Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives — Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-01 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-01LinkCopy Citation
A person is prohibited from acting as a public safety solicitor unless the person has applied to register with the Secretary of State.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-02 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-02LinkCopy Citation
An applicant for registration as a public safety solicitor shall:
(1)
submit to the Secretary of State an application under oath on the form the Secretary of State provides for each public safety organization on whose behalf the applicant is soliciting in the State;
(2)
pay to the Secretary of State an application fee of $100 for registration as a public safety solicitor;
(3)
(i)
certify that all taxes due from the applicant to the State or to Baltimore City or a county of the State during the preceding fiscal year have been paid, and all taxes the applicant was required to collect and pay over to the State or to Baltimore City or a county of the State during the preceding fiscal year have been collected and paid over; or
(ii)
certify that the taxes due from the applicant to the State or to Baltimore City or a county are under dispute and the dispute has not been finally resolved; and
(4)
provide any other nonproprietary information that the Secretary of State requires by regulation.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-03 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-03LinkCopy Citation
(a)
(1)
Except as provided in subsections (c) and (f) of this section, on applying for registration as a public safety solicitor, an applicant shall execute and submit to the Secretary of State a bond in the sum of $25,000, with surety that the Secretary of State approves.
(2)
The bond shall run to the State for the use of the State and each person who may have a cause of action against the applicant for loss resulting from malfeasance, nonfeasance, or misfeasance in the applicant’s public safety solicitation.
(b)
An applicant for registration as a public safety solicitor shall submit a consolidated bond for all of the officers, agents, members, subcontractors, and employees of the public safety solicitor.
(c)
An applicant for registration as a public safety solicitor that submits a $25,000 irrevocable letter of credit to the Secretary of State is not required to submit a surety bond under subsection (a) of this section.
(d)
The Secretary of State may return a bond or irrevocable letter of credit filed under this section only if:
(1)
3 years have passed since the registration period to which the bond or letter applies, and there is no pending claim against the bond or letter; or
(2)
the registration period to which the bond or letter applies expires and it appears to the satisfaction of the Secretary of State that the person is not in violation of this subtitle.
(e)
The Secretary of State shall include with an application for registration as a public safety solicitor a notice that a person may apply for return of a bond or irrevocable letter of credit after the registration period to which the bond or letter applies.
(f)
A public safety solicitor with a current registration shall not be required to execute and submit to the Secretary of State an additional bond or irrevocable letter of credit for each public safety organization on whose behalf public safety contributions will be solicited, provided that a separate application is submitted for each organization.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-04 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-04LinkCopy Citation
(a)
If the Secretary of State finds that an applicant for registration has complied with this title and the regulations adopted under it, the Secretary of State shall approve the application.
(b)
If the Secretary of State finds that an applicant for registration has not complied with this title and the regulations adopted under it applicable to registration, the Secretary of State shall notify the applicant of the reasons the applicant is not in compliance.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-05 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-05LinkCopy Citation
Each registration expires on the first anniversary of its approval date.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-06 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-06LinkCopy Citation
A public safety solicitor shall include in all written solicitations and receipts for public safety contributions:
(1)
a toll free telephone number of the public safety solicitor within the local area code in which the public safety contribution is solicited for individuals or businesses solicited to obtain verification of authenticity or make complaints;
(2)
a statement that, for the cost of copying and postage, information submitted under this title is available from the Secretary of State; and
(3)
the address and the telephone number of the Secretary of State.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-07 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-07LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A public safety solicitor may not solicit public safety contributions unless the script of an oral solicitation and a copy of a written solicitation:
(1)
is approved by the public safety organization on whose behalf the public safety contribution is solicited; and
(2)
includes:
(i)
the specific purpose that is to be advanced with public safety contributions; and
(ii)
a statement that the person is soliciting on behalf of a public safety organization.
(b)
A copy of the approved script of an oral solicitation and a copy of a written solicitation shall be made available to the Secretary of State upon request.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-08 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-08LinkCopy Citation
A public safety solicitor may not:
(1)
falsely state, imply, or mislead, directly or indirectly, the person solicited for a public safety contribution that the public safety solicitor is a fire fighting, ambulance, rescue, police, fraternal, or other law enforcement employee or member;
(2)
send an individual to personally pick up a public safety contribution from a private residence, business, or any other location, unless the individual presents at the time of the solicitation, collection, or attempt to collect:
(i)
photo identification; and
(ii)
correspondence from the public safety organization authorizing the public safety solicitor to solicit on behalf of the public safety organization for a stated period of time;
(3)
solicit in the State using an alias, fictitious, or false name other than the full name of the public safety organization on whose behalf the public safety contribution is solicited as stated in the application for registration as a public safety solicitor; or
(4)
promise, directly or indirectly, or imply that the individual or business being solicited will receive any additional or different law enforcement services or treatment by a fire fighting, ambulance, rescue, police, fraternal, or other law enforcement organization or employee as a result of a pledge or refusal to make a public safety contribution.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-09 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-09LinkCopy Citation
(a)
An applicant for registration as a public safety solicitor or a registered public safety solicitor may not willfully or in a grossly negligent way:
(1)
submit to the Secretary of State a registration statement or other information that is materially false; or
(2)
commit a violation of this subtitle.
(b)
A principal owner or employee of the public safety solicitor may not willfully or in a grossly negligent way commit or cause to commit a violation of this subtitle.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-10 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-10LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person that engages in soliciting public safety contributions without prior application for registration as a public safety solicitor is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine not exceeding 10 times the value of the total amount of funds improperly solicited or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.
(b)
A person convicted of a violation of this section may:
(1)
be prohibited from acting as a public safety solicitor for a period up to 10 years beginning on the date of the conviction; and
(2)
be ordered to refund all improperly solicited public safety contributions to the donors who made such contributions.
Md. Code Ann., Bus. Reg. § 6-5A-11 (2026)
Title 6. Charitable Organizations and Charitable Representatives
Subtitle 5A. Public Safety Solicitors
§ 6–5A-11LinkCopy Citation
(a)
A person who commits a willful violation of this subtitle:
(1)
is guilty of a misdemeanor;
(2)
is subject, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding three times the value of the total gross amount of funds solicited by the public safety solicitor or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both; and
(3)
shall forfeit to the Secretary of State the bond required in § 6-5A-03 of this subtitle.
(b)
A person who commits a grossly negligent violation of this subtitle:
(1)
is guilty of a misdemeanor;
(2)
is subject, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding the gross amount of funds solicited by the public safety solicitor or liability for restitution that the court determines or both; and
(3)
shall forfeit to the Secretary of State the bond required in § 6-5A-03 of this subtitle.