A. An applicant for a certificate of title to be issued for a used vehicle sold by a dealer shall provide the Administration with:
- (1) A properly assigned certificate of title or other acceptable ownership document or electronic record from the jurisdiction in which the vehicle was last registered;
- (2) A completed application for a certificate of title;
- (3) A dealer's reassignment or reassignments;
- (4) A dealer's bill of sale;
- (5) Except for §C(14) of this regulation, a Maryland safety inspection certificate; and
- (6) An odometer disclosure certification as required by COMAR 11.13.06.
- B. Instead of a dealer's bill of sale, Maryland dealers may complete the purchase price certification on the application for a certificate of title or dealer's reassignment.
C. The Administration shall refuse to issue a certificate of title if:
- (1) The required documents are not furnished or the information is incomplete;
- (2) The seller's or applicant's signature is signed by an individual to whom power of attorney is granted and the writing granting the power of attorney is not furnished;
- (3) The applicant is a trust and the trust agreement naming the trust and designating the trustee or trustees is not furnished;
- (4) A transaction involves a bankruptcy and a copy of the court appointment for the bankruptcy trustee is not furnished;
- (5) A transaction involves a legal dependent and a copy of a court appointment for the legal guardian is not furnished;
- (6) An error or alteration in the documents furnished has occurred and a letter of explanation or certified statement does not clarify the error oralteration to the satisfaction of the Administration;
- (7) The lien holder to be recorded is someone other than a dealer or bona fide lending institution and a lien contract is not furnished;
- (8) The vehicle is an unrecovered stolen vehicle and a letter from the insurance company requesting issuance of a title in order to satisfy the claim is not furnished;
(9) Certain documents are lost or omitted and the applicant fails to furnish:
- (a) A letter of indemnification which is subject to the approval of the Administration; and
- (b) Photocopies of the lost documents;
(10) The owner or purchaser is deceased and the personal representative, legatee, distributee, legal heir, or surviving spouse has not provided:
- (a) Letters of administration/testamentary;
- (b) A legal heir form; or
- (c) A death certificate;
- (11) For a mobile home, a receipt from the Compliance Division of the Comptroller of the Treasury, which shows that the retail sales tax has been paid on a mobile home sold before January 1, 1989, is not furnished;
(12) The vehicle is an import and the following documents are not furnished:
(a) One of the following:
- (i) Appropriate U.S. Customs forms; or
- (ii) If imported by a member of the U.S. military, Form DD788 or DD1252, and a copy of military orders or a Maryland driver's license; and
(b) If the vehicle does not comply with U.S. Department of Transportation or U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements:
- (i) Receipts for conversion work; or
- (ii) A bond release letter;
(13) The vehicle was subject to a security interest and a proper termination statement is not furnished:
- (a) On a Maryland Notice of Security Interest Filing form;
- (b) On a title;
- (c) On a letter on the lien holder's letterhead; or
- (d) By electronic transmission from an approved vendor;
(14) Except for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of 1 ton or more, truck tractors, and freight trailers, which Maryland dealers may sell without an inspection, the vehicle was sold by a Maryland dealer and the:
- (a) Vehicle's most current safety inspection is over 6 months old;
- (b) Vehicle has traveled more than 1,000 miles since the inspection certificate was issued; or
- (c) Vehicle was sold uninspected for dismantling or rebuilding and the dealer has not furnished a statement to indicate that the vehicle was sold for dismantling or rebuilding;
- (15) The ownership document is a salvage certificate from this State or another state and the inspection by a police officer in this State who is authorized to inspect salvage vehicles has not been furnished;
(16) The applicant has requested a replacement VIN but has not:
- (a) Furnished an application for an assigned VIN; or
- (b) Had a VIN inspection completed by an authorized police officer in this State; or
- (17) The ownership document is a salvage certificate branded “Not Rebuildable — Parts Only — Not To Be Retitled”.
Authority: Transportation Article, §§12-104(b), 13-106, and 13-110, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: March 11, 1996 (23:5 Md. R. 380)
Regulation .02B amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545); March 16, 2026 (53:5 Md. R 244)
Regulation .03A, C amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .04A amended effective March 16, 2026 (53:5 Md. R 244)
Regulation .04A, C amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .05 amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545); March 16, 2026 (53:5 Md. R 244)
Regulation .06 amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545); March 16, 2026 (53:5 Md. R 244)
Regulation .07A amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .08 amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545); March 16, 2026 (53:5 Md. R 244)
Regulation .09B amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .10B amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .11A amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .12A amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .13A amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .14A amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)
Regulation .15 adopted effective July 23, 2001 (28:14 Md. R. 1322)
Regulation .15 amended effective December 21, 2015 (42:25 Md. R. 1545)