Vehicle Registrations Which one is for you- Apportioned Registration or Maryland-only registration? - If you will regularly operate a vehicle interstate and the combined/gross vehicle weight is 26,001pounds or more, you need Apportioned Registration under the International Registration Plan (IRP).
- If you operate interstate, and your vehicles weigh less than 26,000 pounds, you need Maryland-only registration.
- If you operate ANY size vehicle only intrastate, you need Maryland-only registration.
Forms, instructions and information about registration of commercial vehicles for operation in Maryland and interstate are available from this portal and from related State web sites. Forms and instructions may be retrieved for printing. A few may be available for electronic submission; more will be coming as quickly as we can get to them. The Motor Carrier Handbook provides a wealth of information on registration, as well as other regulations for commercial vehicle operators. The Apportioned Registration Manual is a guide to the International Registration Plan (IRP) process for commercial vehicles that will be based in Maryland and will operate in other jurisdictions as well. The links above take you to Adobe Acrobat documents that you can browse through.
Interstate Operations -- Apportioned Registration under the International Registration Plan (IRP) You must use apportioned registration (IRP) if your vehicle travels in Maryland and in other IRP jurisdictions, and it is used for the transportation of persons for-hire, or it is designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property, and - it is a power unit having two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross weight in excess of 26,000 pounds, or
- it is a power unit having three or more axles, regardless of weight, or
- it is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight
- IRP is optional for two axle vehicles, or combinations thereof, having a gross weight of 26,000 pounds or less.
Under IRP, you must decide which IRP jurisdictions you will operate in (48 states, the District of Columbia, and 11 Canadian provinces), you must keep track of the miles driven by your fleet in each IRP jurisdiction and report the mileage annually, and the fee calculation is based on the fees in each of the jurisdictions, apportioned according to the percentage of miles your fleet drives in each. To obtain additional information, please visit MVA's Apportioned Registration website, or call 410-787-2971 or 1-800-950-1MVA(1682).
Interstate Operations -- Dump Service Operations Maryland does not apportion the Dump Service registration for trucks based in another state. Because of this, Pennsylvania will not apportion dump service vehicles based in Maryland.
Interstate Operations -- Trip Permits An out-of-state vehicle operator must obtain a Maryland 72-hour Trip Permit prior to driving the vehicle in Maryland when all of these conditions are true: - the vehicle is registered in another jurisdiction; and,
- the vehicle meets the criteria for apportioned registration, but is not authorized to travel in Maryland (vehicle may or may not have an apportioned registration in the other jurisdiction); and,
- the vehicle operator wishes to drive the vehicle in Maryland for only a brief period of time (less than 3 days).
Note that the use of a Maryland 72-hour Trip Permit is only recommended when the out-of-state vehicle will be driven in Maryland less than three times a year. For more details on obtaining a Trip Permit, contact MVA at 1-800-950-1MVA (1682) or at www.marylandmva.com
Interstate Operations -- IFTA (Fuel Tax) Filing All interstate and inter-jurisdictional carriers that travel in IFTA member jurisdictions with a qualified motor vehicle must file fuel taxes through the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). IFTA member jurisdictions include all contiguous states (except Alaska and the District of Columbia) and Canadian provinces (except Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon Territory). A "qualified motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle used, designed, or maintained for the transportation of persons or property and:
-- has two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms; or
-- has three or more axles regardless of weight; or
-- is used in combination when the weight of such combination exceeds 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms gross vehicle weight, or registered gross vehicle weight. Qualified motor vehicle does not include recreational vehicles and vehicles owned by the U.S. Government.
The Maryland Comptroller's Office of Motor Fuel, Alcohol, and Tobacco Tax (MATT) handles IFTA. For an IFTA compliance manual and to file electronically, visit the Comptroller's Office of MATT
In-state Operations -- Maryland-only Registration - If you operate ANY size vehicle only intrastate, you need Maryland-only registration.
- If you operate interstate, and your vehicles weigh less than 26,000 pounds, you need Maryland-only registration.
Maryland-only registration renewals can be done online at the MVA Vehicle Registration Renewal web site.
In-state Operations -- Multi-year Fleet Registration The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration has a registration process that may be used for fleets of 25 or more intrastate commercial vehicles. The program is not available for vehicles with Apportioned Registration. The MVA Multi-Year Fleet Registration Manual provides general information and specific instructions. The Multi-Year Fleet Registration Account application is used to sign up your company for special fleet registration processing. A Surety Bond is required For more details on obtaining an Multi-year Fleet Registration, contact MVA at 1-800-950-1MVA (1682). | 
Registering Your Company and Vehicles 
