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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0068*
HOUSE BILL 68
R4 6lr0880
(PRE–FILED) CF 6lr2368
By: Delegate Stewart
Requested: September 17, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Motor Vehicles – Special Registration Plates – Old Line Plates 2
(Old Line Plate Program Act of 2026) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to develop and make 4
available an Old Line Plate with a certain numeric –only registration number for 5
certain motor vehicles; and generally relating to special vehicle registration plates. 6
BY adding to 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 13–619.5 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 12
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 13
Article – Transportation 14
13–619.5. 15
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS H AVE THE MEANINGS 16
INDICATED. 17
(2) “OLD LINE NUMBER” MEANS A NUMERIC –ONLY VEHICLE 18
REGISTRATION NUMBER CONSISTING OF ONE TO FIVE DIGITS, WITHOUT LETTERS, 19
PUNCTUATION, OR LEADING ZEROS. 20
(3) “OLD LINE PLATE” MEANS A REGISTRATION PLATE ISSUED 21
UNDER THIS SECTION BEARING AN OLD LINE NUMBER. 22
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(4) “QUALIFYING VEHICLE” MEANS: 1
(I) A CLASS A (PASSENGER) VEHICLE; 2
(II) A CLASS E (TRUCK) VEHICLE WITH A MAXIM UM GROSS 3
VEHICLE WEIGHT OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS; 4
(III) A CLASS M (MULTIPURPOSE) VEHICLE; OR 5
(IV) ANY OTHER CLASS OF VEHICLE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION 6
DESIGNATES BY REGULATION. 7
(5) “REGISTRATION NUMBER R IGHT” MEANS A REVOCABLE , 8
TRANSFERABLE AUTHORI ZATION ISSUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO HAV E A 9
PARTICULAR OLD LINE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO TH E REGISTRATION OF A 10
QUALIFYING VEHICLE. 11
(B) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL DEVELOP AND MAKE AVA ILABLE 12
FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES AN OLD LINE PLATE. 13
(2) (I) THE STATE SHALL RETAIN OW NERSHIP OF ALL OLD LINE 14
PLATES. 15
(II) A HOLDER OF A REGISTRA TION NUMBER RIGHT DOES NO T 16
HAVE PROPERTY INTEREST IN AN OLD LINE PLATE. 17
(3) AN OLD LINE PLATE SHALL RESEMBLE THE WHITE CHARACTERS 18
ON BLACK BACKGROUND REGISTRATION PLATE ISSUED BY THE STATE FOR DISPLAY 19
ON A MOTOR VEHICLE IN 1911. 20
(C) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL MAINTAIN AN INVENTOR Y OF 21
UNASSIGNED OLD LINE NUMBERS. 22
(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 23
PARAGRAPH, THE ADMINISTRATION MAY NOT REASSIGN AN ACTIVE NUMERIC–ONLY 24
VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBER TO BE AN OLD LINE NUMBER. 25
(II) ON REQUEST OF A HOLDE R OF AN ACTIVE NUMER IC–ONLY 26
VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBER AND PAYMENT O F THE REGISTRATION P LATE 27
REPLACEMENT FEE ESTA BLISHED UNDER § 13–952 OF THIS TITLE, THE 28
ADMINISTRATION SHALL: 29
HOUSE BILL 68 3
1. ISSUE THE HOLDER A REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT; 1
AND 2
2. EXCHANGE THE INDIVIDU AL’S CURRENT 3
REGISTRATION PLATE WITH AN OLD LINE PLATE BEARING THE HOLDER’S CURRENT 4
REGISTRATION NUMBER. 5
(D) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL: 6
(I) ESTABLISH AND OPERATE A PUBLIC AUCTION PROGRAM TO 7
AWARD REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHTS IN OLD LINE NUMBERS; AND 8
(II) ADOPT RESERVE PRICES , BID INCREMENTS , BIDDER 9
QUALIFICATIONS, AND OFFER NUMBER CATEGORIES. 10
(2) AN AUCTION UNDER THIS SUBSECTION SHALL BE LIV E, ONLINE, 11
OR BY SEALED BID AND SHALL BE CON DUCTED PERIODICALLY OR ON A ROLLING 12
BASIS. 13
(E) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPHS (3) AND (4) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THE 14
ADMINISTRATION MAY TR ANSFER A REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT AND ISSUE A 15
NEW, IDENTICAL OLD LINE PLATE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE REGISTRANT ON 16
APPLICATION AND PAYMENT OF A TRANSFE R FEE DETERMINED BY TH E 17
ADMINISTRATION. 18
(2) (I) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A 19
REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT FOR AN OLD LINE NUMBER NOT ASSIGNED T O A 20
QUALIFYING VEHICLE FOR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS SHALL REVERT TO THE 21
ADMINISTRATION 60 DAYS AFTER WRITTEN NOTICE IS SENT TO THE REGISTRANT’S 22
LAST ADDRESS ON FILE. 23
(II) FOR GOOD CAUSE SHOWN , THE ADMINISTRATION MAY 24
AUTHORIZE A ONE–TIME DELAY ON REVERSION OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT 25
FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS. 26
(3) A REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED 27
WITHIN 180 DAYS AFTER ITS INITIAL ISSUANCE OR MOST RECENT TRANSFER. 28
(4) NOT MORE THAN ONE TRA NSFER OF A SINGLE REGISTRATION 29
NUMBER RIGHT MAY OCC UR DURING ANY 12–MONTH PERIOD UNLESS THE 30
TRANSFER: 31
(I) IS TO OR FROM THE ESTATE OF A DECEASED HOLDER; 32
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(II) IS TO A SPOUSE , DOMESTIC PARTNER, PARENT, CHILD, OR 1
SIBLING OF THE HOLDER OF THE RIGHT; OR 2
(III) OCCURS IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE BUSINESS 3
REORGANIZATION IN WHICH THE BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF THE ENTITY HOLDING 4
THE RIGHT REMAINS UNCHANGED. 5
(F) (1) (I) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY DENY, SUSPEND, OR REVOKE A 6
REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT FOR FRAUD OR MISUSE, NONPAYMENT OF REQUIRED 7
FEES, OR A VIOLATION OF TH IS SECTION OR REGULA TIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS 8
SECTION. 9
(II) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY DENY, SUSPEND, OR REVOKE A 10
TRANSFER UNDER SUBSE CTION (E) OF THIS SECTION IF THE TRANSFER IS 11
DETERMINED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE FOR THE PU RPOSE OF EVADING 12
REQUIREMENTS UNDER SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION. 13
(2) UPON REVOCATION OR SURRENDER OF A REGISTRATION NUMBER 14
RIGHT, THE RIGHT SHALL REVERT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND TH E OLD LINE 15
NUMBER MAY BE RE–AUCTIONED. 16
(G) FEES COLLECTED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE: 17
(1) USED TO RECOVER THE ADMINISTRATION’S COSTS UNDER THIS 18
SECTION; AND 19
(2) CREDITED TO THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND. 20
(H) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT 21
THIS SECTION. 22
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Administration shall 23
conduct the first auction of Old Line Numbers not later than December 1, 2026. 24
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 25
October 1, 2026. 26