Maryland Disabled Veteran License Plate Requirements

To get a Maryland disabled veteran license plate, you need a service-connected disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of at least 50%, proof of military service, and a completed Form VR-120 submitted to the Motor Vehicle Administration. Maryland disabled veteran license plate requirements split into two tiers: veterans rated 100% pay nothing for the plates or annual registration, while veterans rated 50% to 99% get the plates at no extra charge but still owe the standard registration fee.¹²

Who Qualifies

100% Disability Rating

If the VA has rated you 100% service-connected disabled, or is compensating you at the 100% rate based on individual unemployability, you qualify for plates issued completely free. The registration fee is also waived under Maryland Transportation Code § 13-903, which covers veterans who have lost the use of a hand, arm, or leg, are totally disabled, or have a permanent impairment of both eyes with central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye.³

50% to 99% Disability Rating

Maryland Transportation Code § 13-619.4 creates a separate plate for veterans whose VA service-connected rating falls between 50% and 99%. The plate reads “Disabled Veteran” and can carry any combination of letters and numbers. The MVA cannot charge extra for the plate itself, but you still pay the standard annual registration fee and surcharge.²

Which Vehicles You Can Register

Maryland limits disabled veteran plates to four vehicle classes:²

Class A passenger vehicles
Class E trucks with a manufacturer’s rated capacity of one ton or less
Class M multipurpose vehicles, such as SUVs and crossovers
Class D motorcycles

You can apply as the owner or as the lessee under a standard lease, so long as the lease isn’t structured as a security agreement. Heavy-duty commercial trucks and trailers fall outside the program.

Documents You Need

Gather these before filing:

Form VR-120, the Application for Military Related License Plates, from the MVA website or a full-service branch.⁴
Proof of military service, typically your DD-214 discharge papers. The MVA also accepts a medal certification or written proof from the National Personnel Records Center.¹
VA disability documentation, meaning a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Maryland Department of Veterans and Military Families showing your service-connected disability percentage.⁴
If you want plates displaying the wheelchair symbol, the Application for Maryland Parking Placards/License Plates for Individuals with a Disability, submitted alongside your VR-120.¹

The forms ask for your title number and current registration details, so have your title or registration card on hand. You’ll also sign a certification that your service history information is accurate.

How to Submit

Mail the completed package to MDOT MVA, Organizational Plates Unit, 6601 Ritchie Highway N.E., Glen Burnie, MD 21062, or take it to a full-service MVA branch in person.⁴ Once approved, the MVA mails the plates to your registered Maryland address. Some branches may provide plates on the spot for walk-in applicants, but mail delivery is the standard. Expect processing to take a few weeks depending on volume.

What You’ll Pay

Fees depend entirely on your rating:

At 100% (or compensated at 100%), plates and registration are fully waived. Issuance and renewal cost nothing.¹
At 50% to 99%, there’s no surcharge for the plate design itself, but the standard annual registration fee still applies.²

One cost the program does not cover: Maryland’s vehicle excise tax, the titling tax owed when you purchase or transfer a vehicle. No excise tax exemption is tied to disabled veteran status, so budget for that separately when acquiring a new vehicle.

Wheelchair Symbol and Accessible Parking

Maryland issues disabled veteran plates in two formats: with or without the universal wheelchair symbol.⁴ Only plates displaying the wheelchair symbol authorize parking in spaces reserved for individuals with disabilities. To get that version, you submit the separate disability parking plate application along with your VR-120, and a healthcare provider’s certification of your qualifying condition may be required under § 13-616.⁵

Plates issued under § 13-619.4 (the 50-99% tier) do not display the wheelchair symbol and do not, on their own, grant accessible parking privileges.² If your condition qualifies you for accessible parking and you hold plates at this tier, you’d need to apply separately for a disability parking placard through the MVA.

Renewal and Transfer

Maryland registration runs on a one- or two-year cycle.⁶ If the VA has classified your disability as permanent, you generally don’t need to resubmit medical documentation at renewal; the MVA already has your rating on file. The plates are tied to you rather than a specific vehicle, so if you sell or replace your car, you can transfer them to another qualifying vehicle through a standard MVA transfer application. The replacement vehicle still has to fall within the four eligible classes.

1
Department of Veterans and Military Families. Motor Vehicles
2
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 13-619.4 – Special Disabled Veteran Registration Plate
3
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Transportation 13-903 – Vehicles Exempt From Registration Fees
4
Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Military and Veteran License Plates
5
Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 13-616 – Special Registration Plates for Individuals With Disabilities
6
MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Title and Registration