Maryland Foster Care Firearm Storage Requirements

Owning firearms does not disqualify you from fostering in Maryland, but failing to store them correctly during the home inspection will stop your application in its tracks. The standard is specific, and "it was locked up" is not enough on its own.

The Two-Lock Rule

COMAR 07.02.25 requires that firearms in a licensed resource home meet two separate conditions:

1. All firearms must be stored unloaded.
2. Firearms and ammunition must be stored in separate locked locations.

That second requirement is the one that catches applicants off guard. A single locked gun safe that holds both the firearm and its ammunition does not meet the standard. The weapon goes in one locked container; the ammunition goes in a different locked container. Both containers must be inaccessible to children in the home.

This is not a suggestion or a best practice — it is the written regulation under COMAR 07.02.25 and is verified during the home safety inspection that occurs as part of the home study process.

What "Locked" Means in Practice

The licensing worker conducting your home visit will ask to see how firearms are stored. A locked gun safe, a locked storage box, or another secure container with a key or combination lock all satisfy the requirement. A trigger lock alone on a weapon stored in an unlocked closet does not.

For ammunition, a separate locked container can be as simple as a sturdy lockbox with a key. The physical separation is what matters: the two items should not be accessible together, because that separation is what prevents a child from encountering a loaded firearm.

Acceptable solutions used by Maryland resource families include:

• A biometric gun safe for the firearm, with a separate keyed ammunition lockbox stored in a different location
• Two gun safes in different rooms
• A locked gun cabinet for rifles or shotguns, combined with a lockbox for ammunition in a separate room

The Home Inspection

During the COMAR 07.02.25 home safety assessment, the licensing worker will conduct a walk-through of the residence. Firearms storage is on the standard inspection checklist alongside smoke detectors, CO detectors, pool fencing, and medication storage. If the inspector finds firearms that are not stored in compliance — whether loaded, accessible to children, or stored with ammunition — the home will fail that portion of the inspection and you will need to correct the issue before a follow-up visit can be scheduled.

Delays caused by a failed home inspection are common. In smaller Maryland counties where LDSS offices are not large, re-scheduling a follow-up visit can add weeks to your timeline.

If You Own Multiple Firearms

Maryland does not limit the number of firearms a resource family may own. What matters is that every firearm, regardless of type — handguns, rifles, shotguns, or other firearms — is stored in compliance. One unsecured weapon in a bedroom closet can fail an entire home inspection even if all other weapons are stored correctly.

Walk through your home before the inspection and treat it as an audit. Open every drawer, cabinet, and storage area where a firearm or ammunition might be. Include firearms that are rarely used or that you consider "stored away." Inspectors do ask where all firearms are kept, and applicants who are unable to account for all weapons in the home create documentation problems for the licensing worker.

Rural Maryland Context

In Western Maryland and on the Eastern Shore, household firearm ownership rates are considerably higher than in suburban Montgomery or Howard counties. The LDSS offices in these regions are accustomed to working with applicants who own firearms and do not treat ownership itself as a problem. What they are looking for is compliance with the storage standard — not a judgment about whether you should own firearms.

If your current storage setup does not meet the two-lock rule, purchasing a second lockbox before your home inspection is a straightforward fix. Most hardware or sporting goods stores sell compliant lockboxes for well under $50.

The Bigger Picture

Firearm storage is one item on a longer home inspection checklist. Maryland's home safety standards under COMAR 07.02.25 also cover smoke and CO detectors, window coverings (Angel's Law cordless blinds), medication storage, pool fencing, and sleeping arrangements. Getting firearm storage right early removes one variable from an already detailed process.

The Maryland Foster Care Licensing Guide walks through every item on the home inspection checklist and explains what COMAR requires at each stage of the licensing process.

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