Questions & Answers About Maryland Tag Renewal

Hello, Maryland friends. Has your registration recently expired? If it has, you may have a few questions about how to renew a Maryland tag. Luckily, you’ve come to the right place to get some answers. Here at eTags, we help Maryland drivers just like you renew their MVA tags quickly and conveniently.

To help you with your upcoming Maryland tag renewal, we’ve gone ahead and answered six commonly asked questions about this important topic:

1. What Documents Are Needed for a Tag Renewal in Maryland?
2. What’s the Easiest Way to Renew Your Maryland Registration?
3. What Happens if You Are Caught Driving with Expired Tags in Maryland?
4. How Does the MVA’s Vehicle Emission Inspection Program (VEIP) Work?
5. When Does the MVA Usually Send a Renewal Notice?
6. Can I Still Renew My Maryland Registration if I Have Unpaid Parking Tickets?

1. What Documents Are Needed for a Tag Renewal in Maryland?

Whether you choose to renew your Maryland tags conveniently online with eTags or wait in line at your MVA office, you’ll need to present a few documents and pieces of information, including:

• Current registration card or renewal notice
• VIN
• Proof of auto insurance
• Driver’s license
• Title number
• Proof of passing an emissions test
• License plate number
• Personal details (name, address, etc.)
• Payment (credit card, debit card, check, etc.)

2. What’s the Easiest Way to Renew Your Maryland Registration?

The all-online Maryland tag renewal service offered by eTags is the fastest, most convenient way to update your car’s registration. When you renew with us, you can skip the MVA appointments and wait times. Instead, you can complete the entire process online and receive your new tags and registration card in the mail!

eTags also gives you:

• Access to an instant digital download of your registration while you wait for the physical tag in the mail.
• The chance to renew tags for all sorts of vehicles, including sedans, SUVs, trailers, RVs, motorhomes, and motorcycles.
• Free replacements for plates or stickers lost in the mail, as well as for stolen plates and stickers, if a police report is submitted for eTags.
• A customer service team that can help you find where flags are present on your account.
• Email and text message renewal reminders.

How To Renew Your Maryland Registration Online

3. What Happens if You Are Stopped while Driving with Expired Tags in Maryland?

If you are pulled over while driving with expired tags in Maryland, you could face a fine of up to $500 and potentially have your vehicle impounded. In some cases, this can lead to increased insurance rates and could even appear on your criminal record. Additional fines may also be charged if you don’t renew your registration within 60 days of your citation.

4. How Does the MVA’s Vehicle Emission Inspection Program (VEIP) Work?

Before you renew your registration in Maryland, you need to pass an emissions inspection at least once every two years. This test is required for:

• Used vehicles: Manufactured 1996 or after, under 8,500 GVWR
• New vehicles (2019 or newer, original owner, titled in Maryland and not previously titled in any other jurisdiction): First test happens 6 years after titling and registration in Maryland​, then every 2 years after that

5. When Does the MVA Usually Send a Renewal Notice?

Maryland sends out renewal notices around 60 days before your registration expires. This letter contains useful information, such as details about any flags against your vehicle that will affect your renewal process. If you know that your renewal date is soon and you have not received your letter, you can still complete the renewal process without it.

6. Can I Still Renew My Maryland Registration if I Have Unpaid Parking Tickets?

No. If you have an unpaid parking ticket from a city or state authority, you will need to pay it before you can renew your Maryland tags. When you go to update your registration, you’ll see the parking ticket show up as a “flag.” To clear the flag, you need to pay the fine, receive a “flag release statement” from the ticketing agency, and then send that release to the MVA. After doing that, you can move forward with your registration renewal.

Have Other Questions About Maryland Tag Renewal? eTags Can Help.

If you have any more questions about the Maryland tag renewal process, eTags is here to help. While you’re updating your registration, you can reach out to our experienced Title Experts at eTags for fast, easy assistance. Don’t get stuck waiting at the MVA. Instead, skip the line and get online: renew your Maryland tags with eTags.com!

Renew Your Maryland Registration