State desk
Ranks 41st of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Maryland stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 9 Maryland outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Maryland in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A permit is required; issuance was formerly discretionary and remains restrictive with added sensitive-place limits.
Maryland is 1 of 6 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry15 · Shall-Issue Permit
Maryland taxes individual income at graduated rates rising to 6.50 percent across 10 brackets, ranking 13 of 41 among the states that tax income.
Maryland is 1 of 26 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only15 · Single Flat Rate
Maryland charges 46.81 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 8 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 65.21 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 47.66 cents.
Maryland is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 2013.
Maryland is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not a right-to-work state; union-security agreements are permitted.
Maryland is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $15.00, above the federal $7.25 floor.
Maryland is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No ID is required; voters confirm identity by signature or personal information matched against the registration rolls.
Maryland is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
BOOST voucher program provides scholarships only to low-income students.
Maryland is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL does not list Maryland among no-duty-to-retreat states, and does not state a rule for it here. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages. Verify with a primary source before relying on it.
Maryland is 1 of 12 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat7 · Recognized by Court Decision
Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot without providing a reason.
Maryland is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Maryland's unemployment rate was 3.9% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, down 0.2 percentage points from 4.1% in August. It ranks 26th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), up from 29th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.3%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Maryland is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court