Maryland Car Title Transfer Fees: $200 Title Fee, 6.5% Excise Tax and the "Promptly" Rule

Updated October 24, 2026 · Figures checked against the official sources listed below

The short answer

The Maryland calculator below starts from a $30,000 car with a new registration, so its total ($2,275.50) is different from this example.

How much does a title transfer cost in Maryland?

The title is $200. That's the biggest headline title fee among the states in this series. If you see "$100" or "$50" online, it's wrong.

• Duplicate title: $40.
• Corrected title: $80.
• Loan on the car: a lien is the lender's claim on the car until the loan is paid. Recording it costs $40, also on a transfer with a lien.
• Repossession or foreclosure: $200 or the amount set by the MVA.
• No charge if the MVA issued a title in error, or if a duplicate is needed because the MVA lost the first one.
• Owner has died: transfers to a surviving spouse are free (see the family section).

Excise tax: 6.5% of fair market value

The excise tax is Maryland's one-time purchase tax, not the yearly registration. It has been 6.5% since July 1, 2025, when a 2025 law raised it from 6%. Anything still showing 6% is out of date.

The tax is on fair market value, which isn't always the price you paid:

• Dealer sale: the price, including the dealer's processing charge, minus your trade-in.
• Private sale, car 7 years or older: the higher of the price or $640.
• Private sale, car under 7 years old: the price, unless it is $500 or more below the book value in the national price guide the MVA uses. Then you need a notarized statement explaining the price (Form VR-181), or the MVA uses the book value.
• Trade-in: lowers the taxed amount on a dealer sale only.
• Local tax: none on vehicle sales. County taxes are collected separately at registration.
• Not a sale: when no sale takes place, the tax is worked out on book value. Family gifts are exempt (see below).

Two minimums, for different people

• $41.60: this is 6.5% of the $640 minimum value. It applies to private sales of older cars where $640 is the value.
• $100: only for new residents, or someone titling a car from another state. It does not apply to an ordinary Maryland private sale.

New residents: you pay 6.5% of book value, at least $100, minus any excise or sales tax you paid in your old state, if you title within 60 days of moving.

Watch item: a 2026 law would change the out-of-state titling rule: cars retitled by December 31, 2026 are exempt from excise tax, and from January 1, 2027 out-of-state titling becomes taxable. We'll add details once the MVA publishes them.

How long do you have to title a car in Maryland?

The law says to apply "promptly". It gives no number of days for a buyer. The 60 days you may see online is the deadline for new residents, not for buyers.

• If the MVA doesn't get your title application within 30 days of the sale, it may charge a fee. No dollar amount appears in the law or on any MVA page we read, so the amount is not available.
• Fines for title fraud or lying on the application (up to $500 or up to 2 months in jail) exist, but they are not late fees.
• Sellers must report the sale within 30 days (Form VR-164 or online). A seller who doesn't can be held liable for the buyer's parking tickets and accidents.

For other states' late fees, see car registration late fees by state. For Maryland, no dollar late title fee is published.

Plates, registration and temporary tags

• Tag transfer: moving your own plates costs $15. It applies only when you move tags you already have. The plates must be the same class as the new car. Cars, trucks and motorcycles are separate classes. If the class is different, you need new tags.
• Registration (2 years, paid at the same visit when you get new tags): $241 at 3,500 lbs or less, $251 at 3,501 to 3,700 lbs, $383 over 3,700 lbs. Each includes the emergency medical system surcharge.
• Temporary registration: $50 for 30 days (Form VR-129). This is a dealer's tag, not a buyer tag. There is no buyer temp tag.
• Safety inspection: needed before registration, unless the car is exempt. It is a registration rule, not a title rule.

Is a gifted car taxed in Maryland?

Not when the gift is between family on the state's list. A gift to one of these people is exempt from excise tax:

• spouse, son, daughter, grandchild, parent, sister, brother, grandparent, in-laws;
• niece or nephew, but only if the person giving the car is 65 or older.

Step-relatives are not on the list, and there is no friend-gift exemption in Maryland. The gift form (VR-103) must be notarized. A family gift still costs the $200 title fee, plus $15 if you move your tags.

Surviving spouse: the title moves to the surviving spouse free of charge, with no title fee and no inspection, for up to 2 vehicles (Form VR-481). Beyond 2 vehicles, the fee applies.

Forms

• VR-005: Application for Certificate of Title. One per vehicle.
• VR-103: Gift Certification (notarized).
• VR-164: Notice of Security Interest Filing, also the seller's 30-day sale report.
• VR-129: temporary registration application.
• VR-181: Affidavit of Value, for a private sale of a car under 7 years old priced well below book value.
• VR-481: Surviving Spouse Affidavit.
• VR-448: Application for Repossession or Foreclosure.
• VR-227: Application for Duplicate Title or Lien Release.
• VR-198: Bill of Sale. Not needed for a private title transfer: the signed title serves as the bill of sale.

Other states

Title transfer guides for nearby states: Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

What this guide doesn't cover

Dealer purchases in detail, county taxes collected at registration, inspection costs, the late fee amount (not published), and the details of the 2026 out-of-state titling change.

Frequently asked questions

See title transfer fees for all 50 states

General information, not tax or legal advice. Fees and tax rules change; confirm with the agency listed before you pay.