If you’re new to Maryland, a driver’s license from your old state is good for 60 days after you establish residency. After that, you need a Maryland-issued license to drive legally. Converting one is usually straightforward: bring documents that meet REAL ID standards to a Motor Vehicle Administration branch, pass a vision screening, and pay $11 per year of the license term. Most new residents skip the written and road tests entirely.
The 60-Day Clock
Maryland law requires anyone driving on state highways to hold a Maryland license, with a narrow exemption for new residents during their first 60 days.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-101 – License Required2Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-102 – Exceptions to Licensing Requirements During that window your out-of-state license is valid, provided it covers the class of vehicle you’re driving and you meet Maryland’s age rules. On day 61, the exemption is gone.
The statute doesn’t define residency with a bright line, but the usual markers apply: signing a lease, starting a job, enrolling a child in school, or registering to vote. The clock starts when you take one of those steps, not necessarily the day you first cross the state line.
If You Miss the Deadline
Driving past 60 days on your old license counts as driving unlicensed. That violation carries five points on Maryland’s system, and eight points triggers a suspension hearing.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-402 – Assessment of Points Fines can reach $500, with higher penalties for repeat offenses.4Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Transportation 16-303 – Driving While License Is Canceled, Refused, Suspended, or Revoked There’s an insurance risk too: an accident during an expired exemption gives your carrier a reason to question coverage.
Documents to Bring: The Core Four
Maryland issues REAL ID-compliant licenses, and REAL ID has been required to board domestic flights and enter most federal buildings since May 2025.5Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID The MVA calls the paperwork requirement the Core Four, and every applicant needs one item from each category, in person, as originals or certified copies. Photocopies and phone images don’t count.
- Proof of age and identity: a valid or recently expired (within five years) U.S. passport, or a certified U.S. birth certificate. The document must show your full legal name and date of birth.
- Proof of Social Security number: an original Social Security card or a W-2 showing your full name and complete SSN. If you’re not eligible for an SSN, request a letter of ineligibility in person at a Social Security Administration office.
- Two proofs of Maryland address: utility bills, bank or credit card statements, a residential lease, a mortgage statement, a property tax bill, a vehicle insurance card, or government mail. Both must show your current name and Maryland address.
The MVA has an online Document Guide that confirms whether specific items qualify.6MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Licenses and IDs Running your list through it before the appointment prevents a return trip.
Vision Screening and Test Waivers
Every applicant takes a vision screening at the branch. An unrestricted license requires visual acuity of 20/40 or better in each eye, binocular vision, and a continuous field of at least 140 degrees.7MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Vision Tests and Requirements If you need glasses or contacts to hit those marks, your license will carry a “corrective lenses” restriction.8New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Transportation 16-110.1 – Vision Standards for Drivers Licenses
If your out-of-state license is currently valid, Maryland waives both the written knowledge test and the road test. The vision screening is the only exam you’ll face.9MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Get a Maryland Drivers License or ID Card If your license expired within the past 12 months, you can still exchange it, though the MVA can require additional testing. Expired more than 12 months and you’ll be treated like a first-time applicant, with both tests required.
If You’re Moving From Another Country
Reciprocity applies for licenses from Canada, the Yukon Territory, and France, meaning testing is waived the same way it is for U.S. license holders.10MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. International Movers Licenses from South Korea, Germany, Taiwan, and Japan also qualify, but only if they’re currently valid. Drivers from every other country must pass the vision screening, knowledge test, and road test, and must complete a three-hour drug and alcohol education program at an MVA-certified driving school before a license will issue.
If a Driver Is Under 18
Maryland’s graduated licensing rules apply to any driver under 18. A teen who has been licensed elsewhere for fewer than 18 months receives a Maryland provisional license, not a full one, with these restrictions:11MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Provisional Drivers License
- For the first 151 days, no passengers under 18 unless they’re immediate family or a qualified supervising driver is in the car.
- No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older with three years of experience, or unless traveling to or from work, school activities, or organized athletics.
- No cell phone use, including hands-free.
- Zero measurable alcohol.
A parent or guardian has to co-sign the application. A teen who has never held a license anywhere goes through the full Maryland pipeline: learner’s permit held for at least nine months, a certified driver’s education course (30 classroom hours plus six behind the wheel), and 60 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night.
Booking the Appointment and Paying
Schedule an appointment through the MVA’s online system before going to a branch. Self-service kiosks handle some quick tasks, but a license conversion isn’t one of them, and walk-in waits are unpredictable.12MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Appointments and Online Services
At the branch, an agent verifies your Core Four documents, runs the vision screening, and takes payment. A non-commercial license for drivers 21 and older is $88 for the eight-year term, or $11 per year. Drivers under 21 pay $11 per year prorated to their 21st birthday, and limited-term licenses for people on temporary legal status are prorated to their authorized stay.13MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. License and ID Fees You’ll leave with a temporary paper license; the permanent REAL ID card arrives by mail within about 10 business days.14MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Replace a License or ID
Your Vehicle Has the Same Deadline
If you brought a car with you, the 60-day clock applies to it too. New residents must title and register within 60 days of moving. Missing that window forfeits eligibility for a credit against Maryland’s titling tax for any titling or sales tax you paid in your former state, and you can be cited for driving with an out-of-state registration.15MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Title and Register Your Vehicle in Maryland
Before titling, the vehicle must pass a Maryland safety inspection at a station licensed by the Maryland State Police.16MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Maryland Safety Inspections The inspection certificate is valid for 90 days. Most vehicles also need an emissions inspection through the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program. If your car needs repairs to pass, that can add a week or more, so start early.
Maryland’s titling tax is 6.5% of the vehicle’s fair market value, with a $41.60 minimum.17MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Fees and Payment Options The out-of-state credit only applies if you register within the 60-day window.
Insurance has to be active before registration. Maryland’s minimum liability coverage is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 per accident for property damage.18MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration. Auto Insurance Requirements in Maryland Call your carrier as soon as you have a Maryland address to switch the policy over and confirm the limits meet state requirements.