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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*sb0145*
SENATE BILL 145
M1, R4 6lr1283
(PRE–FILED) CF HB 174
By: Senator West
Requested: October 21, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: February 12, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Motor Vehicles and Marine Vessels – Transfer–on–Death Designations 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing an individual who is the sole owner of a marine vessel or 3
multiple individuals who co –own a marine vessel under certain ownership 4
registrations to apply to the Department of Natural Resources to designate a 5
beneficiary to take ownership of the marine vessel on the death of the sole owner or 6
each co–owner; altering certain provisions of law governing the transfer–on–death 7
designation for motor vehicles to allow multiple individuals who co –own a motor 8
vehicle under certain ownership registrations to designat e a transfer –on–death 9
beneficiary; and generally relating to transfer –on–death beneficiaries for motor 10
vehicles and marine vessels. 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Natural Resources 13
Section 8–720.1 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – Transportation 18
Section 13–115 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
2 SENATE BILL 145
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Natural Resources 3
8–720.1. 4
(A) AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS THE SOLE OWNER OF A VESSEL OR MULTIPLE 5
INDIVIDUALS WHO CO –OWN A VESSEL AS JOIN T TENANTS WITH RIGHT OF 6
SURVIVORSHIP OR TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY MAY APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT TO 7
DESIGNATE A BENEFICIARY TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE VESSEL ON THE DEATH OF 8
THE SOLE OWNER OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 9
(B) THE DESIGNATION OF A BENEFICIARY MAY BE S HOWN BY THE WORDS 10
“TRANSFER–ON–DEATH” OR THE ABBREVIATION “TOD” AFTER THE NAME OF TH E 11
REGISTERED OWNER ON A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE. 12
(C) (1) THE DESIGNATION OF A BENEFICIARY FOR A VE SSEL DOES NOT 13
AFFECT THE OWNERSHIP OF THE VESSEL UNTIL THE DEATH OF THE SOL E OWNER 14
OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER OF THE VESSEL. 15
(2) THE DESIGNATION OF A BENEFICIARY MAY BE R EVOKED OR 16
CHANGED AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE DEATH OF THE SOLE OWNER OR TH E LAST 17
SURVIVING CO–OWNER WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE BENEFICIARY BY APPLYING 18
TO THE DEPARTMENT. 19
(D) THE DESIGNATION OF A BENEFICIARY IS NOT R EQUIRED TO BE 20
SUPPORTED BY CONSIDE RATION AND THE CERTI FICATE OF TITLE OF T HE VESSEL 21
FOR WHICH THE DESIGNATION IS MADE IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE DELIVERED TO THE 22
BENEFICIARY IN ORDER FOR THE DESIGNATION TO BE EFFECTIVE. 23
(E) ON THE DEATH OF THE S OLE OWNER OR T HE LAST SURVIVING 24
CO–OWNER OF A VESSEL WH O HAS DESIGNATED A B ENEFICIARY, OWNERSHIP OF 25
THE VESSEL SHALL PASS TO THE BENEFICIARY IF THE BENEFICIARY SURVIVES THE 26
SOLE OWNER OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 27
(F) (1) A DESIGNATED BENEFICIARY WHO SURVIVES THE S OLE OWNER 28
OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER SHALL APPLY TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR A NEW 29
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE FOR THE VESSEL. 30
(2) AN APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE BY A BENEFICIARY 31
FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE SOLE OWNER OR LAST SURVIVING CO –OWNER 32
SHALL INCLUDE: 33
SENATE BILL 145 3
(I) THE ORIGINAL CERTIFIC ATE OF TITLE DESIGNA TING THE 1
BENEFICIARY; 2
(II) A DEATH CERTIFICATE FO R THE DECEASED SOLE OWNER 3
OR EACH DECEASED CO–OWNER; 4
(III) PROOF OF THE IDENTITY OF THE BENEFICIARY; AND 5
(IV) ANY APPLICABLE TAXES OR FEES. 6
(G) IF A DESIGNATED BENEFICIARY DOES NOT SURVIVE THE DEATH OF THE 7
SOLE OWNER OR LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER, THE VESSEL IS PART OF THE ESTATE 8
OF THE DECEASED SOLE OWNER OR LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 9
(H) THIS SECTION DOES NOT LIMIT THE RIGHTS OF CREDITORS OF VESSEL 10
OWNERS AGAINST BENEFICIARIES AND OTHER TRANSFEREES UNDER OTHER LAWS 11
OF THE STATE. 12
(I) THE DEPARTMENT MAY CHARGE A FEE, NOT TO EXCEED ITS COSTS, FOR 13
ISSUING A CERTIFICATE OF TITLE UNDER THIS SECTION. 14
(J) THE DEPARTMENT MAY ADOPT REGULATION S TO CARRY OUT THIS 15
SECTION. 16
Article – Transportation 17
13–115. 18
(a) An individual who is the sole owner of a motor vehicle OR MULTIPLE 19
INDIVIDUALS WHO CO–OWN A MOTOR VEHICLE AS JOINT TENANTS WIT H RIGHT OF 20
SURVIVORSHIP OR TENANTS BY THE EN TIRETY may apply to the Administration to 21
designate a beneficiary to take ownership of the motor vehicle on the death of the SOLE 22
owner OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 23
(b) The designation of a beneficiary may be shown by the words 24
“transfer–on–death” or the abbreviation “TOD” after the name of the registered owner on 25
a certificate of title. 26
(c) (1) The designation of a beneficiary for a motor vehicle does not affect the 27
ownership of the motor vehicle until the death of the SOLE owner OR THE LAST 28
SURVIVING CO–OWNER of the motor vehicle. 29
(2) [The owner of a motor vehicle may cancel or change the designation of 30
a beneficiary at any time] THE DESIGNATION OF A BENEFICIARY MAY BE REVOKED OR 31
4 SENATE BILL 145
CHANGED AT ANY TIME BEFORE THE DEATH OF THE SOLE OWNER OR TH E LAST 1
SURVIVING CO–OWNER without the consent of the beneficiary by applying to the 2
Administration. 3
(d) The designation of a beneficiary is not required to be supported by 4
consideration, and the certificate of title of the motor vehicle for which the designation is 5
made is not required to be delivered to the beneficiary in order for the designation to be 6
effective. 7
(e) On the death of the SOLE owner OR THE LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER of a 8
motor vehicle who has designated a beneficiary, ownership of [a] THE motor vehicle shall 9
pass to the beneficiary if the beneficiary survives the SOLE owner OR THE LAST 10
SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 11
(f) (1) A designated beneficiary who survives the SOLE owner OR THE LAST 12
SURVIVING CO–OWNER shall apply to the Administration for a new certificate of title for 13
the motor vehicle. 14
(2) An application for a certificate of title by a beneficiary following the 15
death of the SOLE owner OR LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER shall include: 16
(i) The original certificate of title designating the beneficiary; 17
(ii) A death certificate for the deceased SOLE owner OR EACH 18
DECEASED CO–OWNER; 19
(iii) Proof of the identity of the beneficiary; and 20
(iv) Any applicable taxes or fees. 21
(g) If a designated beneficiary does not survive the death of the SOLE owner OR 22
LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER, the motor vehicle is part of the estate of the deceased SOLE 23
owner OR LAST SURVIVING CO–OWNER. 24
(h) This section does not limit the rights of creditors of motor vehicle owners 25
against beneficiaries and other transferees under other laws of this State. 26
(i) The Administration may charge a fee, not to exceed its costs, for issuing a 27
certificate of title under this section. 28
(j) The Administration may adopt regulations to carry out this section. 29
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 30
October 1, 2026. 31