To replace a lost, stolen, or damaged Maryland duplicate registration card, submit Form VR-009 (Application for Substitute Plates/Stickers/Duplicate Registration Card) to the Motor Vehicle Administration and pay a $5 fee. You can file online through myMVA, by mail, or in person at any full-service MVA branch.1Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. MVA Fee Listing2Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Vehicle Registration and Titling Questions
One quick warning before you start: Form VR-018 replaces a lost certificate of title, not a registration card. If you grab the wrong one, the MVA will send you back to start over.3Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Vehicle Registration Forms
Three Ways to File Form VR-009
Online is fastest. Log in to the myMVA portal at mva.maryland.gov and complete the request there.
By mail, send the completed VR-009 to the Motor Vehicle Administration, 6601 Ritchie Highway, Attn. Registration Renewal Section, Glen Burnie, MD 21062.
In person, bring the form to any full-service MVA office. Self-service kiosks at MVA locations also handle duplicate registration card orders.4Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Renewing Your Vehicle Registration
What You Need to Include
A copy of the registered owner’s driver’s license must accompany the application, and only the registered owner or someone the owner authorizes can file the VR-009.5Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Application for Substitute Plates/Stickers/Moped Motor-Scooter Off-Road Vehicle Decal/Duplicate Registration Card
If you lease your vehicle, you are not the registered owner on file with the MVA. You will need a power of attorney from the leasing company authorizing you to act on their behalf, submitted with the VR-009.5Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Application for Substitute Plates/Stickers/Moped Motor-Scooter Off-Road Vehicle Decal/Duplicate Registration Card
Company-owned vehicles work similarly. A company officer can sign the application by listing their official title. Anyone else signing for the company needs a power of attorney certificate. Get that document before you head to the MVA, or you will be turned away.5Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. Application for Substitute Plates/Stickers/Moped Motor-Scooter Off-Road Vehicle Decal/Duplicate Registration Card
Fees and How to Pay
The duplicate registration card fee is $5 whether you file online, by mail, or in person. A duplicate or additional registration sticker also costs $5. Replacement license plates are a separate request on the same form and cost $40.1Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. MVA Fee Listing These amounts are current as of September 2025.
Online and at self-service kiosks, the MVA accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and mobile wallet payments. Kiosks also accept checks. Mail-in applications should include a check or money order payable to the MVA.4Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Renewing Your Vehicle Registration
If Your Plates Were Stolen
Stolen plates trigger different rules than a lost card. You must file a police report first, and the MVA requires that report as part of the application. Replacements for stolen plates can only be requested in person at a full-service MVA office, not online or by mail.2Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration. Vehicle Registration and Titling Questions The police report also creates a record that protects you if someone misuses the plates.
What Happens If You’re Stopped Without It
Maryland law requires you to keep your registration card in the vehicle and present it to a police officer on request. Registered vehicles on public roads must also display current plates and a validation tab.6Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 13-411 – Display of Registration Plates, Validation Tabs, and Special Registration Plates
Violations of registration display requirements carry a preset fine of $70 and zero points on your license.7Maryland Courts. Traffic Fine Schedule Maryland does not provide a formal grace period for duplicate registration requests, so order the replacement as soon as you realize the card is missing. If you are stopped before it arrives, showing proof that you already filed the application may help.