Maryland Private Security and Private Investigation Licensing Guide

Maryland maintains a centralized, statewide licensing regime for private security and private investigation services administered by the Maryland State Police under the Public Safety Article, Title 19.

Security guard agencies must be licensed, and individual security guard employees must be certified. Certification is issued at the state level.

Private detective agencies must be licensed, and individual private detectives must be licensed under a separate subtitle within Title 19.

The regulatory frameworks for private security and private investigation are administered by the same agency but are governed under separate statutory subtitles.

Maryland also issues a Wear and Carry Permit under Public Safety § 5-306. This permit is issued under a separate statutory framework and is not itself a private security or private investigation license.

Regulation of private security and private investigation services is centralized at the state level.

Maryland requires state-level licensure for security guard agencies and private detective agencies, and state-level certification or licensure for individual security guards and private detectives.

Security guard certification and private detective licensure are governed under separate subtitles within the Public Safety Article.

The Wear and Carry Permit is issued under a separate statutory framework and does not substitute for required security or private detective licensing.