The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has warned that “Maryland residents must register their vehicles with the Maryland MVA” after it was discovered that a large number of Maryland residents are illegally registering their vehicles in Virginia to avoid Maryland’s higher registration fees, titling taxes, and requirement to carry auto insurance.
In a post on social media, the MVA added, “It’s the law. Driving without a valid registration is a criminal misdemeanor – and it’s not worth the risk.” The image that accompanies the post states, “Maryland residents. Maryland plates.” and asks Marylanders to “Avoid the fines. Avoid the risks.” with a prompt to report violations to [email protected] or to contact local law enforcement.
Virginia’s vehicle registration fees are significantly lower than Maryland’s and for many years, Virginia allowed residents to pay an uninsured motorist fee instead of purchasing auto insurance. This created a loophole that Maryland residents could exploit, allowing them to legally drive with Virginia tags while not having insurance, which is a violation of Maryland law…