Vehicle titling and registration in Maryland are managed by the state's Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).
If you're considering purchasing a used car in Maryland, be sure to get a vehicle history report first. This report can reveal if the car has been flooded or holds a salvage title. Our license plate lookup service provides comprehensive information, including details on past owners, title history, liens, odometer readings, and salvage records. Coupled with an independent mechanic's inspection, this will help you avoid potential issues with your purchase.
A Maryland license plate lookup allows you to access records from vehicle dealers, insurance companies, state officials, individual car sellers, inspection services, and various other sources using a single web form. To get this information, simply enter the plate number on our license plate lookup page.
Fun Fact!đź’¨
Maryland is home to the oldest continuously operating car dealership in the world. Founded in 1912, the Don White's Timonium Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Timonium has been serving car buyers for over a century. This dealership's long history reflects Maryland's deep-rooted automotive culture and its commitment to providing quality service to car buyers throughout the decades.
Where to Find the Maryland License Plate Number Secondary Title
A vehicle registration plate, often known as a license plate, is a numeric or alphanumeric ID that uniquely identifies a vehicle or its owner in the issuing region. The plate number can be found on a vehicle or in a Maryland Vehicle Registration Certificate.
How to Get License Plates in Maryland
The federal government only grants license plates for its own vehicles and those of foreign officials. Within each jurisdiction, special plates may be available for groups such as firefighters or military veterans, as well as cars owned by the state, municipality, or province.
You can apply for a Maryland title and registration in person at any of the MVA's full-service branch locations. You can also visit an MVA-licensed tag and title service center or mail the papers to the MVA's Out-of-State Title Unit, 6601 Ritchie Highway, Glen Burnie, MD 21062. More information is available at http://mva.maryland.gov/.
All Maryland license plates use the format "1AB2345." Personalized (or vanity) plates are also available, featuring at least 2 and up to 7 alphanumeric characters. Note that your choice is subject to the MVA's approval and they may reject an application if a similar one was made earlier or if the request is deemed "objectionable."
Other license plates available in the state include a number of specialty plates, such as:
- Agricultural/Chesapeake Bay license plates
- Amateur radio operator license plates
- Combat-related license plates
- Disabled license plates
- General license plates
- Gold star license plates
- Military license plates
- Organizational license plates
- Organizational (non-logo) license plates
What's in a License Plate Lookup Report
If you look up Maryland license plates, you'll find information like:
- The type of vehicle it is (be it a SUV, a motorcycle, a truck, or another type of vehicle)
- Its previous or present ownership (you will also get a warning if the vehicle has been stolen or has liens against it)
- You will also get to know the condition of the vehicle (including flood, fire, or salvage records, as well as information about recalls), you will find the genuine records of mileage and odometer readings
- You'll also have access to the time and results of its most recent inspection till date.
- You will find out if the vehicle exists on the black market or not.
- You will also find the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which is a 17-digit code. VinFreeCheck’s license plate lookup cross-checks the information you can get from a vehicle’s VIN, meaning you get the most detailed information possible to inform your purchases and prevent car fraud.
Benefits of Getting the Report
You should definitely get the above-mentioned points as part of your research so that you can avoid any problems when you purchase a car. Of course, license plate searches don’t provide all data possible. Personal data is absent, as obtaining this type of personal information is illegal in the United States. But there is plenty of relevant information to help you in your secondhand car purchase journey. Do note, that you will be able to find out if a vehicle was previously owned by an individual or an organization.
Keep an eye out for signs of possible car fraud when reviewing a license plate record, such as auto theft records. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 6 million car accidents occur each year, so verify the car’s repair and maintenance records. You can also check a car’s emission records to see if it’s in line with Maryland’s requirements. Another great benefit of the license plate report is that it provides a vehicle’s market pricing, allowing you to tell if you might be overcharged for the used car you're eyeing.
Don't be afraid to question sellers about anything out of the ordinary, that’s what the information obtained from a license plate lookup is meant for.
Is it Legal to Perform a License Plate Lookup?
VinFreeCheck guarantees you 100% reliable data taken from officially registered sources such as the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). This lookup is legal as the data provided does not contain personal information about the vehicle’s owner and is in line with the DPPA (Drivers Privacy Protection Act). Plus, the government is keen to reduce used car fraud and auto theft. So go ahead and run a quick search on that vehicle!