Process

​The bulletproof body armor applicant will access the Licensing Portal and begin the bulletproof body armor application. Applicants who do not have a Licensing Portal account will be required to create one in order to access the bulletproof body armor application. Creating an account assists us with verifying your identity and ensures the safety of your personal demographics. You will be required to have a personal email account. Licensing Portal accounts are personal and shall not be shared. Once you have created your account, you will be able to login and start your bulletproof body armor application. The applicant shall complete each section of the bulletproof body armor application and upload all required documentation. All questions must be answered accurately, completely and honestly. 

Applicants who are requesting bulletproof body armor for employment purposes should include a letter from their employer, on the employer's letterhead, explaining in detail why bulletproof body armor is needed as part of your employment duties.​ 

Applicants who are requesting bulletproof body armor for personal use should include documentation of recent threats and or assaults supported by police reports or signed statements. 

Upon completing all application requirements, the applicant will submit the application to the Licensing Division. The Licensing Division will review the application. Should an application not meet the minimum requirements for submission, the application will be sent back to the applicant for corrections. After the corrections have been made, the application can be resubmitted. The  application will be submitted and an investigation of the applicant to determine whether the applicant possesses the qualifications for a permit as required by Criminal Law Article, §4-107, Annotated Code of Maryland will be conducted. Once the background investigation is complete, the Licensing Division will render a final disposition on the application. The applicant will receive an email notification with the final​ disposition on the application. If the application is “Approved,” the applicant will be sent the approval letter and the bulletproof body armor permit card, via US Mail, to the address on file within 14 days. An applicant who is denied a bulletproof body armor permit may request within 10-days after the receipt of the final disposition an informal review of the final disposition and/or an appeal of the final disposition to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Detailed instructions for these processes will be provided in the final disposition notification. The applicant for a bulletproof body armor permit may log into their Licensing Portal to view the current status of their application at any time. 


Please allow 90 days for completion of the application process.


​​When Should I Renew

The bullet proof body armor permit expires on the last day of the permit holder’s birth month following five (5) years after the date the permit is issued. The permit may be renewed for an additional 5-year term if the applicant:

  • submits the renewal application within 90 days prior to the expiration of the permit; and
  • ​at the time of application, possesses the qualifications for the issuance of a permit.​

It is the bullet proof body armor permit holder’s responsibility to update their Licensing Portal account with any email or address changes. Alternatively, you may notify the Licensing Division in writing, within 30 days of any change. You may send your updated information to: [email protected]​. Renewal reminders and other important notifications will be sent to the email or physical address associated with the bullet proof body armor permit​ holder's Licensing Portal account.


Renewal Application Process

The Security Guard Certification renewal application process closely mirrors the original application process. The applicant will log into their Licensing Portal account and begin the Application for Security Guard Certification. The applicant should select RENEWAL as the type of application. The Licensing Portal ​The system will recognize that the applicant has a current Security Guard Certification and adjust the application accordingly. 

Upon completing and submitting the renewal application, the Licensing Division will review the application for completion and accept all complete applications. Applications that are incomplete or missing required information and/or documentation will be sent back to the applicant for corrections. Corrected applications can be resubmitted for acceptance by the Licensing Division. Accepted applications will have a criminal history background check completed and a final disposition assigned as outlined above in the APPLICATION PROCESS section.  

Please allow 90 days for completion of the renewal application process.

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Application Fees

There are no fees associated with an original, renewal or duplicate bullet proof body armor application. 


How Long is the Application Process

​APPLICANT - The bullet proof body armor​​​ application can be completed in the Licensing Portal within 45 minutes - ​1 hour.

PROCESSING TIME - Once the Licensing Division electronically receives and accepts the completed bullet proof body armor application and the required application fee, the applicant will be notified of the final disposition within 90 days.

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS ​- Applications received by the Licensing Division will typically be reviewed for completeness​ within 5-10 business days. Applicants who submitted incomplete applications will be notified of the status of their application via email within 5 business days of the review. 


ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS MAY BE EMAILED TO THE LICENSING DIVISION PROFESSIONAL LICENSING UNIT



Statutes

The statutes pertaining to bullet proof body armor​ can be found in §4–106 and §4–107​​​​​ of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. Current versions of any statute can be found at LexisNexis or on the Maryland General Assembly's website.​​​​

Type
  
Doc Title
  
Description
File Size
  
collapse Bullet Proof Body Armor : Statutes ‎(3)
ComarTitle29.pdfComar Title 29
221 KB
CriminalLawArticle4-106.pdfCriminal Law Article 4-106
34 KB
CriminalLawArticle4-107.pdfCriminal Law Article 4-107
38 KB