Maryland · Hunter safety · 2026 Edition
Maryland Hunter Safety Course 2026: Cost & Online Options
No birth-year cutoff — Maryland ties the requirement to July 1, 1977 instead. Under 18, a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunter Safety is always required. 18 and older, it's required unless you held a Maryland hunting license before July 1, 1977, or hunted on private property before that date while legally exempt from licensing.
Maryland is one of the strictest states here on the in-person side: there's exactly one approved online provider, hunter-ed.com at $29.95, and even that only buys you the knowledge half — the Field Day Workshop is mandatory for everyone who takes that route, though it costs nothing itself. Under 13, there's no online option at all; the multi-day classroom course, also free, is the only path. The cutoff here isn't a birth year but a date, July 1, 1977, which functions the same way Ohio's and Pennsylvania's first-time-buyer rules do: it's really about whether you already held a license, not how old you are.
01 — Who needs it
No birth-year cutoff — Maryland ties the requirement to July 1, 1977 instead. Under 18, a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunter Safety is always required. 18 and older, it's required unless you held a Maryland hunting license before July 1, 1977, or hunted on private property before that date while legally exempt from licensing.
Nonresidents buying only a 3-day Waterfowl and Small Game License, and hunters using a Regulated Shooting Area License, are exempt from the license itself and so from this requirement too — though DNR still expects every hunter to carry a DNR ID number.
Statute: Natural Resources Article § 10-301.1
02 — Course options
| Course | Format | Who | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional classroom course | In person | Any age — required for under-13s, since they can't use the hybrid route | Free | Multi-day — Free. The only option open to hunters under 13. |
| Online course plus Field Day Workshop | Online + field day | 13 and older | — | Online at your own pace, then one in-person Field Day Workshop — The online half earns a Field Day Qualifier Voucher, valid one year — it does not certify you alone. The Field Day Workshop itself is free: a 50-question test at 80% to pass, plus the Trail Walk, where you demonstrate safe firearm handling and work through ethical and legal scenarios. |
A dash means MD DNR publishes no set price for that route — what you pay depends on the provider you pick or on the individual class.
03 — Approved online courses, side by side
| Provider | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| hunter-ed.com | $29.95 |
Hunter-Ed.com is the only online provider Maryland approves for the knowledge portion — there's no price to compare.
04 — Your certificate, and other states
The certificate is permanent — a one-time requirement, no renewal for later Maryland license purchases.
Maryland accepts hunter education certifications from all other U.S. states.
Maryland does not require bowhunter education. Advanced courses covering bowhunting, muzzleloading, waterfowl hunting and tree-stand safety are available beyond the basic certificate for hunters who want them.
05 — Where to register
Courses are booked through Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
Find and register for a Maryland course →
Got your certificate? Next step: Maryland hunting license costs and permits →
Everything else we track for the state: Maryland hunting seasons →
Looking for somewhere to hunt? Maryland public hunting land — WMAs by county & access rules →
FAQ
Can I take the Maryland hunter safety course online?
Maryland does not offer a route that certifies entirely online — see the course formats above for what MD DNR does accept. No birth-year cutoff — Maryland ties the requirement to July 1, 1977 instead. Under 18, a Certificate of Competency in Firearms and Hunter Safety is always required. 18 and older, it's required unless you held a Maryland hunting license before July 1, 1977, or hunted on private property before that date while legally exempt from licensing.
Is there a free hunter safety course in Maryland?
Every MD DNR-approved online provider charges a fee; the cheapest is hunter-ed.com at $29.95. In-person courses run by the agency itself are often free — see the formats above.
How much does the Maryland hunter safety course cost?
Approved online providers run from $29.95 (hunter-ed.com). They all produce the same certificate, so the cheapest one certifies you just as well. Prices are set by the providers and change without notice — the table above was read on Aug 7, 2026.
Verified · Maryland Department of Natural Resources · Last verified 2026-08-07
Publisher's note. Requirements and course fees read from MD DNR, retrieved 2026-08-07. Review due 2027-08-01. Course providers set their own prices and change them without notice — confirm before you pay.