As of July 1, 2025, Maryland’s Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) has implemented a new policy restricting historic vehicle tags to vehicles from model year 1999 or earlier, ending the previous rolling 20-year eligibility rule. This change impacts approximately 72,000 vehicles, or one-third of the 197,968 historic vehicle tags currently registered in Maryland, as the state addresses safety concerns and aims to generate $6 million annually through increased registration fees.
Previously, vehicles at least 20 years old qualified for historic vehicle tags, which offered benefits like no safety inspections, no emissions testing, cheaper registration fees, and lower insurance costs. “They’re still just normal cars on the street,” said Phil Blackiston, president of Maryland Tag and Title. “It’s not an historic, it’s not a classic, it’s not a collector’s car.” The appeal of these tags led to a significant increase in registrations, from 48,488 in 2022 to 58,690 in 2024, out of 5 million total vehicle registrations statewide.
The surge in historic vehicle tags raised alarms about road safety. “The cars that are on the road with historic tags on them that people are driving may not be safe to drive, which causes accidents, costs lives. It’s serious,” Blackiston said. The new fixed 1999 cutoff ensures that only vehicles from that year or earlier qualify for historic vehicle tags, reducing the number of potentially unsafe vehicles exploiting the designation. Of the current historic registrations, 125,544 vehicles meet the 1999 or earlier requirement.
The MVA emphasized that historic vehicle tags are intended for vehicles maintained for exhibitions, club activities, parades, or occasional transportation, not daily commuting. “This legislation reduces the number of eligible vehicles, thereby reducing opportunities for improper registration,” an MVA spokesperson told WMAR-2 News. Drivers with post-1999 vehicles can keep their historic vehicle tags until expiration but must then switch to standard registration, requiring a safety inspection if none is on file.
The policy change, enacted through Maryland’s 2025 Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act, is expected to generate $6 million annually, as standard registrations carry higher fees. Maryland’s registration fees have nearly doubled in two years, rising from $67.50 in 2023 to $120.50 as of July 1, 2025. By comparison, Virginia charges just $40, prompting some Maryland drivers to register vehicles out of state. “We are also seeing, immediately, more Virginia plates on back of cars. It’s cheap,” Blackiston noted. The MVA stressed that Maryland residents must register vehicles in-state, with non-compliance considered a criminal misdemeanor.
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) supports the revised historic vehicle tags policy. A SEMA spokesperson stated, “The Maryland change represents a common-sense approach to providing structure to what is considered a historic, collector-worthy vehicle. The 1999 cutoff enables great cars from the 1980s and 90s to remain on the road for future generations to enjoy, while also removing some of the grey areas from the law.” However, Blackiston warned that the change might not boost local tag and title businesses, as some drivers may seek cheaper alternatives elsewhere.
Maryland’s historic vehicle tags program has long aimed to preserve automotive heritage while ensuring road safety. Past concerns about misuse—such as using historic tags for daily commuting—prompted earlier reforms, like a 2016 law prohibiting their use for work, school, or commercial purposes. The 2025 policy shift addresses ongoing issues with enforcement and safety, as the MVA lacks authority to conduct traffic stops for tag misuse, relying instead on local law enforcement. The fixed 1999 cutoff aims to clarify eligibility and reduce loopholes, balancing cultural preservation with public safety.