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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb0212*
HOUSE BILL 212
R4 6lr0774
HB 219/25 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF SB 111
By: Delegate Addison Delegates Addison, Allen, Behler, Boyce, Foley,
Fraser–Hidalgo, Guyton, Holmes, Lewis, Odom, Stein, and Ziegler
Requested: September 4, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Vehicle Laws – Out–of–State Motor Vehicles – Improper Registration 2
Enforcement 3
FOR the purpose of authorizing the Motor Vehicle Administration to take possession of 4
certain motor vehicle registration cards and registration plates under certain 5
circumstances; altering a certain policy of this State; authorizing the Motor Vehicle 6
Administrator to enter into reciprocal agreements, arrangements, or declarations to 7
provide for reciprocal enforcement of cert ain automated enforcement violations; 8
prohibiting a title service agent from selling or offering for sale a certain motor 9
vehicle registration; establishing a certain process for bringing motor vehicles owned 10
by State residents that are improperly register ed in another state into compliance 11
with the Maryland Vehicle Law; and generally relating to improperly registered 12
enforcement with respect to out–of–state motor vehicles. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Transportation 15
Section 12–110(a), 12–402, and 15–606 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
BY adding to 19
Article – Transportation 20
Section 12–411.1 and 26–301(b–1) 21
2 HOUSE BILL 212
Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 3
Article – Transportation 4
Section 13–402(a) and (c)(7) and 26–301(b) 5
Annotated Code of Maryland 6
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Transportation 9
Section 26–301(b–1) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Transportation 15
12–110. 16
(a) (1) The Administration may take po ssession of any certificate of title, 17
registration card, permit, license, or registration plate: 18
[(1)] (I) That is fictitious; 19
[(2)] (II) That is issued by it and that: 20
[(i)] 1. Has expired; 21
[(ii)] 2. Has been canceled, suspended, or revoked; or 22
[(iii)] 3. Was issued unlawfully or erroneously; or 23
[(3)] (III) That has been issued by another jurisdiction but is being illegally 24
used or displayed. 25
(2) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY TA KE POSSESSION OF ANY 26
REGISTRATION CARD OR REGISTRATION PLATE T HAT WAS ISSUED BY AN OTHER 27
JURISDICTION BUT IS BEING USED OR DISPLA YED ON A MOTOR VEHIC LE BY A 28
PERSON WHO HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE STATE FOR MORE THAN 60 DAYS. 29
12–402. 30
HOUSE BILL 212 3
It is the policy of this State to promote and encourage the fullest possible use of its 1
highway system by authorizing vehicle reciprocal or proportional registration agreements, 2
arrangements, and declarations with other jurisdictions as to vehicles regi stered in this 3
State and in those other jurisdictions, thus contributing to the SAFETY AND THE economic 4
and social development and growth of this State. 5
12–411.1. 6
(A) THE ADMINISTRATOR MAY MAKE AN AGREEMENT , AN ARRANGEMENT, 7
OR A DECLARATION WIT H THE AUT HORIZED REPRESENTATI VE OF ANY OTHER 8
JURISDICTION TO PROV IDE FOR RECIPROCAL E NFORCEMENT OF VIOLAT IONS 9
RECORDED BY TRAFFIC CONTROL SIGNAL MONIT ORING SYSTEMS AND SP EED 10
MONITORING SYSTEMS BETWEEN THIS STATE AND THE OTHER JURISDICTION. 11
(B) AN AGREEMENT, AN ARRANGEMENT, OR A DECLARATION MADE UNDER 12
THIS SECTION MAY AUTHORIZE THE ADMINISTRATION TO REFUSE TO REGISTER OR 13
REREGISTER A MOTOR VEHICLE. 14
13–402. 15
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or elsewhere in the 16
Maryland Vehicle Law, each motor v ehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer driven on 17
a highway shall be registered under this subtitle. 18
(2) If a motor vehicle required to be registered under this subtitle is not 19
registered, a person may not park the unregistered motor vehicle on any: 20
(i) Public alley, street, or highway; or 21
(ii) Private property used by the public in general, including parking 22
lots of shopping centers, condominiums, apartments, or town house developments. 23
(3) The provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection do not apply to a 24
motor vehicle that is exempt from registration under this section or § 13 –402.1 of this 25
subtitle. 26
(c) Registration under this subtitle is not required for: 27
(7) A vehicle owned by a new resident of this State during the first 60 days 28
of residency provided the vehicle displays valid registration issued by the jurisdiction of the 29
resident’s former domicile; 30
15–606. 31
(a) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may not 32
make any material misrepresentation on any form of the Administration. 33
4 HOUSE BILL 212
(b) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may not 1
misrepresent any material fact in obtaining a license. 2
(c) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may not 3
willfully fail to notify the Administration of any change in the ownership, management, 4
name, or location of the business conducted under the license. 5
(d) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may no t 6
fail to account for and remit to the Administration any fees received by him for any 7
certificates of title, registrations, drivers’ licenses, certified copies of records, or other 8
related documents. 9
(e) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may not 10
conduct any title service agency business with or through any person required to be licensed 11
under this title if he knows that the person is not licensed. 12
(F) A TITLE SERVICE AGENT OR AN AGENT OR EMPLO YEE OF A TITLE 13
SERVICE AGENT MAY NOT SELL O R OFFER FOR SALE A M OTOR VEHICLE 14
REGISTRATION ISSUED BY ANOTHER JURISDICTION TO A RESIDENT OF THIS STATE. 15
[(f)] (G) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may 16
not willfully violate any provision of the Maryland Vehicle Law that relates to the business 17
of a title service agent. 18
[(g)] (H) A title service agent or an agent or employee of a title service agent may 19
not willfully fail to comply with any rule, regulation, or lawful order adopted by the 20
Administration under this title. 21
26–301. 22
(b) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, any State agency authorized by law 23
and any political subdivision of this State may adopt ordinances or regulations that: 24
(1) Regulate the parking of vehicles; 25
(2) Provide for the impounding of vehicles parked in violation of the 26
ordinances or regulations; 27
(3) Regulate the towing of vehicles from publicly owned and privately 28
owned parking lots; and 29
(4) Provide for the issuance of a citation by an officer fo r a violation of an 30
ordinance or regulation that is adopted under this section. 31
HOUSE BILL 212 5
(B–1) (1) IN ADDITION TO ANY OT HER PENALTY PROVIDED FOR IN THE 1
MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW, IF THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PR OBABLE CAUSE TO 2
BELIEVE THAT A MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER IS A R ESIDENT OF THE STATE AND HAS 3
FAILED TO PROPERLY REGISTER THE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION 4
AND DISPLAY VALID RE GISTRATION PLATES IS SUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ON 5
THE MOTOR VEHICLE, THE MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER IS SUB JECT TO A WARNING 6
REQUIRING THE MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER, WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER ISSUANCE OF THE 7
WARNING, TO: 8
(I) PROPERLY REGISTER THE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH THE 9
ADMINISTRATION AND DI SPLAY VALID REGISTRA TION PLATES ISSUED B Y THE 10
ADMINISTRATION ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE; OR 11
(II) PROVIDE PROOF ACCEPTA BLE T O THE ADMINISTRATION 12
THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED IN THE STATE. 13
(2) (I) IF THE MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER PROVID ES PROOF 14
ACCEPTABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT T HE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT 15
REQUIRED TO BE REGIS TERED IN THE STATE, IF APPLICABLE AS DET ERMINED BY 16
THE ADMINISTRATION, THE MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER SHALL OBTAIN AND DISPLAY 17
ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE A NONRESIDEN T PERMIT ISSUED BY T HE 18
ADMINISTRATION. 19
(II) IF THE MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER FAILS , WITHIN 60 DAYS 20
AFTER ISSUANCE OF A WARNING UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, TO PROPERLY REGISTER 21
THE MOTOR VEHICLE AND DISPLAY VALID REGISTRATION PLATES ON THE MOTOR 22
VEHICLE OR PROVIDE P ROOF ACCEPTABLE TO T HE ADMINISTRATION THAT 23
REGISTRATION IN THE STATE IS NOT REQUIRED , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL 24
BEGIN TO ASSESS A CI VIL FINE AGAINST THE MOTOR VEHICLE OF $7 PER DAY FOR 25
UP TO 60 DAYS OR UNTIL THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS PROPERLY REGISTERED AND 26
DISPLAYING VALID REGISTRATION PLATES OR THE ADMINISTRATION DETERMINES 27
THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJE CT TO REGISTRATION I N THE STATE, 28
WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. 29
(3) (I) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL NOTIFY THE APPROPRIA TE 30
LOCAL JURISDICTION IF A MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER FAILS, WITHIN 120 DAYS AFTER 31
ISSUANCE OF A WARNIN G UNDER THIS SUBSECTION, TO PROPERLY REGISTER THE 32
MOTOR VEHICLE AND DISPLAY VALID REGISTRATION P LATES ON THE MOTOR 33
VEHICLE OR SATISFY T HE ADMINISTRATION THAT T HE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT 34
SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION IN THE STATE. 35
(II) THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY ATTORNEY 36
MAY BRING A CIVIL AC TION IN REM AGAINST A MOTOR VEHICLE FOR WHICH TH E 37
MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER FAILS UNDER THIS SUBSECTION TO PROPERLY REGISTER 38
6 HOUSE BILL 212
AND DISPLAY VALID RE GISTRATION PLATES OR TO SATISFY THE ADMINISTRATION 1
THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION IN THE STATE. 2
(III) IN A CIVIL ACTION IN REM BROUGHT UNDER TH IS 3
SUBSECTION, THE APPROPRIATE COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY ATTORNEY MAY SEEK 4
IMMOBILIZATION OF TH E MOTOR VEHICLE BY TOWING OR REMOVAL AND 5
IMPOUNDMENT OR BY BOOTING. 6
(4) (I) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL SUSPEND THE DRIVER ’S 7
LICENSE OR PRIVILEGE TO DRIVE IN THE STATE OF ANY MOTOR VE HICLE OWNER 8
WHO FAILS , WITHIN 120 DAYS AFTER ISSUANCE OF A WARNING UNDER T HIS 9
SUBSECTION, TO PROPERLY REGISTER THE MOTOR VEHICLE AN D DISPLAY VALID 10
REGISTRATION PLATES ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE OR SATISFY THE ADMINISTRATION 11
THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION IN THE STATE. 12
(II) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL REINSTATE A MOTOR 13
VEHICLE OWNER’S DRIVER’S LICENSE OR PRIVILEGE TO DRIVE IN THE STATE IF THE 14
MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER PROPERLY REGISTERS T HE MOTOR VEHICLE AND 15
DISPLAYS VALID REGISTRATION PLATES ON THE MOTOR VEHICLE OR SATISFIES THE 16
ADMINISTRATION THAT THE MOTOR VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION IN 17
THE STATE. 18
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 19
October 1, 2026. 20
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.