Vehicle Laws - Historic Motor Vehicles - Minimum Age

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0566*

SENATE BILL 566
R4 6lr1235
HB 811/15 – ENV CF HB 4
By: Senators Ready, Bailey, Folden, and Salling
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Vehicle Laws – Historic Motor Vehicles – Minimum Age 2

FOR the purpose of requiring that a motor vehicle be at least a certain number of years old 3
in order to be eligible for registration as a historic motor vehicle; requiring the Motor 4
Vehicle Administration to reinstate certain historic motor vehicle registrations; and 5
generally relating to historic motor vehicles. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 7
Article – Transportation 8
Section 13–936 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

13–936. 15

(a) In this section, “historic motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle, including a 16
passenger vehicle, motorcycle, or truck that: 17

(1) Is [a model year of 1999 or earlier] AT LEAST 25 YEARS OLD; 18

(2) Has not been substantially altered from the manufacturer’s original 19
design; and 20

(3) Meets criteria contained in regulations adopted by the Administration. 21

2 SENATE BILL 566

(b) In this section, “historic motor vehicle” does not include a vehicle that has been 1
remanufactured or reconstructed as a replica of an original vehicle. 2

(c) If registered with the Administration under this section, every historic motor 3
vehicle is a Class L (historic) vehicle. 4

(d) Except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, for each Class L (historic) 5
vehicle, the annual registration fee is: 6

(1) On or after July 1, 2024, but before July 1, 2025, $45.50; and 7

(2) On or after July 1, 2025, $55.50. 8

(e) In applying for registration of a historic motor vehicle under this section, the 9
owner of the vehicle shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle for 10
which the application is made: 11

(1) Will be maintained for use in exhibitions, club activities, parades, tours, 12
and occasional transportation; and 13

(2) Will not be used: 14

(i) For general daily transportation; 15

(ii) Primarily for the transportation of passengers or property on 16
highways; 17

(iii) For employment; 18

(iv) For transportation to and from employment or school; or 19

(v) For commercial purposes. 20

(f) Except as provided in § 13 –936.1 of this subtitle, on registration of a vehicle 21
under this section, the Administration shall issue a special, historic motor vehicle 22
registration plate of the size and design that the Administration determines. 23

(g) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of 24
this State as a condition of sale when the vehicle was manufactured, the presence of any 25
specific equipment is not required for t he operation of a vehicle registered under this 26
section. 27

(h) (1) A vehicle with a model year of 1985 or earlier registered under this 28
section is exempt from any statute that requires vehicle inspections. 29

(2) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that 30
requires the use and inspection of emission controls. 31
SENATE BILL 566 3

(i) (1) For a motor vehicle manufactured at least 60 years prior to the current 1
model year, there is a onetime registration fee of $50.00. 2

(2) Registration of a motor vehicle manufactured under this subsection is 3
not transferable to a subsequent owner. 4

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Motor Vehicle 5
Administration shall reinstate, without any action required by the owner of a vehicle, the 6
historic motor vehicle registration of a motor vehicle that before July 1, 2025, was 7
registered as a historic motor vehicle and that on or after July 1, 2025, had its historic 8
vehicle registration suspended or revoked as a result of the change to the definition of 9
“historic motor vehicle” in Chapter 604 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2025. 10

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall be 11
construed to apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to ha ve any 12
effect on or application to any historic motor vehicle registered before the effective date of 13
this Act. 14

SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 15
1, 2026. 16