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*sb0352*
SENATE BILL 352
R4 6lr2368
CF HB 68
By: Senator Charles
Introduced and read first time: January 23, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted with floor amendments
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Motor Vehicles – Special Registration Plates – Old Line Plates 2
(Old Line License 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 repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – State Government 8
Section 9–4107(a) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – State Government 13
Section 9–4107(f)(1) 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY adding to 17
Article – Transportation 18
Section 13–619.5 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
2 SENATE BILL 352
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – State Government 3
9–4107. 4
(a) In this section, “Fund” means the Department of Social and Economic Mobility 5
Special Fund. 6
(f) (1) The Fund consists of: 7
(i) revenue distributed to the Fund under: 8
1. § 2–1302.2 of the Tax – General Article; AND 9
2. § 13–619.5 OF THE TRANSPORTATION ARTICLE; 10
(ii) money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund; 11
(iii) interest earnings of the Fund; and 12
(iv) any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit 13
of the Fund. 14
Article – Transportation 15
13–619.5. 16
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18
(2) “OLD LINE NUMBER” MEANS A NUMERIC –ONLY VEHICLE 19
REGISTRATION NUMBER CONSISTING OF ONE TO FIVE THREE DIGITS, WITHOUT 20
LETTERS, PUNCTUATION, OR LEADING ZEROS. 21
(3) “OLD LINE PLATE” MEANS A REGISTRATION PLATE ISSUED 22
UNDER THIS SECTION BEARING AN OLD LINE NUMBER. 23
(4) “QUALIFYING VEHICLE” MEANS: 24
(I) A CLASS A (PASSENGER) VEHICLE; 25
(II) A CLASS E (TRUCK) VEHICLE WITH A MAXIM UM GROSS 26
VEHICLE WEIGHT OF 10,000 POUNDS OR LESS; 27
SENATE BILL 352 3
(III) A CLASS M (MULTIPURPOSE) VEHICLE; OR 1
(IV) ANY OTHER CLASS OF VEHICLE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION 2
DESIGNATES BY REGULATION. 3
(5) “REGISTRATION NUMBER R IGHT” MEANS A REVOCABLE , 4
TRANSFERABLE AUTHORI ZATION ISSUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO HAV E A 5
PARTICULAR OLD LINE NUMBER ASSIGNED TO TH E REGISTRATION OF A 6
QUALIFYING VEHICLE. 7
(B) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL DEVELOP AND MAKE AVA ILABLE 8
FOR QUALIFYING VEHICLES AN OLD LINE PLATE. 9
(2) (I) THE STATE SHALL RETAIN OW NERSHIP OF ALL OLD LINE 10
PLATES. 11
(II) A HOLDER OF A REGISTRA TION NUMBER RIGHT DO ES NOT 12
HAVE PROPERTY INTEREST IN AN OLD LINE PLATE. 13
(3) AN OLD LINE PLATE SHALL RESEMBLE THE WHITE CHARACTERS 14
ON BLACK BACKGROUND REGISTRATION PLATE ISSUED BY THE STATE FOR DISPLAY 15
ON A MOTOR VEHICLE IN 1911. 16
(4) ON REQUEST OF A DISAB LED VETERAN WHO MEET S THE 17
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR A REGISTRATION PLATE ISSUED UNDER § 13–619.4 18
OF THIS SUBTITLE , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ENSURE THAT AN OLD LINE 19
PLATE ISSUED TO THE DISABLED VETERAN INCLUDES A DESIGNATION THAT STATES 20
“DISABLED VETERAN”. 21
(C) (1) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL MAINTAIN AN I NVENTORY OF 22
UNASSIGNED OLD LINE NUMBERS. 23
(2) (I) EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBPARAGRAPH (II) OF THIS 24
PARAGRAPH, THE ADMINISTRATION MAY NOT REASSIGN AN ACTIVE NUMERIC–ONLY 25
VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBER TO BE AN OLD LINE NUMBER. 26
(II) ON REQUEST OF A HOLDE R OF AN ACTIVE NUMERIC –ONLY 27
VEHICLE REGISTRATION NUMBER AND PAYMENT O F THE REGISTRATION P LATE 28
REPLACEMENT FEE ESTA BLISHED UNDER § 13–952 OF THIS TITLE , THE 29
ADMINISTRATION SHALL: 30
4 SENATE BILL 352
1. ISSUE THE HOLDER A REGISTRATION NUMBER RIGHT; 1
AND 2
2. EXCHANGE THE INDIVIDUAL’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 LIVE, ONLINE, 11
OR BY SEALED BID AND SHALL BE CONDUCTED P ERIODICALLY 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 REGISTRATIO N NUMBER RIGHT AND I SSUE A 15
NEW, IDENTICAL OLD LINE PLATE TO ANOTHER VEHI CLE REGISTRANT ON 16
APPLICATION AND PAYM ENT OF A TRANSFER FE E DETERMINED BY THE 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 F OR 12 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS S HALL 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 TRA NSFERRED 27
WITHIN 180 DAYS AFTER ITS INITIAL ISSUANCE OR MOST RECENT TRANSFER. 28
(4) NOT MORE THAN ONE TRA NSFER OF A SINGLE RE GISTRATION 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
SENATE BILL 352 5
(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 BUS INESS 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 T HE TRANSFER IS 11
DETERMINED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE FOR THE PURPOSE OF E VADING 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) (1) FEES COLLECTED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE: 17
(1) USED FIRST USED TO RECOVER THE ADMINISTRATION’S COSTS 18
UNDER THIS SECTION; AND. 19
(2) ANY FEES REMAINING AFTER RECOVERY OF CO STS UNDER 20
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION S HALL BE CREDITED IN THE FOLLOWING 21
MANNER: 22
(2) (I) CREDITED 50% TO THE TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND; 23
(II) 30% TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC 24
MOBILITY SPECIAL FUND UNDER § 9–4107 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE 25
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF MARYLAND; 26
(III) 10% TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY TRUST TO SUPPORT 27
CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS; AND 28
(IV) 10% TO THE MARYLAND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 29
FOUNDATION. 30
6 SENATE BILL 352
(H) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT 1
THIS SECTION. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Administration shall 3
conduct the first auction of Old Line Numbers not later than December 1, 2026. 4
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, T hat this Act shall take effect 5
October 1, 2026. 6
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.