Maryland Inspections and Titling

[john g]

I have just returned from the Maryland State Police, MVA, and safety inspection station with a completed title application and inspection certificate. The process is a bit time consuming and inconvenient, but the state and safety inspectors are very nice and helpful.

For Maryland, it is a multi step process:

1. VIN assignment. The State Police in Glen Burnie inspect kit cars to ensure that they are not made from stolen parts, and if everything checks out, they attach the FFR and Maryland state identification tags. For paperwork, you will need the FFR certificate of origin and bill of sale, and evidence of donor part purchases. For me the latter was the donor title and bill of sale. The bills of sale are used for (i) proof of ownership and (ii) the cost of the car for tax purposes.

The VIN inspector, John, was extremely nice. He had problems locating the engine and transmission numbers since my 818 was his first. I suggest that you clean off these numbers and perhaps mark where they are (a tape label?) for his convenience. I did not see the inspector check lights, brakes, etc. I was told, however, that the car needed to be in driving condition, and indeed needed to pull it into the garage.

With VIN paperwork, I then needed to walk across the parking lot to the MVA and pay sales tax. I returned with the receipt to the state police garage and the inspector affixed the VIN plates. Note that the FFR tag is wider than 1 inch frame members, so you may want to think about location. We put my plates in the engine compartment. By the way, Michael Everson's hinges were a great help since the cover needed to go up and down several times.

2. State safety inspection. In Maryland, the private sector performs safety inspections, and inspection certificates are needed before new license plates are issued. I believe new cars are exempt, but I didn't question that point. I found Auto Italia in Rockville on the DC are Cobra website, and indeed they are experts at inspecting kit cars. I towed the car there, but I understand that one can get temporary tags so you can drive your car to the safety inspection.

3. Emissions. The state police inspector who assigned the VIN told me that kit cars are exempt from emissions inspection. One needs to go to the emissions station and see the manager, who will issue the exemption. I mentioned that I had a working emissions system, and he suggested that I try to pass the test and then ask for a waiver if needed.

4. I will try to go to the MVA for license plates tomorrow and I will add to this post if there are any problems.

Why did I say the process is inconvenient? Mainly because the state police inspector is only available on Tuesday mornings in Glen Burnie and they are busy checking salvage cars and home made trailers. Also, the parking lot is cramped. I arrived before 8am to grab two spots (truck and trailer) with an easy exit path.

John

[phillig]

Thank you for the great info. I live in Waldorf MD and will need to travel down this same path one of these days.

[john g]

I was asked for more details by PM.

1. Paperwork. The State Police accepted the FFR and donor car bills of sale and the donor title. They did not ask for more, but I was prepared with sales receipts for things over $100, eg seats. Before going, I contacted the kit car inspectors via email and they told me not to worry about small things, which took to mean purchases under $100. I did, however, have receipts for the new CV joints (approx $70), since these are clearly new and could cost much more. My car is a "stock" Subaru so it is pretty obvious that the donor and the kit cover the bulk of the cost.

2. Inspection. I don't know if the State Police or the safety inspector looked for the evap canister or checked the exhaust. I do not have side markers for the rear, and neither inspector said anything. I did not watch either inspector carefully as both "invited" me to wait in the waiting room. Since they held the cards, I didn't ask any questions. All of the lights work, including those for the rear license plate.

3. My guess is that the State Police concentrate on the ownership issues and assigning a value to the car for title purposes. But he did walk around the car so he may have looked for the evap canister and exhaust.

4. The safety inspector knows kit cars, and he showed me a picture of the Street Beast he build. I assume this helped. He did mention that my car was well done and that he has seen poor quality cars. By his tone, I gathered that he has failed some kits.

Based on my experience, the Maryland process works well. Yes, you do have to trailer the car around to the inspectors, but I am glad they are doing their jobs to guard against chop shops and keep unsafe cars off of the road.

[mikeb75]

thanks a million John for posting your experience! I assume this means you're either on the road or close to it; in which case congratulations & I'll keep an eye out for you.

[Buzz Skyline]

Hi John, thanks for posting the information. It was very helpful as I got my trooper inspection and VIN plate this morning. I was first in line, but it still took four hours to get it done. The people in the inspection station (building D) are all nice, but none are in much of a rush.

My 818 has plenty still needing to be done (installing mesh, and other cosmetic stuff mostly), but it was still the hit of the inspection station. Everyone wanted to talk about it, including the troopers.

All in all, it's not too bad a process to get a title and VIN in Maryland.

[Tamra]

So you're registered? Congrats!!!

[Buzz Skyline]

Not registered, but titled. The registration should be fairly quick and easy at this point.

Thanks, though!

I hope to be dicing the back roads and burning up the DC metro area autocrosses by the end of this month.

[Tamra]

Oh, so you can get titled but not registered there? Is the registration process simply paperwork at this point, or are there further inspections required?

[Buzz Skyline]

You can do both, but I had thought I needed a VIN to get insurance, and you can't register a car without insurance. So I'm getting insurance today. Once I do that I can get a safety inspection at my local garage and then register and get tags.

I'm not worried about the safety inspection though. I have everything on the Maryland check list installed and working. I've had at least 8 cars inspected at the station around the corner from me. They don't seem to have the unlisted safety requirements that you two ran up against (that was strange - your safety inspector sounds mad with petty power).

I'll report back here once it's all done.

[Tamra]

For future reference, Midwest Classics will insure kit cars before they are registered - they just ask for the FFR ID. You will not be covered if you are driving the car illegally of course, but the insurance counts for DMV purposes to get registered. We've had ours insured the entire time, since it would cover if the car was stolen from our garage, natural disaster, someone got hurt while helping work on the car, etc.

Good luck at the inspection! Hopefully you will have an easier time of it than we did!

[Pearldrummer7]

For future reference, Midwest Classics will insure kit cars before they are registered - they just ask for the FFR ID. You will not be covered if you are driving the car illegally of course, but the insurance counts for DMV purposes to get registered. We've had ours insured the entire time, since it would cover if the car was stolen from our garage, natural disaster, someone got hurt while helping work on the car, etc.

Good luck at the inspection! Hopefully you will have an easier time of it than we did!

Just talked to Midwest Classics..... they won't even talk to me until I'm 26

[Tamra]

Just talked to Midwest Classics..... they won't even talk to me until I'm 26

haha yup, they wouldn't add me on the insurance because I was 25 until a few weeks ago. Andrew had to get the insurance since he is 28.

Since you're in NY, contact Keith at [email protected] and tell him Andrew and Tamra sent you. He's our new insurance agent and was able to insure the 818 without any issues for less money (and saved us over a grand on our other cars too which was a bonus). Both Keith and Midwest use American Modern Insurance as the actual insurance company, but I think you have to go through an agent. We didn't switch to him until after the 818 was registered, but since both he and Midwest used the same insurer, I imagine it won't be a problem that your car is not registered yet.

[Pearldrummer7]

haha yup, they wouldn't add me on the insurance because I was 25 until a few weeks ago. Andrew had to get the insurance since he is 28.

Since you're in NY, contact Keith at [email protected] and tell him Andrew and Tamra sent you. He's our new insurance agent and was able to insure the 818 without any issues for less money (and saved us over a grand on our other cars too which was a bonus). Both Keith and Midwest use American Modern Insurance as the actual insurance company, but I think you have to go through an agent. We didn't switch to him until after the 818 was registered, but since both he and Midwest used the same insurer, I imagine it won't be a problem that your car is not registered yet.

Sorry to jack this thread! Thanks for the info, Tamra. I'll try Keith.

Happy belated birthday!

[grabera7]

Any idea if an 818R with an 818S windshield would be OK in Maryland? I'm unsure about the doors/cage.

[biknman]

I have an R with a windshield (option) I'm in Baltimore but not trying in any way to make it street legal, it will live in a trailer to a from the race course. I would suggest the following forum folks I know that live in Maryland that have "street" legal 818: Sixstar at IAG street able R no windshield I know of, mistasherm S, KLAG(?) S, or mikeb75 C

[grabera7]

I have an R with a windshield (option) I'm in Baltimore but not trying in any way to make it street legal, it will live in a trailer to a from the race course. I would suggest the following forum folks I know that live in Maryland that have "street" legal 818: Sixstar at IAG street able R no windshield I know of, mistasherm S, KLAG(?) S, or mikeb75 C

Thanks! I will reach out to them.