Why are so many people moving to Maryland? The real question here is, why wouldn’t anyone want to move to Maryland? From a rich ocean life, fresh crab dishes, exciting outdoor life, beautiful weather, to high paying jobs, and one of the best health care systems; Maryland has a lot to offer to everyone.

But if you plan on moving to Maryland with your car, you first need an updated driver’s license. Trust us, it would be wise to take care of your paperwork as soon as you move to the state for the sake of your convenience. You don’t want to run around trying to figure out things and paying late fees later on. Which is why we have put together all the information in detail about the Maryland DMV change of address just to make your life easier.

Obtaining A Driver’s License When Moving To Maryland From Another State

1. Register your Vehicle in Maryland

The good news here is that you get a great deal of time to register your vehicle in Maryland. The MDOT MVA (Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration) requires you to register your vehicle within 60 days of becoming a resident of Maryland. Isn’t that a lot of time? Although you might not have to hurry to get this work done, it would be wise to get it done as soon as you can.

The MDOT MVA has made the process of registering your vehicle super convenient. How? Well, you can get your vehicle registered not only by visiting Maryland’s full-service branch office in person but via mail as well.
If you wish to obtain a title for your vehicle in Maryland, you will need to keep certain documents handy before applying for the vehicle registration process. Here is a list of documents that you need to keep ready.

  • Proof of ownership (your out-of-state title)
  • Application for Certificate of Title (Form VR-005)
  • Maryland State Inspection Certificate (Keep in mind that this certificate is valid for 90 after the inspection is conducted)
  • Proof of vehicle’s value
  • Lease agreement and proof of monthly lease payment

Note: There are some other documents that you need to produce while acquiring the title for your vehicle. Find the list of these documents on the state website.

The fee to register your standard non-commercial vehicle when you newly establish your residency in Maryland differs due to various reasons. You can have a look at their fee list in order to figure out the amount you are expected to pay for your vehicle.

Now, as we mentioned before, you can choose to complete the registration process either in person or via mail. How does this exactly work? Let us have a look at it!

a) In-Person: You simply have to visit the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration Office and carry all the previously mentioned documents with you in order to complete the registration process quickly. If the office is too crowded, you can always visit the MVA-licensed tag and title service office to get your work done faster.

b) Via Mail: In order to get this work done over mail, you have to download the Application for Certificate of Title (Form VR-005) and fill it out. Once that is done, you can mail the form and the other required documents to MVA’s Out-Of-State Unit. The address of this unit is as follows: 6601 Ritchie Highway, N.E., Glen Burnie, MD 21062.

2. Apply For A Change Of Address

Now that the process of the vehicle registration is done and dusted, you can start with the process of changing the address on your driver’s license. To apply for the change of address, you have to visit the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration office. Unfortunately, the state government does not allow you to get this work done via mail or phone calls because of which you must visit the MVA in-person.

You need to visit the MVA office and get this work done within 60 days of establishing residency in Maryland. When you apply for the change of address, make sure that you keep the following documents handy.

  • Your current out-of-state license
  • Proof of identity
  • Proof of Maryland residency (two documents)
  • Social security card
  • Proof of lawful presence

If in case the name on your driver’s license does not match your proof of identity, you will be expected to show proof of name change. Proof of name change includes documents like a court order for a legal name change, marriage license, or a divorce decree.

Please note that the state will not issue a Maryland driver’s license for you if you have cancellations, revocations, or suspensions on the driver’s license issued to you by your previous state of residency. According to the law, if you are believed to be an unfit or a dangerous driver by an outside court or the MD DMV, a Maryland driver’s license won’t be available for you.

You will be asked to pay a minimum of $9 fee for changing your address and obtaining a Maryland driver’s license. However, you might have to pay more for various reasons. Have a look at their list of fees to deduce what you will have to pay to get the work done. In addition to this, you should know that you won’t have to give a driving test if you already possess a valid out-of-state driver’s license. However, remember that you will have to appear for a vision test.

How long do you have to live in Maryland to be considered a resident?

If you wish to establish residency in Maryland, you must stay in the state for at least 7 months of a year. In addition to that, you also must work in Maryland, run a business in Maryland, and register to vote in Maryland.

Can I drive in Maryland with an out-of-state license?

If you are driving in the state of Maryland, you must have your out-of-state driver’s license with you. You can also show your driving record from the country’s license issuing authority if you don’t have your driver’s license with you. However, if you have established residency in Maryland, you must update your vehicle registration and driver’s license within 60 days.

Also See: Moving To Maryland – Relocation Guide | How Much to Move Out of State

Obtaining A Driver’s License When Moving Within Maryland

If you have noticed, Maryland DMV gives you a long time to update your vehicle’s registration and change your address whenever you move in from outside of the state. On the flipside, Maryland DMV requires you to notify the MVA about your address change within 30 days of moving within the state.

While moving within Maryland, what documents should you keep handy when you have to change the address on your driver’s license? Find the list of the required documents below.

  • Your driver’s license number
  • Completed Change of Address Form (VR-154)
  • Your date of birth
  • Your social security number

Changing your address while moving within the state is the most flexible process ever. This is so because you can get the work done in four different ways, namely only, via mail, in person, and over a phone call. Let us tell you how it works.

1. Online:

Do you want to save some time that you might have to spend standing in lines at the MVA office? Well, you will be glad to know that you can change the address on your driver’s license simply by going online. You can visit the MD MVA Fast Track System website and upload the aforementioned documents over there.

2. Via Mail:

Do you feel overwhelmed while dealing with official applications online? Well, you can also apply for a change of address via mail. Don’t worry, it is the easiest thing to do! You just have to download and fill out the Change of Address Form (VR-154). Once that is done, mail the form and the required documents to the following address: 6601 Ritchie Highway, NE, Glen Burnie, MD 21062.

3. Over the Phone Call:

If you prefer following instructions while they are being given to you by a person as opposed to reading instructions, get this work done over a phone call. When you call the customer service, they will mail the form to you. Get in touch with the customer service through the following number: (410) 768-7000.

4. In-Person:

You might be one of those people who prefers doing official work in-person. To get your address changed, you just have to find a local full-service MD MVA branch office or an MVA-approved tag and title service. Make sure you carry a filled-out Change of Address Form (VR-154) along with all the necessary documents when you visit the office.

See Also: Best Local Moving Companies in the America

When You’re Moving Out Of Maryland

When you move to a different state, you might focus all your attention and energy on getting things done in your new state of residency. However, don’t forget that you need to take care of certain things when you move out of a certain state, and in this case, Maryland.

You will be happy to know that when it comes to your driver’s license, Maryland makes things super convenient for you. It means that you don’t have to worry about notifying Maryland DMV whenever you move out of the state. Maryland DMV will cancel your MD driver’s license automatically as soon as you receive the driver’s license issued by your new state of residency.

However, you should know that whenever you move out of Maryland, the law requires you to return your state license plates. You cannot keep these license plates with you.

See Also: List of Top- Rated Out of State Moving Companies in the US

Is It Illegal To Not Change Your Address When You Move?

Not changing your address might attract heavy fines in some states and not be much of an issue in some other states. Apart from the legality aspect, not changing the address on your driver’s license isn’t the best idea because public and private bodies like the government or insurance agencies might not get a hold of your new address because of this. You don’t want to miss out on the important mails that they might send across due to this confusion, right?

In addition to this, your driver’s license tends to serve as proof of your identity. You might also need it to establish domicile, registering for taxes, voter’s id, etc. Not only this, but it is also used by the state police to identify you if you are a victim of accidents or if you violate any traffic rules.

Conclusion

We know that we might sound like a nagging mother right now, but it is best to get your driver’s license updated as soon as you move to Maryland. You ideally don’t want to risk getting caught and paying a hefty fine now, do you? Maryland does provide you a fair number of days to get it done, so make the most of it.