Any Balitimore/ MD Dopers familiar with the BMV?

Factual Questions
1

So I won an auction on ebay Motors for a vehicle in Bel Air MD, NE of Baltimore.

I figure I’ll fly to Baltimore and drive home. (9ish hours to Dayton)

2 Questions:

  1. Do you know the procedure for temporary tags in MD?

I’ve bought 2 other cars on ebay in 2 different states and they have simple processes to procure drive away tags, where I can register the car in Ohio, pay the [OH] sales tax, switch the title etc.

They’re generally 3-60 day tags. Any body know this for MD? (Particularly if the BMV is open on a Saturday…)

  1. The easiest way from Baltimore’s airport to the BMV, and then on to Bel Air? (21014)

Thanks bunches.

raindog

ETA If the mods can correct “Baltimore” I’d appreciate it.

2

The correct spelling is “Bawlamer” (hon).

There’s an MVA (not BMV) in Glen Burnie which isn’t far from the airport. Go out of the airport, go up 295 to the Baltimore Beltway (695) and go east on the beltway to the Rt 2 South Ritchie Hwy exit. The MVA isn’t far down Rt 2 and it will be on your left.

Once you leave the MVA, follow the signs to 895 N. That will take you through the tunnel under the harbor and will get you to the north side of Baltimore. You’ll join up with 95 N and that will take you to Bel Air.

According to the MVA web site, the Glen Burnie office is only open until noon on Saturday.

MVA phone number: 1-800-950-1682
http://www.mva.maryland.gov/LOCATION/annearundelcounty.htm

They probably have temp tag info somewhere on that site. I didn’t poke around.

3

There is an MVA in Bel Air. Saturday hours are only for Driver’s Licenses though. I think you can get a temporary tag solely for the purpose of taking the vehicle to get inspected. Probably good enough to get back to Ohio though, if you behave yourself.

4

When you go there, get there early, and be prepared to stand in line. When we registered our two cars at that DMV, we ended up standing in line for well over an hour… and then sat for another hour waiting for our numbers to be called. It was insane.

When I registered my motorcycle a few months later, I skipped that DMV and instead went to the one in Westminster, about a 30 minute drive from my house. I sat in line for about ten minutes, and was out in another ten.

5

Thanks for the info!

6

Turns out that MD doesn’t have any provisions for temp tags.

I have to:

1)Tow the vehicle to Ohio, or,

  1. Register the vehicle in MD and pay titling fees in MD (just to re-register in Ohio), or,

  2. Convince the owner to let me use his tags to drive it back to Ohio.

Kinda sucks.

7
  1. Bring a set of your tags from any car and drive it safely but illegally back to Ohio. Get your insurance company to play along first.

It’s probably horrible advice, but it’s also what I’d probably do.

8

I just called the owner and laid out my choices and he said"No problem. Just bring proof of insurance and you can use my tags to drive it back to Ohio and then mail them back to me."

Problem averted.

Thanks all.

9

Clicked on this just to find out what a “BMV” is. Bureau of Motor Vehicles, I assume?

10

Yep.