Maryland cracks down on out-of-state vehicle tags as new penalties loom

Marylanders have 45 days to make sure their vehicles are properly registered with the state's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) before they can be fined or even have their vehicles seized.

Under the new "Plate Where You Live" campaign, the MVA is cracking down on out-of-state vehicle registration, primarily targeting thousands of vehicles improperly registered in Virginia.

The MVA said in July that it sent approximately 79,000 courtesy letters to Maryland residents suspected of having vehicles registered in Virginia, which reminded drivers about the state's registration requirements and the potential civil penalties they could face for not properly registering vehicles before October 1. 

Approximately 700 vehicles identified in those mailings are now registered in Maryland, according to the MVA.  

According to The Baltimore Banner, drivers are not required to live in Virginia to register or title their vehicles there. Until 2024, the Commonwealth also did not require proof of insurance as long as drivers paid an additional fee. Registration costs in Virginia are also lower than in Maryland.

"I can understand how people try to beat the system to take care of their family. However, there's a consequence of beating the system, and so the consequence is they're cracking down on it," Phillipe told WJZ.

In April, the General Assembly passed new laws to crack down on improperly registered vehicles in the state, creating a system of fines and civil penalties that will take effect Oct. 1.

"When you see a certain car driving recklessly on the street, as soon as they pass, if they have Virginia tags, we are like, 'See, I knew it,'" Jojo told WJZ. "It's just a running joke because we know it's a big thing."

If drivers are out of compliance on Oct. 1, the MVA will send them a letter outlining the registration requirements and informing them that a case has been opened. Drivers will then be fined $7 per day that the vehicle remains unregistered with the agency, up to a maximum penalty of $420.

If, after 120 days, the vehicle is still illegally registered, it could be booted, towed or impounded. The vehicle's plates could also be seized.

Maryland law already requires drivers who move to the state to register their vehicles with the MVA within 60 days.

The MVA said it sent 79,000 courtesy letters at the end of July to Maryland drivers who are out of compliance. As of last year, 73,000 vehicles were improperly registered.

"It's important to all of us. We want to be safe out on the roads, and we want to know the other vehicles are safe," MVA Administrator Christine Nizer said in a social media video.

While registration and related vehicle fees benefit the Transportation Trust Fund, the MVA says the campaign is about more than money. The agency says improperly registered vehicles often do not have insurance, are not properly inspected and have unpaid traffic fines.

MVA fees account for 17% of the Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for road projects.

"It's expensive. Insurance is very expensive. If they don't have the money to do that properly, then I don't think anything is going to change by October 1," Jojo added.

Safety concerns

According to a letter filed by the MVA to the Judicial Proceedings Committee, the agency already issues warnings to vehicle owners and provides a 60-day notice to register vehicles in Maryland.

The agency said it filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to determine how many vehicles were improperly registered there.

The MVA said the data showed that 28,003 vehicles previously registered in Maryland were switched to Virginia. More than 50% of those vehicles would not be eligible to register in Maryland because of indicators on their records, and nearly all were out of compliance with Virginia safety inspections.

Baltimore City officials said drivers with Virginia tags often do not pay traffic citations. About 63% of camera citations issued to vehicles with Virginia tags remain outstanding from 2025. More than 80% of camera citations issued to vehicles with Virginia tags in 2024 also remain unpaid.

Testimony from Baltimore Police obtained by WJZ says the state loses up to $12 million annually in registration revenue. The state also loses money from unpaid violations and tolls.

Between 2023 and 2025, police said there were 14 fatal crashes involving Virginia-registered vehicles, accounting for 10% of all fatal crashes during that period. The testimony also said 47% of non-fatal crashes involved a Virginia-registered vehicle.

Keeping Virginia tags

In March, WJZ spoke with one woman who said she previously had two vehicles registered in Maryland.

After one vehicle was repossessed and the other was returned to the dealer, she said the license plates were not returned. She said the MVA is now charging her for the missing plates, so she registered her vehicle in Virginia.

She is being identified as Anna in this story.

"They're after the ones that have Virginia tags and don't have no insurance. I got insurance," Anna explained. "I don't have $7,000 to dish out to people like that … If they don't have insurance, then you need to go after them, but if they comply, and if the insurance is not worried about it, why should y'all?"

Anna said she received a letter from the MVA this year telling her to change her registration, but she does not plan to make the switch.

"I called the person that helped me get my tag," she said. "He said, as long as you got insurance, they really can't do nothing to you. Throw it away, and that's what I did."