diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 06cd4e6..98b26c4 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -22,12 +22,11 @@ Suggests:
     ggplot2,
     ggrepel,
     knitr,
-    maptools,
     proto,
     rgdal,
     rmarkdown,
     scales,
-    sp,
+    sp (>= 1.6-1),
     stringr,
     testthat
 RoxygenNote: 7.2.2
diff --git a/R/transform.R b/R/transform.R
index 4b9b8e0..861e86d 100644
--- a/R/transform.R
+++ b/R/transform.R
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@
 usmap_transform <- function(data,
                             input_names = c("lon", "lat"),
                             output_names = c("x", "y")) {
-  # check for maptools
-  if (!requireNamespace("maptools", quietly = TRUE)) {
-    stop("`maptools` must be installed to use `usmap_transform`.
-         Use: install.packages(\"maptools\") and try again.")
-  }
 
   # check for sp
   if (!requireNamespace("sp", quietly = TRUE)) {
@@ -131,13 +126,13 @@ usmap_transform.data.frame <- function(data,
   ]
 
   if (length(alaska) > 0) {
-    alaska <- maptools::elide(
+    alaska <- sp::elide(
       alaska,
       rotate = -50,
       scale = max(apply(ak_bbox, 1, diff)) / 2.3,
       bb = ak_bbox
     )
-    alaska <- maptools::elide(alaska, shift = c(-1298669, -3018809))
+    alaska <- sp::elide(alaska, shift = c(-1298669, -3018809))
     sp::proj4string(alaska) <- usmap_crs()
     names(alaska) <- names(transformed)
   }
@@ -163,12 +158,12 @@ usmap_transform.data.frame <- function(data,
   ]
 
   if (length(hawaii) > 0) {
-    hawaii <- maptools::elide(
+    hawaii <- sp::elide(
       hawaii,
       rotate = -35,
       bb = hi_bbox
     )
-    hawaii <- maptools::elide(hawaii, shift = c(5400000, -1400000))
+    hawaii <- sp::elide(hawaii, shift = c(5400000, -1400000))
     sp::proj4string(hawaii) <- usmap_crs()
     names(hawaii) <- names(transformed)
   }