Dealer-related Information in Maryland

Electronic Registration and Titling (ERT)

One of the great conveniences offered by the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) to the trade is allowing electronic titling and registration for customers at the point of purchase. It allows you as a dealer to offer a value-added service to your customers by taking care of the registration of the vehicle before it even leaves that lot.

You can do the same thing with the title, although in the majority of cases the document will still be shipped off to a lienholder. Customers love the service because it cuts out a step and a trip to an MVA office where they usually get to stand in line.

Although the MVA is responsible for the program the workings of it are sourced out to a couple of companies going head-to-head with each other. This rivalry for your business keeps the contract fees for the service low and the system set up and running efficient.

All the materials and staff training necessary to run the system are provided from the company of your choosing. The only thing that the MVA needs to review is the contract you as a dealer sign with the company, so they can deem you authorized to run the service.

Dealer Orientation Sessions

Regardless of whether you just opened your dealership's doors or are thinking about giving the car business a whirl, these informative conferences proffered by the MVA are invaluable.

To ensure you and the members of your team have a spot you will need to fill out a Dealer Orientation request and send it in as soon as possible.

Avoiding Title Submission Fines

Don't get in the habit of piling up monetary fines because your dealership is lagging when it comes to meeting the titling requirements of the state. The MVA requires the title paperwork and any necessary fees to be submitted within 30 days of a vehicle sale. But the process that determines when the 30 days starts and how it is measured, is often a point of confusion among dealers.

This confusion can arise because of how the MVA matches its books against your reporting. If you are an ERT dealer, the comparison process tends to go more smoothly because the titles you issue are wired electronically to the division without you having to do it physically. Although the MVA generates reports monthly, it is still entering and updating data on a daily basis.

Then after the quarter ends it amasses all the reports and searches for discrepancies. This is the point where the fines are collected and sent out to the dealers through the Business Licensing Division (BL&CS) division of the MVA.

If you feel the fines were received in error, you do have recourse though the division, but you need to back up your claim with plenty of documentation.

Available Licensing Packages

Order packets via:

  • Motor Vehicle Administration
  • Business Licensing and Consumer Services Division
  • 6601 Ritchie Highway, N.E.
  • Glen Burnie, MD 21062
  • Phone: (410) 768-7000

Find more answers to dealer questions at Dealers & Auto Industry, Dealer Licensing Requirements, and Dealer Forms on this site.

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