MD · Registration fee guide

Maryland car registration fees

Last verified 2026-10-28 · View sources

Maryland sets passenger car registration fees by the manufacturer's shipping weight: $80.50 a year at 3,500 lbs or less, $85.50 from 3,501 to 3,700 lbs, and $151.50 over 3,700 lbs.

Your itemized estimate

Estimate your registration

Use your vehicle details to calculate the listed fees. Amounts reflect the schedule verified in 2026.

Start with the published example below, then adjust the details for your vehicle.

Published example · listed fees

12-month renewal example

Estimated total$120.50

Itemized estimate, with official fee sources
Fee	Amount
Registration fee (1 year, Class A passenger car, by shipping weight)	$80.50
Emergency Medical Services surcharge (1 year)	$40.00

Where the fees go

State fees$120.50
County / local$0.00
One-time$0.00

View breakdown data

Where the fees go — amounts in USD
Category	Amount
State fees	$120.50
County / local	$0.00
One-time	$0.00

Estimate only. Includes only the fees listed here; other taxes, penalties or local charges may apply. Confirm with the official agency.

What’s not included

Amounts are per year. Maryland lets you register for one, two or three years; a two-year renewal of a 3,500 lb gas car is $241 (2 x $120.50).
The plug-in hybrid surcharge applies only to plug-in hybrids, so it is an optional line; standard hybrids pay no surcharge.
Pickup trucks register as Class E by gross vehicle weight at different rates (MVA lists $133.75 to $178.75 per year including the EMS surcharge) and are not modeled here.
Vehicle value is used only for the one-time 6.5% excise tax on a new registration. The $41.60/$100 minimums and out-of-state tax credits are not modeled.
Emissions inspection (VEIP, $30 test fee), temporary registration ($50), vanity and specialty plates, and the uninsured penalty fee are not included.
State law bars counties and cities from adding a sales, use or excise tax on titling (Transportation § 13-809(b)(3)).

Confirm with MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA)

Base registration feeVaries by vehicleFee source ↗

EV / hybrid fee$125.00 / $100.00See applicable rules

Typical example total$120.5012-month renewal example

Registration fee schedule

Only applicable fees contribute to your estimate. Optional fees are excluded unless selected. One-time fees apply only to new registrations.

Maryland fee rules · verified 2026-10-28
Fee	Amount or rule	Applies to
Registration fee (1 year, Class A passenger car, by shipping weight)	Up to 3,500 lbs: $80.50; Up to 3,700 lbs: $85.50; Remaining weights: $151.50 Transportation § 13-912(b), rates on or after July 1, 2025, based on the manufacturer's shipping weight. The MVA fee page lists $120.50 / $125.50 / $191.50 per year, which is these amounts plus the $40 EMS surcharge. Multipurpose vehicles (Class M) pay the same amounts.	All listed vehicles All listed vehicles
Emergency Medical Services surcharge (1 year)	$40.00 Transportation § 13-954(b): $40 per year on each registered motor vehicle.	All listed vehicles All listed vehicles
Zero-emission vehicle surcharge (1 year)	$125.00 Transportation § 13-956, for registrations expiring January 2025 and later. The law lets MVA adjust it for inflation after June 30, 2025; MVA currently lists $125.	See conditions fuel type: electric
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) surcharge (1 year)	$100.00 Plug-in hybrids only; regular (non-plug-in) hybrids pay no surcharge. Transportation § 13-956; MVA currently lists $100.	Optional fuel type: hybrid; optional
Certificate of title	$200.00 Transportation § 13-802(a): $200 for a new or used vehicle title.	New registration All listed vehicles; one-time
Excise (titling) tax, 6.5% of fair market value	6.5% of vehicle value Transportation § 13-809: 6.5% of fair market value (dealer sales: total purchase price less trade-in). MVA lists a $41.60 minimum; vehicles previously titled in another state get credit for tax paid there, with a $100 minimum. Minimums and credits are not applied here.	New registration All listed vehicles; one-time
Security interest (lien) filing	$40.00 Only if the vehicle is financed.	New registration All listed vehicles; optional; one-time

How Maryland fees work

Maryland sets passenger car registration fees by the manufacturer's shipping weight: $80.50 a year at 3,500 lbs or less, $85.50 from 3,501 to 3,700 lbs, and $151.50 over 3,700 lbs. Every registration also pays a $40 yearly Emergency Medical Services surcharge, and since January 2025 electric cars pay a $125 yearly surcharge and plug-in hybrids $100. You can register for one, two or three years; the amounts here are per year. Titling a vehicle costs $200 plus a 6.5% excise (titling) tax on its fair market value.

The listed registration period is 12 months. Agency information

Cost factors: weight, fuel.

Electric & hybrid surcharges

Electric: $125.00 in the listed schedule. Fee source

Hybrid: $100.00 in the listed schedule. Fee source

Choose the matching fuel type in the calculator to include the applicable surcharge.

Late registration

The MVA publishes no late renewal fee. Renew before the registration expires (up to 90 days early); driving with an expired registration may result in fines.

Confirm deadlines and penalties with the agency

Worked example

2022 gas sedan, 3,500 lbs, one-year renewal: $80.50 registration fee (3,500 lbs or less) + $40 EMS surcharge = $120.50. Vehicle value ($25,000) only affects the one-time excise tax on a new registration.

Listed total: $120.50

See the fee rules and sources above

Common questions

How are Maryland registration fees calculated?

Where can I confirm my final registration cost?

Confirm the final amount with MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Its official website is linked below the calculator and in this guide’s sources.

What other limitations should I consider?

Amounts are per year. Maryland lets you register for one, two or three years; a two-year renewal of a 3,500 lb gas car is $241 (2 x $120.50). The plug-in hybrid surcharge applies only to plug-in hybrids, so it is an optional line; standard hybrids pay no surcharge. Pickup trucks register as Class E by gross vehicle weight at different rates (MVA lists $133.75 to $178.75 per year including the EMS surcharge) and are not modeled here. Vehicle value is used only for the one-time 6.5% excise tax on a new registration. The $41.60/$100 minimums and out-of-state tax credits are not modeled. Emissions inspection (VEIP, $30 test fee), temporary registration ($50), vanity and specialty plates, and the uninsured penalty fee are not included. State law bars counties and cities from adding a sales, use or excise tax on titling (Transportation § 13-809(b)(3)).

Sources and last checked

Sources

Fees & Payment Options MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration
Renew Registration MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration
Maryland Code, Transportation § 13-912 (Class A passenger vehicle fees) Maryland General Assembly
Maryland Code, Transportation § 13-954 (EMS surcharge) Maryland General Assembly
Maryland Code, Transportation § 13-956 (zero-emission and plug-in vehicle surcharge) Maryland General Assembly
Maryland Code, Transportation § 13-802 (title fee) Maryland General Assembly
Maryland Code, Transportation § 13-809 (excise tax) Maryland General Assembly

Last verified 2026-10-28

Fees can change. Confirm your final amount with the official registration agency before paying.

Keep exploring

Compare in the Southeast

← All state guides