BALTIMORE — Thousands of Maryland drivers must re-register their vehicles and pay higher fees after the state changed its definition of historic cars.

The change, which took effect July 1, now requires vehicles to be model year 1999 or older to qualify for the $55.50 historic tag. Previously, cars 20 years or older were eligible for the discounted registration.

Historic tags cost a fraction of regular registration fees and don't require safety inspections or emissions tests. Regular registration fees have climbed from $67.50 in 2023 to $120.50 in 2025, with some vehicles now paying between $120 to $190 depending on weight.

The change impacts more than a third of the state's nearly 200,000 historic vehicles, according to the MVA. Of the 197,968 historic vehicles with active registrations

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