EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0219*
HOUSE BILL 219
R4, R7 5lr0673
HB 332/24 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF 5lr3161
By: Delegate Addison Delegates Addison, Allen, Boyce, Foley, Healey, Holmes,
Lehman, R. Lewis, J. Long, T. Morgan, Ruth, Stein, Stewart, Terrasa, and
Ziegler
Requested: August 12, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 25, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Baltimore City Vehicle Laws – Out–of–State Vehicles – Improper Registration 2
FOR the purpose of authorizing Baltimore City to tow, remove, or impound a vehicle owned 3
by a new resident of the State who fails to register the vehicle with the Motor Vehicle 4
Administration and display valid registration plates issued by the Administration 5
within a certain time period establishing a certain process for bringing vehicles 6
owned by State residents that are improperly registered in another state into 7
compliance with the Maryland Vehicle Law; and generally relating to towing, 8
removal, and impounding of improperly registered out–of–state vehicles in 9
Baltimore City. 10
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Transportation 12
Section 13–402(a) and (c)(7) and 26–301(b) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Transportation 17
Section 26–301(b–1) 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 20 2 HOUSE BILL 219
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Transportation 3
13–402. 4
(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or elsewhere in the 5
Maryland Vehicle Law, each motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, and pole trailer driven on 6
a highway shall be registered under this subtitle. 7
(2) If a motor vehicle required to be registered under this subtitle is not 8
registered, a person may not park the unregistered motor vehicle on any: 9
(i) Public alley, street, or highway; or 10
(ii) Private property used by the public in general, including parking 11
lots of shopping centers, condominiums, apartments, or town house developments. 12
(3) The provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection do not apply to a 13
motor vehicle that is exempt from registration under this section or § 13–402.1 of this 14
subtitle. 15
(c) Registration under this subtitle is not required for: 16
(7) A vehicle owned by a new resident of this State during the first 60 days 17
of residency provided the vehicle displays valid registration issued by the jurisdiction of the 18
resident’s former domicile; 19
26–301. 20
(b) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, any State agency authorized by law 21
and any political subdivision of this State may adopt ordinances or regulations that: 22
(1) Regulate the parking of vehicles; 23
(2) Provide for the impounding of vehicles parked in violation of the 24
ordinances or regulations; 25
(3) Regulate the towing of vehicles from publicly owned and privately 26
owned parking lots; and 27
(4) Provide for the issuance of a citation by an officer for a violation of an 28
ordinance or regulation that is adopted under this section. 29
(B–1) (1) THIS SUBSECTION APPLI ES ONLY IN BALTIMORE CITY. 30 HOUSE BILL 219 3
(2) BALTIMORE CITY MAY TOW, REMOVE, OR IMPOUND A VEHICLE 1
OWNED BY A NEW RESID ENT OF THE STATE WHO FAILS TO RE GISTER THE VEHICLE 2
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND DISPLAY VALID REGIST RATION PLATES ISSUED BY 3
THE ADMINISTRATION WITHIN 60 DAYS AS REQUIRED UND ER § 13–402 OF THIS 4
ARTICLE. 5
(B–1) (1) IN ADDITION TO ANY OT HER PENALTY PROVIDED FOR IN THE 6
MARYLAND VEHICLE LAW, IF THE ADMINISTRATION HAS PR OBABLE CAUSE TO 7
BELIEVE THAT A VEHICLE OWNER IS A RESIDENT OF THE STATE AND HAS FAILED TO 8
PROPERLY REGISTER TH E VEHICLE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND DI SPLAY 9
VALID REGISTRATION P LATES ISSUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE VEHICLE, 10
THE VEHICLE OWNER IS SUBJECT TO A WARNING REQUIRING THE VEHICLE OWN ER, 11
WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER ISSUANCE OF THE WARNING , TO: 12
(I) PROPERLY REGISTER THE VEHICLE WITH THE 13
ADMINISTRATION AND DI SPLAY VALID REGISTRA TION PLATES ISSUED B Y THE 14
ADMINISTRATION ; OR 15
(II) PROVIDE PROOF ACCEPTA BLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION 16
THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT REQUIRED TO BE R EGISTERED IN THE STATE. 17
(2) (I) IF THE VEHICLE OWNER PROVIDES PROOF ACCEP TABLE TO 18
THE ADMINISTRATION THAT T HE VEHICLE IS NOT RE QUIRED TO BE REGISTE RED IN 19
THE STATE, IF APPLICABLE AS DET ERMINED BY TH E ADMINISTRATION , THE 20
VEHICLE OWNER SHALL OBTAIN AND DISPLAY O N THE VEHICLE A NONR ESIDENT 21
PERMIT ISSUED BY THE ADMINISTRATION . 22
(II) IF, WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER ISSUANCE OF A WARNING UNDER 23
THIS SUBSECTION , THE VEHICLE OWNER FA ILS TO PROPERLY REGI STER THE 24
VEHICLE AND DISPLAY V ALID REGISTRATION PL ATES ON THE VEHICLE OR PROVIDE 25
PROOF ACCEPTABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT R EGISTRATION IN THE STATE 26
IS NOT REQUIRED , THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL ASSESS A CIVIL FINE AGAINST THE 27
VEHICLE OF $7 PER DAY FOR UP TO 60 DAYS OR UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS PROPERLY 28
REGISTERED AND DISPL AYING VALID REGISTRA TION PLATES OR THE 29
ADMINISTRATION DETERM INES THAT THE VEHICL E IS NOT SUBJECT TO 30
REGISTRATION IN THE STATE. 31
(3) (I) THE ADMINISTRATION SHALL NOTIFY THE APPROPRIA TE 32
LOCAL JURISDICTION IF A VEHICLE OWNER F AILS, WITHIN 120 DAYS AFTER 33
ISSUANCE OF A WARNIN G UNDER THIS SUBSECT ION, TO PROPERLY REGISTER THE 34
VEHICLE AND DISPLAY VALID REGISTRATION P LATES ON THE VEHICLE OR SATISFY 35
THE ADMINISTRATION THAT T HE VEHICLE IS NOT SU BJECT TO REGISTRATIO N IN 36
THE STATE. 37 4 HOUSE BILL 219
(II) THE APPROPRIATE COUNT Y STATE’S ATTORNEY MAY 1
BRING A CIVIL ACTION IN REM AGAINST A VEH ICLE FOR WHICH THE V EHICLE OWNER 2
FAILS UNDER THIS SUB SECTION TO PROPERLY REGISTER AND DISPLAY VALID 3
REGISTRATION PLATES OR TO SATISFY THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THE VEHI CLE IS 4
NOT SUBJECT TO REGIS TRATION IN THE STATE. 5
(III) IN A CIVIL ACTION IN REM BROUGHT UNDER TH IS 6
SUBSECTION, THE APPROPRIATE COUN TY STATE’S ATTORNEY MAY SEEK 7
IMMOBILIZATION OF TH E VEHICLE BY TOWING OR REMOVAL AND IMPOU NDMENT, 8
OR BOOTING. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 10
October 1, 2025. 11
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.