HB1447 • 2026

Motor Vehicle Administration - Improper Registration - Investigation and Penalties

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Delegate Fair
Last action: 2026-02-13
Official status: In the House - Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m.
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Motor Vehicle Administration - Improper Registration - Investigation and Penalties

Requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to implement a certain system for collecting certain information and determining certain addresses; authorizing the Administration to conduct certain investigations and assess certain penalties; requiring the Administration to provide certain notice; requiring certain penalties to be deposited into the Transportation Trust Fund; authorizing the Administration to enter into contracts with private parties to procure certain services of independent agents; etc.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to implement a certain system for collecting certain information and determining certain addresses; authorizing the Administration to conduct certain investigations and assess certain penalties; requiring the Administration to provide certain notice; requiring certain penalties to be deposited into the Transportation Trust Fund; authorizing the Administration to enter into contracts with private parties to procure certain services of independent agents; etc.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-13 House
First Reading Environment and Transportation
2026-02-13 House
Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m.
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Motor Vehicle Administration - Improper Registration - Investigation and Penalties

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to implement a certain system for collecting certain information and determining certain addresses; authorizing the Administration to conduct certain investigations and assess certain penalties; requiring the Administration to provide certain notice; requiring certain penalties to be deposited into the Transportation Trust Fund; authorizing the Administration to enter into contracts with private parties to procure certain services of independent agents; etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1447*

HOUSE BILL 1447
R4 6lr2166

By: Delegate Fair
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Motor Vehicle Administration – Improper Registration – Investigation and 2
Penalties 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Motor Vehicle Administration to implement a certain 4
system for collecting certain information and determining certain addresses; 5
authorizing the Administration to conduct certain investigations and assess certain 6
penalties; authorizing the Administration to enter into contracts with private parties 7
to procure certain services of independent agents; and generally relating to 8
improperly registered vehicles in the State. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Transportation 11
Section 17–112 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Transportation 17

17–112. 18

(A) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ESTABLISH AND IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM 19
TO COLLECT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THE ADDRESS TO WHICH A CONTRACT 20
FOR THE REQUIRED SECURITY UNDER THIS SUBTITLE IS CONNECTED. 21

(B) (1) IF THE INFORMATION COLLECTED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF 22
THIS SECTION INDICAT ES THAT THE OWNER OF A VEHICLE IS RESIDENT OF THE 23
STATE AND THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN ANO THER STATE , THE 24
2 HOUSE BILL 1447

ADMINISTRATION MAY CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH 1
THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER TITLE 13 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2

(2) IF THE ADMINISTRATION DETERMINES, AFTER CONDUCTING AN 3
INVESTIGATION UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION, THAT THE OWNER OF 4
THE VEHICLE IS A RESIDENT OF THE STATE AND HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY 5
REGISTER THE VEHICLE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, THE ADMINISTRATION: 6

(I) SHALL PROVIDE NOTICE OF NONCOMPLIANCE TO THE 7
OWNER OF THE VEHICLE; AND 8

(II) MAY ASSESS THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WITH A PENALTY 9
OF $150. 10

(C) IF, WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF NOTICE UNDER SUBSECTION (B) 11
OF THIS SECTION , THE OWNER OF THE VEH ICLE HAS FAILED TO PROPER LY 12
REGISTER THE VEHICLE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, THE ADMINISTRATION MAY, 13
IN ADDITION TO ANY O THER PENALTY PROVIDE D IN THIS ARTICLE , ASSESS THE 14
OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WITH A PENALTY OF $500. 15

(D) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL DEPOSIT PENALTIES COLLECTED UNDER 16
THIS SECTION IN THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND. 17

(E) THE ADMINISTRATION MAY EN TER INTO CONTRACTS W ITH PRIVATE 18
PARTIES TO PROCURE THE SERVI CES OF INDEPENDENT A GENTS TO ASSIST IN 19
CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. 20

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 21
October 1, 2026. 22