WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 451
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Chapter 451
(House Bill 882)
AN ACT concerning
Business Regulation – Sale of Motor Fuel – Pricing Signage
(Gas Price Gouging Clarity Act)
FOR the purpose of establishing that certain provisions governing signage at retail service
stations supersede inconsistent local law; altering a signage requirement for retail
service stations relating to the price of regular gasoline; altering a signage
authorization for retail service stations relating to the price of diesel and other motor
fuel products; repealing an exemption from a certain signage requirement for retail
service station dealers with not more than a certain number of dispensing units and
nozzles; and generally relating to pricing signs at retail service stations.
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Business Regulation
Section 10–315
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2015 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Business Regulation
10–315.
(A) THIS SECTION SUPERSED ES ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISION OF LOCAL
LAW.
(a) (B) A person who sells motor fuel at retail shall display signs in accordance
with this section.
(b) (C) (1) All dispensing equipment for motor fuel shall be marked
conspicuously to show in numerals of equal size the price, including taxes, of a gallon of the
motor fuel offered for sale.
(2) If numerals that show a fractional cent are used, the combined height
and width of the numerator and denominator shall equal the height and width of the other
numerals used.
(c) (D) (1) A sign or other means on the premises and approaches to a retail
outlet that advertises the retail price of motor fuel: Ch. 451 2024 LAWS OF MARYLAND
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(i) may list the price and each tax separately if the listing of the
total of the price and all taxes is the same size as the separate listing of the price; but
(ii) shall list the total of the price and all taxes by numerals of
uniform size.
(2) In the listing of the total of the price and all taxes, a denominator need
not be used to indicate a fraction, but:
(i) if a denominator is used, the numerator and denominator
combined shall be the same size as the numeral that indicates the whole number; or
(ii) if a denominator is not used, the numerator shall be the same
size as the numeral that indicates the whole number.
(d) (E) If the retail price of motor fuel is advertised on a sign or by other means
on the premises of and approaches to the retail outlet, the grade designation displayed for
any motor fuel in the advertisement shall be the same as the grade designation that is
required to be displayed for that motor fuel on the retail dispensing pump as specified by
the Comptroller.
(e) (F) (1) [This subsection does not apply to a retail service station dealer
who operates with not more than 3 dispensing units that combined have not more than 6
nozzles.
(2)] (i) Each retail service station dealer shall keep a sign on the
premises that:
1. [states the lowest price] PROMINENTLY DISPLAYS
CLEARLY AND VISIBLY , for a whole measurement unit of regular gasoline sold on the
premises:
A. THE CREDIT AND DEBIT PRICE, IF HIGHER THAN THE
CASH PRICE; OR
B. THE CREDIT AND DEBIT PRICE AND THE CASH P RICE;
2. states the unit of measurement used; and
3. is readable by passing motorists.
(ii) The sign required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph also
may [state the lowest price] PROMINENTL Y DISPLAY CLEARLY AN D VISIBLY, for a whole
measurement unit of diesel and other motor fuel products sold on the premises: WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 451
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1. THE CREDIT AND DEBIT PRICE, IF HIGHER THAN THE
CASH PRICE; OR
2. THE CREDIT AND DEBIT PRICE AND THE CASH P RICE.
[(3)] (2) All numerals on the sign shall:
(i) be uniform;
(ii) BE THE SAME SIZE;
(III) be at least 8 inches high and 3.5 inches wide; and
(iii) (IV) have a brush stroke of at least 1 inch.
[(4)] (3) A numeral in a fraction or a letter shall be at least one–third the
height of a numeral that indicates a whole number.
[(5)] (4) If a new or additional sign is required to comply with this
subsection, the supplier of the gasoline shall provide the sign and numerals without cost to
the retail service station dealer.
(f) (G) A sign required at a service station by this section or any other State or
federal law is exempt from the provisions of a local law, ordinance, or regulation for the
purpose of determining:
(1) the total number of signs permitted; and
(2) the area of signs permitted.
(g) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, signs regulated by this
section or other State law or by federal law may be regulated by the local zoning authority
and shall be consistent with the local law, ordinance, or regulation governing signs.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2024.
Approved by the Governor, May 9, 2024.