Maryland License Plate Lookup

License Plate Lookup in Maryland

A Maryland license plate lookup involves inputting a license plate number in a search tool to obtain information about a vehicle or the driver. A license plate lookup is a search typically conducted when an individual intends to purchase a used vehicle. It may also be undertaken by a witness to an automobile crime or accident to obtain helpful information that may be used in filing a complaint with law enforcement. You may conduct a license plate lookup using a paid or free service. Usually, you can only obtain basic vehicle information when you perform a license lookup using a free service. For a more comprehensive search result, paid services are recommended.

A license plate lookup may also be conducted in Maryland through any of the state's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) offices. License plate lookups performed through the MVA yield accurate and up-to-date results. No special steps are required of persons seeking to run license plate lookups. Along with Maryland traffic record information, the following can be obtained from a license plate lookup:

Branded title
Accident or damage report
Car registration issues
Recent vehicle inspections
Limited license plate owner information
Driver's criminal history
Odometer readings
Vehicle description

What is a Maryland License Plate?

Maryland license plates are metallic number plates assigned to vehicles to be displayed on the car for registration and identification purposes. Until recently, Maryland was a two-plate state, requiring most classes of vehicles to display both rear and front license plates. However, the state passed HB 1264, which went into effect in October 2020, to repeal the requirement for motorists to display rear and front registration plates. Now, the State of Maryland only requires most classes of vehicles to display rear license plates.

Maryland's current general issue license plate is a 12 by 6-inch design introduced on September 26, 2016. License plates in Maryland are issued by the Motor Vehicle Administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The state issues:

The Maryland general license plate typically issued to passenger vehicles has a black embossed serial on a reflective white plate design. On the plate, the State of Maryland flag is screened in the bottom half, and "Maryland" is screened in red centered at the top. Maryland's MVA permits the following types of vehicles to display personalized message license plates:

Passenger car
Multi-purpose vehicle
Motorcycle, where applicable
Truck with a one-ton or less manufacturer's rated capacity
Non-freight trailer
Historic vehicle
Street rod

Non-freight trailers, historic vehicles, and street rod personalized plates are issued on a black and white background.

Passenger License Plates vs. Commercial License Plates

Maryland passenger license plates refer to license plates issued to be affixed to passenger vehicles such as non-commercial vehicles, pickup trucks, and vans used for personal purposes. Although commercial license plates look like passenger plates, they are only issued to commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles in Maryland are vehicles with a gross weight rating of at least 26,001 pounds, built to transport 16 or more passengers or hazardous materials that require placarding.

Depending on your vehicle type, a passenger license plate or commercial license plate will be issued after completing the vehicle title and registration. Typical documents required for titling or registering a vehicle include driver's license, proof of insurance, emission inspection certification, and evidence of ownership. Commercial license plate application requirements and fees also vary depending on the vehicle weight. For more information on obtaining vehicle license plates in Maryland, visit the vehicle title and registration information page of the MVA website.

How Do I Get a License Plate in Maryland?

Maryland general license plates are issued to vehicle owners while completing the vehicle title and registration process with the Motor Vehicle Administration. To title a used vehicle in the state, the following are required:

Proof of ownership. This provides evidence that the vehicle was properly assigned to you. If the vehicle is from a state not issuing a title as proof of ownership, a bill of sale and a registration document will suffice.
Completed VR-005 Form - Application for certificate of title form. You may also use the vehicle's current title as your application form by completing the Application for Title and Registration section if the current vehicle title was issued in Maryland.
Proof of insurance. Note that your policy must comply with the state's minimum liability insurance requirements.
Proof of purchase price. This is typically a bill of sale signed by both the seller(s) and buyer(s). The bill must be notarized in compliance with the conditions stated on the Titling Information Page of the Maryland MVA website.
Completed Form VR-197. Odometer disclosure statement. Alternatively, the odometer reading may also be recorded and attested in the Assignment of Ownership section on the Maryland title.
Maryland safety inspection certificate. This is a state police form certifying that your vehicle meets Maryland safety standards. The certification is valid for 90 days from the issue date.
Payment of the applicable taxes and fees.

Under specific circumstances, you may also need to submit:

Lien information. Applicable to vehicle owners who borrowed money to buy the vehicle. You may use Form VR-217 if a second lien is placed against the title.
Lien release. This is required if a lien was placed against the vehicle. If a lien has been placed on the car, a lien release is required. A letter from the lienholder or properly completed and signed Maryland Security Interest Filing form are acceptable forms of lien release.
Power of attorney. This documentation is required if someone other than the vehicle owner is signing the titling forms.

To title new vehicles, the following are required:

Completed Form VR-005 - Application for certificate of title.
Certificate of origin. This certificate is an ownership document produced by the manufacturer of the vehicle.
Bill of sale.
Odometer disclosure statement.
Payment of applicable taxes and fees.

The following may also be required:

Lien information.
Power of attorney.

You can obtain personalized or vanity license plates by applying online through the MVA website or at an MVA full-service branch office. Additionally, you may send your application to the MVA's Specialty Tag Unit in the Glen Burnie office or visit an MVA-licensed tag and title provider for assistance with the application. You must submit a completed Application for Special Registration Plates and a copy of the current registration card.

How Can I Find the Owner of a License Plate in Maryland?

Anyone seeking to find the owner of a Maryland license plate may do so using any license plate lookup tool that searches public databases or motor vehicle records. A license plate search will provide basic information about the vehicle and its owner but will not reveal personal information such as the vehicle owner's name. In compliance with the Driver's Privacy Protection Act, sensitive vehicle owner information is routinely withheld in search results. The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) forbids the public from learning vehicle owners' names, addresses, and phone numbers. Only authorized persons, such as licensed security services, government organizations, and insurance companies, have legal access to this information.

However, by using the information obtained from a license plate search to compare with publicly available information identified in other public databases, such as through phone number lookups, you may be able to find the owner of a license plate.

Third-party aggregate sites are a reliable alternative for obtaining license plate information. These sites are maintained by independent establishments which collate the information from government-run repositories. Obtaining records from these sites often proves substantially easier than government alternatives. However, requestors may be required to provide any information required to facilitate the record search and pay any required fees to access the record of interest.

Maryland License Plate Renewal

To renew your license plate in Maryland, you have to renew your vehicle registration. Vehicle registrations are typically valid for two years. You can renew your vehicle registrations through eMVA, by mail, at County Treasurer's Offices, and at title service agents.

To renew your vehicle registration through eMVA, visit the myMVA portal. You need to have your title and license plate number ready. To make the required renewal fee payment, you will need a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Card. You can also renew through the eMVA kiosk located at any MVA location.

Vehicle registrations renewals may also be completed by mail. Registrants typically receive renewal notices by mail. You should check the insurance information in the renewal notice to ensure it is correct and complete. If the insurance information is not printed on the renewal notice, you must fill it in. If any certifications are enclosed with your renewal notice, it is recommended that you also complete them. For mail renewals, enclose your renewal notice and check or money order made payable to the Motor Vehicle Administration in an envelope. You must include the driver's license number and work or home phone number on the check. Checks must include preprinted address and name.

To complete renewals at the service agents or county treasurer's offices, visit any title service agent or county treasurer office located in the state. Note that additional fees will apply.

Can You Look Up License Plates with VIN?

Yes, you can look up a license plate in Maryland if the VIN is known. The VIN and the license plate are linked in the state's public motor vehicle record during vehicle title and registrations. Hence, if a VIN is known, you can look up a license plate using a tool that searches the state's public motor vehicle records.

VIN Number Lookup

A VIN number lookup involves performing a VIN search using a VIN lookup tool. A VIN lookup tool searches several databases to obtain information specific to the vehicle with the VIN. VIN is short for Vehicle Identification Number, a unique serial number assigned to each vehicle upon manufacture. A VIN lookup can reveal the following information about a vehicle:

Past ownership
Vehicle maintenance
Flood damage
Accident history
Airbag deployments
Liens held on the vehicle
Faulty odometer settings

In order to perform a license plate lookup, you need to know the VIN number. The VIN is typically found on the windshield on the driver-side dashboard or on a sticker on the driver-side door jamb or side door. You may also find the number on the spare tire or the chassis plate. When looking to buy a secondhand car, a VIN lookup will provide a wealth of information about the vehicle's history.

Can Civilians Lookup License Plates in Maryland?

Yes. Civilians can look up information on license plates for vehicles in Maryland. However, the Maryland government does not provide an official platform for individuals to perform license plate searches. Only law enforcement officers have access to license plate information through agency databases.

Civilians interested in doing a license plate lookup in Maryland may use information service providers. These providers are independent of government agencies and provide license information based on data aggregated from multiple sources.

The information obtained from third party sources may not be used to assess credit worthiness, employment background check, or official purposes. Individuals may, however, use the results of Maryland license plate lookup to satisfy their personal curiosity.

What Do Police See When They Run Your Plates in Maryland?

The information available to police officers when they run a license plate typically include:

Vehicle information
Driving status
Criminal history
Outstanding warrants

Police officers typically run license plates in traffic stops, especially when there is probable cause. For example, if the driver had been speeding or found to be driving under the influence. The tools the police use for their license plate search are different from what is available to civilians through aggregate sources. Law enforcement officers often use automated license plate readers (ALPRs) that connect to and pull information from agency databases.

Law enforcement officers doing the search will see the vehicle information, including the year of manufacture, VIN, license expiration date, and the name of the registered owner. In addition, they will also have access to the driver’s information, including their biodata and physical description, social security number, and contact information. In many cases, an officer may also access the driver’s criminal history as well as tickets and outstanding warrants on the vehicle, its registered owner, or the driver.

While the public may not have access to the databases law enforcement officers use for license plate lookup, a lot of the information they get are publicly available through other sources. One major difference is that civilian searchers may have to use multiple sources to pool the information. Furthermore, sensitive information like the driver’s social security number and house address may be sequestered from public knowledge.

Free License Plate Lookup in Maryland

Aggregate websites that provide license plate lookup services typically charge a fee for the service. However, there are free options available to persons interested in looking up a Maryland plate.

Most people use search engines to conduct a free license plate lookup. Entering the license plate number directly in the search bar may provide information already available on the web regarding that plate. However, there is no guarantee that the search results will be useful.

Alternatively, an interested person may search for “free license plate search” on the search engine. The search results will provide a list of third party websites that provide license plate lookup for free. Many of these free sites, however, limit the information available for free searches. In many cases, the searcher will be able to access basic information like the vehicle description and owner’s name. Obtaining additional information would require paying for the service.

How to Search for Ticket by License Plate in Maryland

Maryland drivers looking for lost or unpaid traffic tickets may use the Maryland Judiciary search tool to find unresolved tickets and make payments. The portal only supports searches by name, traffic citation number.