Carrying a handgun in Maine
Maine was the sixth state to go permitless, in 2015, and the rules have been steady since. If you are 21 or older and not barred from having a firearm, you may carry a loaded handgun concealed anywhere in Maine that carry is otherwise allowed, with no permit, no course and no fee. Open carry has always been legal for the same group. A permit is still worth having for several reasons, and this guide covers both paths as of September 2026.
Permitless carry
The statute lets a person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm carry it concealed without a permit. Two conditions matter. You must be 21, unless you are 18 or older and on active duty in the armed forces or the National Guard, or have been honorably discharged, in which case you may carry at 18. And if you are carrying without a permit and come into contact with a law enforcement officer during an arrest, a detention or a routine traffic stop, you must tell the officer immediately that you have a concealed handgun. Permit holders do not carry that duty in the same terms, which is one small reason people still apply.
The concealed handgun permit
Maine permits are issued locally. If your town has a police department, the chief of police is the issuing authority. If it does not, and for unorganized territory and for nonresidents, the Chief of the Maine State Police issues instead. The State Police weapons and professional licensing division handles the permits for roughly 360 Maine municipalities along with every out-of-state application, so for much of rural Maine and the whole of the North Woods the application goes to Augusta.
A permit is valid for four years from the date of issue unless it is revoked for cause. Fees are set by statute and were updated in 2026, so check the current figure on the State Police page rather than trusting an old number in a forum post.
What the application asks
- Identity and residence: the standard personal history, and for nonresidents an application through the State Police.
- Eligibility: the same disqualifications that apply under state and federal law, including certain convictions, protection orders and mental-health findings.
- Handgun safety: you must show knowledge of handgun safety, normally with proof of a certified course taken within five years. The statute also allows a demonstration to the issuing authority if it is willing to evaluate one, and exempts people with qualifying military firearms training.
Why people still get a permit
Three reasons come up again and again in Maine. The first is travel: other states recognise a Maine permit under their own reciprocity rules, and permitless carry in Maine does nothing for you once you cross into New Hampshire, Massachusetts or New Brunswick. The second is age: an 18 to 20 year old without military service needs the permit to carry concealed at all. The third is convenience at traffic stops and at certain posted locations.
One thing a Maine permit does not do is replace the federal background check at a dealer. Some states have permits that qualify as an alternative to a check; Maine's does not, and the state's waiting period exceptions do not list permit holders either. Plan for the check and the wait whether or not you hold a permit. Our Maine gun laws guide covers both.
Reciprocity
Maine recognises some out-of-state permits and its own permit is recognised in a number of other states, but those lists change whenever another legislature moves. The State Police say plainly that it is each permit holder's job to check with the state they are travelling to. Do that before every trip rather than relying on a map you saved last year, and treat neighbouring Canada as a completely separate legal system with its own import rules.
Where carry is barred
Schools and school property, courthouses, federal facilities and secure areas of airports are the usual list. Private property owners may prohibit firearms, and employers may bar them at work. Carrying a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a crime in Maine. Some municipal buildings post their own rules. State parks and public lands have separate rules on carrying and on discharging a firearm, and Baxter State Park restricts hunting to designated areas.
Carrying while hunting
A great many Maine hunters carry a sidearm in the woods, and it is legal for anyone who may carry, but the hunting rules add their own layer. Handgun hunting for deer is allowed with legal ammunition, hunter orange requirements apply during firearms season, and hunting on Sunday is prohibited statewide. See our deer and moose rifle guide for the details on legal firearms and ammunition, and our bear and bird guide for the fall seasons.
In the vehicle
An adult who may carry concealed in Maine may carry a loaded handgun in a vehicle. Loaded long guns in a vehicle are a different question and are restricted under the hunting rules, so unload the rifle before you get in. If you are heading for one of the border crossings at Houlton, Calais, Madawaska or Jackman, read our local buying guide first: Canada does not care what your Maine permit says.
When you are ready to pick a carry pistol, the catalog is live-priced, and every handgun goes to the Maine dealer you name. If you want to see the rules for your own town, start at the city index.
General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.
