Chapter 59 Firearms
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Chapter 59 of the Town of Centreville Code generally prohibits discharging firearms or other deadly weapons within town limits, with limited exceptions. The Chief of the Centreville Police Department may issue permits to destroy rodents or birds (restricting ammunition to mustard shot, rifle shot cartridge, or air-powered projectiles) and may issue permits to bona fide charitable organizations for turkey shoots (allowing shotguns); permit holders must have permission to use the property, properly dispose of remains, accept liability for damages, and indemnify the Town. Separate permits are allowed for target shooting with bow and arrow if the applicant shows completion of a hunter safety course and the shooting site provides at least 250 feet of unobstructed area within a 45° radius from the shooter-to-target line; all permits are for limited durations and may be revoked. Law enforcement, military personnel, and persons acting as a reasonable precaution are excepted, and violations are municipal infractions with daily penalties; the chapter was adopted in 1995 and amended by ordinances and a resolution in 2024–2025 to update penalties and fines.
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Chapter 59 Firearms 59-1 Discharge Prohibited 59-2 Permit For Destroying Rodents And Birds 59-3 Permit For Target Shooting With Bow And Arrow 59-4 Exceptions 59-5 Violations And Penalties [HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of Centreville 3-16-1995 by Ord. No. 810. Amendments noted where applicable.] GENERAL REFERENCES Authority to regulate use of firearms — See Charter Section 301(b)(20). Firearms as Category VII waste (unacceptable material) — See Ch. 129, Art. II. 59-1 Discharge Prohibited Except as provided by §§ 59-3 and 59-4 of this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge or fire any firearms whatsoever or other deadly weapons (including but not limited to the following: rifle, shotgun, fowling piece, air rifle, revolver, pistol, bow and arrow or sling shot), within the limits of the Town of Centreville. 59-2 Permit For Destroying Rodents And Birds Discharge of firearms shall be allowed under permit issued by the Chief of the Centreville Police Department, provided that: Application for a permit shall be made in form prescribed by the Centreville Police Department. The permit shall only be issued for purposes of destroying rodents or birds, and in that instance, the ammunition used shall only be mustard shot, rifle shot cartridge or air-powered projectile. A permit may also be issued to a bona fide charitable organization as defined by Tax-General Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, to allow a turkey shoot, in which instance, a shotgun would be allowed. The applicant for a permit must affirm that discharging firearms will occur on property owned or occupied by the applicant or that the applicant will discharge firearms only on such other property for which permission has been or will be granted in writing by the owner thereof. In the case of a permit issued for the destruction of rodents or birds, the applicant must properly dispose of any destroyed remains and must be responsible for any damages caused to persons property and must release and indemnify in writing the Town of Centreville from all liability resulting from these under the permit granted. The permit shall be issued only for a specified duration and for a limited purpose and may be revoked at any time by the Chief of the Centreville Police Department. 59-3 Permit For Target Shooting With Bow And Arrow Target shooting with bow and arrow shall be allowed under permit issued by the Chief of the Centreville Police Department, provided that: Application for a permit shall be made in the form prescribed by the Centreville Police Department. The applicant for the permit must affirm that shooting will take place on property owned by the applicant or on such other property for which permission has been granted in writing by the owner thereof. The applicant must provide evidence of satisfactory completion of an approved hunter safety course. The permit will not be issued for any site having less than 250 feet of unobstructed area within a radius of 45° measured from either side of the line between shooter and target. Said permit shall be issued for a specified duration and for a limited purpose and may be revoked at any time by the Chief of the Centreville Police Department. 59-4 Exceptions Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the discharging or firing or the weapons mentioned in § 59-2 of this chapter by a police officer of this state, or of any county or city therein, or by any conservator of the peace or by any member of the Armed Forces of the United State or this state, who is entitled to discharge any such weapons in the line of his official duties, or by any person who shall fire any such weapon as a reasonable precaution against apprehended danger. 59-5 Violations And Penalties Violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a municipal infraction, subject to the penalties provided in § 1-14.B.5.c of the Town Code. Each day such violation, as defined above, continues shall be considered a separate offense. HISTORY Amended by Ord. 13-2024 Amended Penalty Sections throughout the Code on 1/2/2025 Adopted by Res. 19-2024 Establishing certain fines to be paid to the Town of Centreville for Municipal Infractions pursuant to the Authority set forth in the Town of Centreville Charter and Code of the Town of Centreville on 1/2/2025