Maryland / Baltimore

From the 50 State Visitor Guide:

Md. Code of Criminal Procedure 2019  §§11-701 through 11-721

AWA Compliant

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Three days for initial reg. and updates for permanent or temporary residents, those who habitually live, students, transients, and those employed in the state.  “Employment” means 14 consecutive days or an aggregate of over 30 days per calendar year. §11-705.

“Transients” (including visitors) present in state for a period exceeding 14 days or an aggregate period for 30 day in a calendar year, for a purpose other than employment or education, must register within 3 days. §11-701(r).

“Habitually lives” means “any place where a person visits for longer than 5 hours per visit more than 5 times within a 30-day period.”  §11-701(d)(2).

Procedure available for removal from registry after departure.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Presence restriction: May not knowing enter school grounds or property containing a child care home or child care institution, with exceptions.  §§11-705, 11-722.

Duration & updates:

15 yrs.- life depending on Tier.

Updates: T1 – 6 mo.  T2 – 6 mo.  T3 – 3 mo.  Homeless registrants – weekly.  §§11-705, 11-707.

Most recent visit: June 2026 NARSOL Conference

Inner Harbor as seen from the second floor of the National Aquarium

Maryland’s rules for visiting registrants are not too difficult to follow.  “Transients” (including visitors) intending to be present in the state for more than 14 consecutive days or an aggregate period for 30 day in a calendar year, for a purpose other than employment or education, must register within three days of arrival. §11-701(r).  And to be clear – if you do not INTEND to visit Maryland for that long, you do not have to register within three days. 

There are no residency restrictions in Maryland, at least at a state level. The only presence restriction is entering school grounds or property containing a child care home or child care institution.  This is an ignorant restriction but easy to obey.

Maryland’s relatively accommodating environment contributed to NARSOL’s decision to hold their 2026 National Conference in Baltimore.  I am a regular attender at both NARSOL and ACSOL in-person conferences.  I learn a lot every year about how to advance my advocacy against America’s registry system, I network with others in our movement and I recommend that everyone attend these conferences.

The NARSOL conference runs from Thursday evening to Sunday.  I arrived in Baltimore Thursday afternoon.  I also decided to stay over Sunday night so I could get a fresh start Monday on a two week road trip to the Northeast and New England. Since partial days count toward your total Maryland stay, that meant I was in the state for five days and nobody cared.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

USS Constellation

The NARSOL conference hotel was only three blocks from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, AND the conference took place during Sail 250, the city’s America’s 250th Anniversary festival, which would be going full blast all the way through July 4 weekend. They even had Blue Angels fly-overs. 

Since I was staying over that night, I used Sunday afternoon to go down and join the crowds.  I have been to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor before, both with and without family.  The USS Constellation is always there for tours, but during Sail 250 admission was free.  They also had several tall ships in the harbor, one of which you could tour, and sail boats everywhere.  The crowd was large and there was plenty of booths in the plaza. 

Enjoying a swim at the National Aquarium

The National Aquarium is at one end of the Inner Harbor. Admission was not free during Sail 250 but I splurged and it really is a great aquarium.

I was surprised to find that several other conference goers were also staying over Sunday night, and a few of us went out to breakfast Monday morning before going our separate ways.  For me, that meant New Jersey, land of my birth.