MARYLAND - Maryland is preparing to increase enforcement against people who live in the state but continue to register their vehicles elsewhere.
The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration says the state's 60-day residency requirement is not new. People who move to Maryland have long been required to register their vehicles in the state within 60 days. What changes Oct. 1 is the enforcement process for those who do not comply.
MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer said the agency has spent the summer contacting people who may have out-of-state registrations and informing them about the upcoming changes.
Starting Oct. 1, MVA can send an official warning to someone the agency believes lives in Maryland while keeping a vehicle registered in another state. The person will then have 60 days to come into compliance. After that period, the state can impose a $7-per-day fine, up to $420. Additional enforcement can follow after 120 days.
Nizer said MVA has been working with Virginia in particular to identify vehicles registered there that are connected to Maryland addresses.
She said the issue goes beyond registration fees.
"It's about safety at the end of the day, because we all want to make sure that those vehicles on the roadway with us meet the safety inspection standards," Nizer said. "They have insurance, as appropriate for the state."
Nizer said registration fees also help support Maryland's Transportation Trust Fund, which pays for roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure. Part of the registration fee also supports emergency medical services and Shock Trauma.
The rules can raise questions for people with ties to more than one state.
Michael Parrett, who lives in Pocomoke, said he owns property in both Maryland and Virginia and pays taxes in both states. He also has vehicles with Maryland and Virginia tags. Parrett said he believes situations involving people who own property in multiple states deserve additional clarification.
"If I own property in Maryland and I own property in Virginia, and I pay taxes in Maryland, and I pay taxes in Virginia, and I'm able to pay insurance on my vehicle, I don't think it should be pursued that much as somebody's doing wrong," Parrett said.
Nizer said MVA's goal is to help people become compliant rather than issue fines. Anyone unsure whether their vehicle needs to be registered in Maryland is encouraged to contact MVA for guidance.
