You can register a car in Maryland with an out-of-state license, as long as you do it within 60 days of becoming a Maryland resident. That same 60-day window is when you’re expected to trade your out-of-state license for a Maryland one, so your old license is valid for driving while you handle the registration paperwork. Beat the deadline and you keep a tax credit worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Miss it and you face a $290 fine plus the full Maryland excise tax with no offset.
The 60-Day Clock
Maryland gives new residents 60 days from establishing residency to title and register any vehicle they bring into the state. The same 60 days applies to swapping your driver’s license, which is why you can legally drive on your out-of-state credential while you gather documents, schedule an inspection, and get to the MVA.1Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. New to Maryland Information
Two groups get different clocks. Commercial driver’s license holders have only 30 days to transfer. Active-duty uniformed service members making Maryland their permanent home get a full year to title and register, and those only temporarily stationed here can apply for a non-resident vehicle permit instead of registering at all.2Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Information for Our Active Service Members
Documents to Bring
Gather everything before you go. One missing item means starting over.
- The original vehicle title. If a lender holds it, the MVA can help request it from your out-of-state lienholder, which adds days.
- A completed Application for Certificate of Title, Form VR-005, which covers both titling and registration.3Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Application for Certificate of Title VR-005
- A Maryland safety inspection certificate from a licensed inspection station. Results transmit electronically to the MVA through the Maryland Safety Inspection System. If you can’t inspect right away, request a 30-day temporary registration; it only lets you drive to and from the inspection station or a repair shop.4Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Temporary Registration
- Proof of Maryland insurance from a company licensed in the state, meeting minimum liability limits of $30,000 per person, $60,000 per incident, and $15,000 for property damage.5Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Insurance Requirements for Maryland Vehicles
- Two documents proving your Maryland physical address. A utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, bank statement, property tax bill, or government mail all work. Your out-of-state license is fine for identity but does not count toward residency.6Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. How to Apply – Documents Required
- Your current odometer reading, and lien information if the vehicle is financed.
Excise Tax and the New-Resident Credit
Maryland’s excise tax is 6.5% of the vehicle’s retail value using NADA clean retail figures, with a $100 minimum.7Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Transportation Code Section 13-809 – Imposition of Tax Title within 60 days and you qualify for a credit based on what you already paid in your previous state.
For vehicles six model years old or newer:
- Previous state’s rate was 6.5% or higher: you pay $100.
- Previous state’s rate was below 6.5%: you pay the difference. Coming from a 4% state means you owe 2.5% of the retail value.
- Previous state’s rate was 0%: you pay the full 6.5%.
For vehicles seven model years old or older, if you paid any tax at all in your previous state, the excise tax drops to a flat $41.60, or $20.80 for trailers. If your previous state charged 0%, you still pay $41.60.8Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. New to Maryland Titling and Registering Your Vehicle Information
File after day 60 and the credit is gone. You pay the full Maryland tax with no offset.
Fees
The title fee is $200. Passenger car registration is based on shipping weight:
- Up to 3,500 lbs: $120.50
- 3,501 to 3,700 lbs: $125.50
- Over 3,700 lbs: $191.50
These figures are effective as of September 2025.9Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. MVA Fee Listing A private tag and title service will add a convenience fee on top of the standard costs.
Where to File
Most people walk into any full-service MVA branch with documents and payment in hand. An MVA-licensed tag and title service can also handle the paperwork for you. Out-of-state title requests can be mailed to the MVA’s Out-of-State Title Unit.
Once processing is complete, plates and temporary registration materials are issued on the spot. The permanent title is mailed later from the MVA’s Glen Burnie office, so confirm the address on file is correct.
What Happens If You Miss 60 Days
Driving in Maryland on out-of-state registration past day 60 exposes you to a traffic citation under the Transportation Article, with a preset fine of $290 and a statutory maximum of $500. The MVA can also investigate on its own, and after repeated warnings can ask law enforcement to seize your out-of-state plates.10Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule
The bigger hit is usually the lost credit. On a $25,000 vehicle where you already paid 4% in your prior state, timely filing costs 2.5% of the value. Filing late means the full 6.5% instead, a difference of more than $1,000.
Emissions Testing Comes Later
Emissions testing is not part of the registration transaction itself. Maryland’s Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program applies to model year 1977 and newer vehicles registered in the emissions inspection area, which covers Baltimore City and most central and western counties. The MVA sends a test notice about three months after a used vehicle is registered, with a window to complete the test before your first renewal.11Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. VEIP Frequently Asked Questions Diesel vehicles fall under a separate program, and vehicles registered outside the designated counties are exempt.