Maskay guide

Moved to Maryland with out-of-state car insurance: what must change?

A move to Maryland calls for a direct conversation with the insurer before the vehicle’s new registration is submitted. The state requires Maryland-registered vehicles to carry specified coverage, and the Motor Vehicle Administration asks for the insurer’s name, policy or binder number and agent information as part of a new resident’s title-and-registration packet. Whether the existing company can continue the contract for a Maryland garaging address depends on that company’s authorization and the policy. Ask the carrier to confirm in writing that it can cover the vehicle in Maryland and that it will provide proof acceptable to MVA. Do not cancel the prior policy until replacement coverage is in effect.

Maskay editorial team Updated

Check each required coverage, not only the liability number

Maryland’s stated minimum bodily-injury liability is $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident, plus $15,000 for property damage. The state also requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at matching bodily-injury limits and at least $15,000 for uninsured-motorist property damage. Maryland requires insurers to offer at least $2,500 in personal injury protection, which can pay certain medical expenses and lost wages regardless of fault. Some policyholders may choose limited PIP or reject it when they qualify under state rules; ask the insurer to explain the choice and document any election.

A policy built for another state may have different limits, optional selections or underwriting assumptions. Tell the insurer the new residence, vehicle garaging address, registration state, drivers in the household and any lienholder requirements. Ask whether the current company is authorized to write private auto insurance in Maryland, whether it will endorse the policy or issue a new one, when the new coverage starts, and how the old contract ends. A verbal quote alone is not proof that the vehicle is insured.

Verify the company and the producer before buying

Maryland’s Insurance Administration offers a Company and Producer Search for insurers, individual agents and broker agencies. Its public record shows active or inactive status, contact details, the lines of insurance a company is authorized to write, and regulatory orders or examinations; the agency says the information is updated weekly. Use the company search to confirm automobile authority and the producer or firm search to check that an agent or broker is licensed. The state does not rank companies, so a current license verifies permission to do business, not that a quote is the best fit or a broker has a superior service record.

Compare written quotes with the same limits, deductibles and drivers, and ask how PIP choices affect household members. Maryland’s insurer reporting system monitors cancellations and nonrenewals; an uninsured gap can prompt an MVA compliance investigation and daily penalties. Keep the declarations page, insurance card and effective dates with the registration paperwork. For questions about a company’s Maryland authority or a producer’s license, use the state search or call the Maryland Insurance Administration at 1-800-492-6116.

Verification

Sources & references

Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.

  1. auto-penalty ↗ Primary source insurance.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

  2. Company and Producer Search Instructions ↗ Primary source insurance.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

  3. www.apps.insurance.maryland.gov ↗ Primary source www.apps.insurance.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

  4. auto-shopping-tips ↗ Primary source insurance.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

  5. insurance.maryland.gov ↗ Primary source insurance.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

  6. Title & Register your Vehicle in Maryland | MDOT Motor Vehicle Administration ↗ Primary source mva.maryland.gov · Accessed September 28, 2026

    MASKAY Maryland · documentary evidence shared by English and Spanish editions.

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I moved to Fargo, North Dakota: what do I need to register my car?

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