- Maryland just changed historic plate rules for post-1999 cars.
- Thousands used the old rules to skip tests and extra fees.
- Lawmakers may adopt a rolling 25-year rule with exceptions
For years, Maryland has given aging cars a kind of second life through its “Historic” vehicle classification. The system was pretty straightforward: if your car was 20 years old or more, it qualified. In return, you got to skip emissions tests, dodge safety inspections, and enjoy reduced registration fees. It was a small but significant perk for enthusiasts and owners of well-worn daily drivers alike.
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Now, that’s changing. A quiet shift in the rules is about to send thousands of “Historic” vehicle owners back to the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA), and many won’t be happy about it.
What Counts As Historic Now?
The change itself is simple, but the impact is wide. From now on, only vehicles built in 1999 or earlier will qualify for Historic status. That effectively slams the door on a big chunk of early-2000s cars that, until recently, had made the cut.
Before the change, anything built between 2000 and 2006 also counted, and drivers took full advantage of the program. In 2024, the MVA issued some 60,000 historic tags. That was a 34 percent jump compared to 2021.
Every one of those drivers was able to avoid expensive registration fees and instead, get a plate for $50.55. Those savings are significant and don’t even factor in the fees sidestepped by avoiding emissions and safety testing.
Also: How the DMV Turns Your Data Into A Multi-Million-Dollar Business Behind Your Back
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According to The Wall Street Journal, the real issue is how the system was working in practice rather than in intention. “Historic” cars are meant for “occasional” use, not everyday driving duty.
That didn’t stop a slew of folks from registering their very normal, albeit old, cars this way. “People imagine the ’69 Corvette or whatever, not the 2002 Honda Accord,” said Delegate Marc Korman, a Democrat who chairs the House transportation committee.
Who’s Getting Left Behind?
At the same time, there are plenty of hardcore car enthusiasts who end up out in the cold over this as well. “I understand there are abusers out there, but why should the innocent be punished for the guilty?” said Michael Lechlitner, owner of a 2002 Panoz Esperante.
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He’s hopeful that the state will go to a 25-year rolling definition of “classic” or “historic”.
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There’s already talk of such a thing thanks to sincere backlash from the enthusiast community. It’s also plausible that the state grandfathers in all of the 72,000 affected drivers with cars that already have historic tags. Expect some sort of movement on the situation later this year.
