The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) is reminding residents that new enforcement measures targeting improperly registered out-of-state vehicles will begin on October 1, 2026.
The agency recently launched a new social media campaign with the message, “If you live in Maryland, it’s time to Plate Where You Live.” Under the new enforcement process:
- Beginning October 1, owners of vehicles with out-of-state registrations that are believed to belong to Maryland residents will receive a written notice giving them 60 days to properly register the vehicle in Maryland or apply for a qualifying exemption.
- After the 60-day period, owners who remain out of compliance may be fined $7 per day for up to 60 days.
- If the vehicle is still not properly registered after 120 days, the state may pursue civil enforcement, including towing, impoundment, and/or booting the vehicle.
The renewed warning follows an announcement earlier this year in which the MVA said more than 58,000 Maryland residents had already received notifications about vehicles that were illegally registered in Virginia. According to the agency, those registrations violate Maryland law, which requires Maryland residents to title and register their vehicles in the state.
The issue is not new. Last year, the MVA warned that driving with an out-of-state registration as a Maryland resident is illegal and can carry serious consequences. The agency noted that operating a vehicle without a valid registration is a criminal misdemeanor and encouraged residents to report suspected registration fraud to state investigators or local law enforcement.
For years, the practice has largely been driven by lower costs. Virginia’s vehicle registration fees have generally been lower than Maryland’s, and until recently, Virginia allowed drivers to pay an uninsured motorist fee instead of carrying auto insurance. That policy created a loophole that some Maryland residents used to obtain Virginia plates while driving without insurance, which violates Maryland law.
In our September 2025 update, it was also noted that Virginia did not require proof of Virginia residency to register a vehicle, making it possible for some Maryland residents to use a friend’s address or a P.O. box to obtain Virginia tags. The MVA previously estimated that as many as 111,000 vehicles with Virginia plates were linked to Maryland addresses, resulting in a potential loss of up to $12 million in state revenue each year.
