Maryland rewrites historic plate rules after thousands used them to dodge inspections
Published on Jan 24, 2026 at 10:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Jan 22, 2026 at 10:24 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Maryland has rewritten historic plate rules after thousands of car owners used them to dodge inspections.
For many years, the state has given older cars a second lease of life through the ‘Historic’ vehicle classification, which cars over 20 years old qualify for.
That gave a good return for many, as they could skip things such as safety inspections and emissions tests, a small but welcome perk for those driving older or classic cars.
But now, many of those owners are about to go back to the Motor Vehicle Administration, as it has turned out that many have just used the rules to simply dodge an inspection.
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Maryland’s new rules on historic plates
Now, only vehicles built in 1999 or earlier will qualify for the historic status.
That slams the door shut for those who own cars from the early 2000s.
Until recently, they would have made the cut and gained a new license plate.
Prior to the new ruling, anything built between 2000 and 2006 would also have counted.
In 2024, the MVA issued 60,000 historic vehicle tags.
This was a huge leap of 34 percent compared to 2021, so something had to be done about it.
Rather than pay any registration fee or for any emissions tests, owners would pay just $50.55 for a ‘historic’ plate.
What was to blame for the misuse
The Wall Street Journal has also reported on the problem.
In reality, the blame lay with the practice rather than the intention of the register.
In theory, ‘Historic’ vehicles are classic cars that many of us would use on just a few occasions.
They were not meant to be applied to daily drivers simply because they were old.
That meant cars such as a 2002 Honda Accord could be labelled as historic vehicles.
However, some have expressed displeasure at the new ruling, as not everyone abuses the system.
So it’s certainly not been a fully welcomed change by residents of Maryland.
Perhaps, though, it will allow for a better system to be introduced and implemented.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
