Maryland Residents- Hold onto Your Wallet- Vehicle Related Taxes Will Increase in 2025
As if to add insult to injury after last year’s doubling of the car and truck registration fees, the Maryland General Assembly is back in your pockets again by adding:
- A titling tax that doubles for $100 to $200 for any vehicle purchased
- A car purchase tax increase from 6% to 6.5%
- A new 3.5% excise tax on rental vehicles
- An increase in the emission test fee from $14 to $30
A $5.00 tax per tire (that is no longer just earmarked for roads and highways), tire disposal fee goes up from .80 per tire to 1.00 per tire. (2026)- A change of the definition of vehicles eligible for historic tags as older than the year 1999 (25+ years). The previous definition was for any car 20 years or older at 45.50/year.
Per our friends at Norman’s Tag & Title: Once the registration is due for 2000 – 2005 cars/trucks with existing Historic Tags, owners will not be able to renew them and must get an inspection in order to obtain regular tags. These vehicles will also be subject to the bi-annual Emissions Test.
For other specifics of vehicle registration and titling, view MVA Bulletin.
Maryland Democrats consider these taxes and fees as a “compromise” that are part of a major tax hike for their created and mismanaged “structural deficit.” They previously passed a Blueprint/Kerwan plan to satisfy the teachers’ union and a Green Energy plan that yields no results to the detriment of taxpayers.
Besides the lack of these other vehicle-related fees required by nearby states (not purposely going broke), by comparison,
Pennsylvania provides a one-time permanent tag fee of $78 and $53 Title Fee for Antiques 25 years or older and Classics 15 years or older.
Virginia provides a one-time permanent registration of $50 for 25 year and older vehicle with no additional fee for 1976 or older Virginia tags to be displayed on the vehicle.
West Virginia offers a 10 year registration fee for 25 year or older cars/trucks at $35
Delaware requires a one-time DMV inspection fee of $25, and $35 or $55 (with lien) title fee. Exemptions are provided for future years so there are no additional fees.
