The Maryland State Police is responsible for maintaining a registry and for licensing all publicly owned dogs used by the State or political subdivision for law enforcement work.
Where do I Send Applications?
Law Enforcement Canine Registration is handled entirely online. Use the link below to apply. Upon issuance, the handler ID Card and the canine ID Tag will be forwarded to the Department by U.S. Mail.
Who Should Apply?
Maryland Code, Public Safety Article, Title 2, Department of State Police, Subtitle 3, Powers and Duties of Department §2-313, provides that publicly owned dogs used for law enforcement work by the State or a local subdivision of the State shall have a license issued by the Department of State Police.
How To Apply
Using the online registration available HERE, handlers, supervisors, or commanders must register the canine and handler prior to being placed in service. Please answer all questions accurately to ensure a seamless process. Allow 14 days for processing.
How Much Does It Cost?
There is no cost to the State or a local subdivision of the State to participate in this program.
When Should I Renew?
The license issued to a publicly owned dog used for law enforcement work by the State or a local subdivision by the State Police terminate upon the death of the dog, retirement from service or transfer to another agency.
Upon reassignment of a handler and/or the assignment of the canine to a new handler the new handler/Department is required to notify the State Police.
Statutes
Below you will find links to PDFs of relevant Maryland statutes, provided for your convenience. Please note that laws change over time. The below documents were created on June 12, 2013, and are for reference purposes only. To obtain the most recent text of any legislation, please go online to LexisNexis to access the up-to-date Maryland code.
FAQs
