In a Maryland private sale, the seller fills in and signs the back of the title, keeps the plates, and you (the buyer) title the car yourself with the MVA: form VR-005, the assigned title, proof of the price, a Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate, ID and payment. Budget a $200 title fee and 6.5 percent excise tax. And since October 1, 2026, you no longer need a notarized bill of sale on cars under seven years old, though the MVA can still tax the book value if your price looks low.
That notary change is new enough that the MVA's own older title manual PDF still mentions the notarized VR-181, so I checked the MVA site and the bill pages on the morning of October 16, 2026. The repeal is real: SB 125 was approved as Chapter 119 with an effective date of October 1, 2026, and the MVA sent dealers and tag-and-title agents a bulletin about it on September 15. If your sale date was before October 1, ask the MVA (410-768-7000) which rule applies.
What the seller does, and why the plates come off
The MVA's selling a vehicle page says the seller writes the buyer's name and address, sale price, odometer reading, signature and date of sale on the back of the title. Then the seller removes the plates. Maryland plates stay with the seller, not the car, and the MVA says plainly not to let the buyer use them.
Sellers, return those plates and keep the receipt. The MVA says returning plates stops the insurance and registration requirements, and its fee table lists an uninsured penalty of $200 for the first 30 days and $7 a day after that. Keep photos of the signed title and the bill of sale in case a toll bill shows up in November.
The buyer's packet
Per the MVA's private party purchase page, you submit the Certificate of Title Application (VR-005), the properly assigned original title, proof of purchase price and a bill of sale if applicable, an odometer disclosure if applicable, the Maryland Safety Inspection Certificate, valid ID, a lien release if a lien was on the title, and the taxes and fees. Branch appointment or mail both work; mail is slower. Insure the car in Maryland first.
Before you pay, look at the title. The MVA's buying page flags curbstoner signs: the seller's name is not on the title, they will not meet at their home, the price seems too low, or they have several cars for sale. An altered or incomplete title may not be processed at all.
Safety inspection: the step that costs real money
Maryland requires a safety inspection before most used cars can be titled. The MVA's safety inspection page says the station sends the certificate to the MVA electronically, and it is valid for 90 days. Fees are set by each station licensed by the Maryland State Police, not by the MVA. If the car fails, you have 30 days or 1,000 miles to get it rechecked before you pay for a full new inspection.
Honestly, this is where Maryland private deals go sour. A $4,000 car that needs $1,200 of brakes, tires and a windshield to pass is really a $5,200 car. Ask the seller for a recent inspection, or make the sale contingent on one. If the car cannot be registered yet, the MVA offers a 30-day temporary registration, listed at $50, so you can drive it to the station legally.
Excise tax after the notary repeal
The MVA's excise tax page sets the rate at 6.5 percent of the purchase price or the value in the national used-car guide the MVA uses, adjusted for mileage. Cars seven years and older are taxed on the greater of the price or a $640 minimum value, and the fee page lists a minimum tax of $41.60. The bulletin explains the newer-car math. If your price is within $500 of NADA, you are taxed on your price. If it is more than $500 lower, you pay on NADA or prove the lower price with a bill of sale, a canceled check or bank statement, the printed ad, texts with the seller, or a Kelley Blue Book listing.
Worked example: a 2021 hatchback you buy for $12,000 that NADA shows at $13,000. At your price the tax is $780. At NADA it is $845. Unless you can document why it was cheaper, plan for $845.
Title fee, registration and the EV surcharge
The MVA's fee schedule lists a new or used title certificate at $200. One-year registration for a passenger car at or under 3,500 pounds is $120.50, $125.50 between 3,500 and 3,700 pounds, and $191.50 above that, including a $40 EMS surcharge. Battery-electric cars carry a $125 annual surcharge and plug-in hybrids $100.
Run the VIN before the inspection
None of this paperwork tells you where the car has been. Match the VIN on the dash and door jamb to the title with our VIN verification for title transfer guide, then search NMVTIS for brands. If it came from out of state, read out-of-state title transfer and CARFAX. Any brand on the record sends you to our Maryland salvage and rebuilt title rules or Maryland flood title brand posts.
CarVins is a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller and is not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. In October 2026 a single report through us is about $5.50 for guests or $4.50 for members, about $6.75 for both reports, against $39.99 to $44.99 direct; the checkout total is the one that counts. A seller-supplied PDF is not a substitute. CARFAX's overview shows what a real report looks like.
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