Opening a Convenience Store in Maryland: Licenses & Permits

Maryland makes alcohol a county-by-county question, and some counties close the door on gas stations entirely: Montgomery and Prince George's ban new alcohol licenses where there are public fuel pumps, and most counties bar chain stores. Statewide, tobacco and vapes must be kept behind the counter. Below is who issues what, and how each rule shapes the store you design.

Licenses and permits at a glance

Fuel tanks: MDE

The Maryland Department of the Environment's Oil Control Program regulates tanks under COMAR 26.10:

• Notice: give MDE written notice at least 5 working days before installation begins. A Maryland-certified technician must do the work.
• Containment: tanks installed since January 12, 2009 must be double-walled or secondarily contained.
• Registration: register with MDE after installation and display the registration certificate at the store. Amend it within 30 days of changes. A certified third-party inspection is due within 30 days of an MDE notice.
• Operators: designate certified Class A, B and C operators in writing, keep emergency instructions and phone numbers on site, and update the designation within 10 business days of a change.
• No state fund: the Oil Contaminated Site Environmental Cleanup Fund has been closed to commercial tank owners since January 1, 2008, so owners meet federal financial responsibility rules on their own, typically with insurance.

Alcohol: county licensing boards

Retail alcohol licenses are issued by county or city licensing boards, with the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Cannabis Commission (ATCC) as state regulator. Each county has its own title in the Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, so names, fees and rules vary.

• License types: off-sale stores use a Class A beer and wine license, or a Class A beer, wine and liquor license where the county offers it. In Baltimore County, for example, a Class A beer and wine license is $250.
• Chain stores: the statewide default (§4-205), adopted in most counties, bars Class A licenses for a chain store, supermarket or discount house. Stores already licensed are grandfathered. Some counties add franchise bans.
• One license: by default, one license per person and one per premises.
• Gas stations: Montgomery County bans licenses for establishments selling motor fuel from an on-site pump, except renewals of licenses in effect on January 1, 1989. Prince George's County bans licenses or transfers where there's a public fuel pump.
• Spirits: many counties allow them under a Class A beer, wine and liquor license. In Montgomery County, spirits are sold through county Alcohol Beverage Services stores.
• Floor space: off-premises alcohol floor space is capped at 10,000 sq ft unless the board holds a hearing.
• Hearing: notice is published twice in two successive weeks, followed by a public hearing.
• Distances: many counties set their own distances from schools and places of worship, from 200 feet in Somerset to 1,000 feet from a place of worship in Anne Arundel. Read your county's section before choosing a site.

Tobacco and vapes: behind the counter

Tobacco retailer licenses are issued by the clerk of the circuit court, and the ATCC enforces. Under the Tobacco Retail Modernization Act (2024):

• Behind the counter: cigarettes, other tobacco products and vapes must be kept where only staff can reach them. Premium cigars are excepted.
• ID and signs: check ID for anyone under 30, and post an age-21 sign.
• Vape license: from October 1, 2026 (Chapter 415 of 2026), vape sales need a separate electronic smoking device license. Stores already holding a tobacco license pay no extra fee and may continue until their current license expires.

Food service: the local health department

The local health department approves food establishments. Under COMAR 10.15.03.33, plans must be approved before construction, remodeling or material alteration. Plans include a scaled floor plan with equipment, finishes, lighting, ventilation, the trash area, plumbing, water and sewage, equipment specifications and the menu. A pre-opening inspection comes before you stock the store. Fees and lead times are set by each county.

Sales tax, fuel pumps and lottery

• Sales tax: register through the Comptroller's Combined Registration Application, online through Maryland Business Express or Maryland Tax Connect.
• Fuel pumps: the Maryland Department of Agriculture registers every commercial device, including gas pumps, each year by May 31. Under 2026 emergency rules, a retail fuel meter under 20 gallons a minute is $20 per meter plus $75 per location.
• Lottery: the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency issues a probationary license first. The licensee must be 21 or older, and the agency weighs financial security, integrity, public access and expected sales.

What this means for your store design

• Check the county before you plan alcohol at a gas station. In Montgomery and Prince George's, a fuel site can't get a new alcohol license. In most counties a chain store can't either. See choosing a location.
• Design a back-bar for all tobacco and vapes. Everything except premium cigars must be out of customers' reach. Plan the counter and back wall for it.
• Measure to schools and places of worship. County distance rules range from 200 to 1,000 feet.
• Get food plans approved before construction. Include finishes, lighting, ventilation and the trash area. See food service build-outs.
• Insure the tanks. There's no state fund for commercial owners.

Local approvals

Your county or city also controls zoning, building permits, fire inspections, signs and the liquor license. Our construction checklist covers the local steps.

For Maryland store design, see convenience store design in Maryland and walk-in cooler services in Maryland.

Sources

• Maryland Department of the Environment, UST system compliance guide (April 2023), operator training fact sheet and FY25 Oil Contaminated Site Environmental Cleanup Fund report; COMAR 26.10.
• Maryland Code, Alcoholic Beverages and Cannabis Article, §§4-203 to 4-208 and county titles 9 to 33 (including §§13-802, 25-310, 25-1610 and 26-1605).
• Maryland ATCC, Tobacco Retail Modernization Act; 2026 Laws of Maryland Chapter 415 (SB 249).
• COMAR 10.15.03.33 (food plan review); Maryland Department of Health, retail pre-opening checklist (July 2025).
• Comptroller of Maryland, Combined Registration Application.
• Maryland Department of Agriculture, weights and measures device registration; COMAR 15.03.08.05 (2026 emergency regulation).
• COMAR 36.02.02 (Maryland Lottery retailer licensing).

This page summarizes official sources as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Fees and rules change, so confirm each one with the agency before you apply.