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, Security Systems Agency and Bullet Proof Body Armor) and application fees shall be submitted electronically in the Licensing Portal. Additional information, issued Advisories, training videos and a registration link for virtual training can be found on the Security Guard page at the following link: Security Guard
For additional information you may contact the Professional Licensing Unit at msp.professionallicensing@maryland.gov.
All applicants are REQUIRED to sign and date the FBI PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT
PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THEIR FINGERPRINTS
The Maryland Railroad Police Act defines a railroad company as a railway company or corporation engaged as a common carrier in the furnishing or sale of transportation subject to Subtitle IV of Title 49 of the United States Code. A railroad police officer is an individual appointed by the Governor to act as the police officer for a railroad company. As such, there are no renewal processes related.
Who Should Apply?
The Maryland Railroad Police Act states that each railroad company located wholly or partly in the State may apply for the appointment of railroad police officers:
- to protect property, patrons, passengers, tenants, employees, equipment, and services; and
- to preserve peace and order on railroad premises, easements, appurtenant property, trains, cars, and other vehicles.
To qualify for appointment to act as a railroad police officer under this subtitle, an applicant shall be an individual who:
- shall be of good moral character;
- may not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;
- shall be at least 21 years old;
- be a full-time police officer employed by a railroad company on July 1, 1979; or
- meet all the educational and training requirements required by the Police Training Commission.
How To Apply
The Maryland State Police application for Railroad Police Officer can ONLY be completed through the Licensing Portal.
Please answer all questions accurately, completely and honestly. Once completed, the application will be submitted electronically in the Licensing Portal.
Allow 90 days for the completion of the application process.
All original applications require FBI and CJIS fingerprint submissions. Additionally, applicants must upload a color passport style photograph of the applicant in the Licensing Portal. The photographs must be taken within the last 30 days.
Application Fees
Application fees will be collected electronically in the Licensing Portal.
Acceptable forms of payment include Visa and MasterCard.
The fee for an initial application is $160, as established in COMAR 29.04.03.01. (Note: as of 9/4/2013, the COMAR website is outdated and the address listed there is not correct; please reference the more up-to-date address information found on this site instead.)
Application fees are non-refundable.
When Should I Renew?
There is no renewal associated with this appointment. An appointment issued under this subtitle remains in effect until:
- terminated by the railroad company that employs the railroad police officer; or
- revoked for cause by the Governor.
Employment of a railroad police officer ends on the retirement, resignation, or termination of the railroad police officer; the powers granted to a railroad police officer under this subtitle end when the employment of the railroad police officer ends; and within 10 days after the employment of a railroad police officer ends, the railroad company that employed the railroad police officer shall file notice with the Governor that the employment has ended.
Frequently Asked Questions
