7 Things Maryland Drivers Can Get Ticketed for That Feel Completely Legal

If the first snow of the season leaves a layer on your car’s roof, you might brush off your windshield and head out.

In Maryland, that shortcut now comes with a price.

Here are the things Maryland drivers can get ticketed for that feel completely legal.

Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Traffic laws, fines and penalties are subject to change, so confirm the current requirements with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).

1. Out-of-State Registration

Plates from your old state often stay on a car for months after a move without anyone saying a word.

Under a law that took effect October 1, the MVA sends an official warning notice to Maryland residents whose vehicles are registered in another state.

No fines are assessed during the 60 days after that notice.

After that, the fine runs $7 a day, up to a maximum of $420 per vehicle.

You have three ways out.

You can register the car in Maryland, get a non-resident permit, or send the MVA paperwork explaining why Maryland titling isn’t needed.

If the car still isn’t registered 120 days after the notice, the MVA notifies local jurisdictions, and the result may include booting, towing or impoundment.

The notice is a new layer on top of an older one.

On the District Court of Maryland’s fine schedule, operating an unregistered motor vehicle under Transportation Article 13-401(b)(1) lists at $290 with no points.

So a car that isn’t properly registered in Maryland can bring the new notice in the mail, and the older misdemeanor penalty for improper registration still exists alongside it.

2. Snow and Ice on Your Car

Since October 1, the Clear Before You Drive Act has made it a violation to drive with snow and ice left on your car.

Many drivers figure the roof is the next car’s problem.

Driving or towing a vehicle without making reasonable efforts to remove snow and ice that threaten people or property is what breaks the law.

It covers your hood, trunk, windshield and windows.

The roof counts, too.

A first offense in a noncommercial vehicle costs $25, and the fine rises to $200 by the fourth offense.

If the violation contributes to a crash that causes property damage, death or serious injury, the noncommercial fine ranges from $200 to $1,000.

The MVA lists one point on your license for the violation, or three if it contributes to a crash.

3. Holding Your Phone

Holding your phone while you drive can bring a fine of up to $75 for a first offense.

A second offense can cost up to $125, and a third or later offense up to $175.

Maryland’s rule is about your hands. A driver of a vehicle in motion can’t use them to operate a handheld phone.

Starting a call, ending one, and turning the phone on or off are exceptions to that rule.

Unless the offense contributes to an accident, no points go on your license.

If you get a first-offense ticket, a court may waive the penalty once you show proof that you bought a hands-free accessory.

4. Window Tint

Tint that lets in too little light can get you pulled over.

On a passenger car, tint added after the car left the factory has to let at least 35% of outside light through the glass.

That applies to every window.

Some shades that look sharp from the curb are still a violation.

An officer who sees one can stop you and write a citation.

A safety equipment repair order can come on top of it, and the box below shows how short that clock is.

Red, yellow and amber tint can’t go on any window, and reflective tint is banned on every vehicle.

A physician licensed in Maryland can certify a medical need for darker tint, but you have to keep that certification in the car.

5. Move-Over Law

Maryland’s move-over law covers more than police cars and ambulances.

A stopped car with its hazard lights on triggers it, and so do tow trucks and waste or recycling trucks showing flashing lights.

If you can do it safely, you have to change into a lane that isn’t right beside the stopped vehicle.

If you can’t, you have to slow to a reasonable speed that’s safe for the weather, the road and traffic.

The fine is $110 and one point on your license.

6. Plate Covers

A smoked plate cover often passes for a style choice.

Maryland defines a plate cover as any tinted, colored, painted, marked or illuminated object designed to block the plate's characters or change how a recorded image of them looks.

The law also requires your plate to stay legible and free of foreign materials, and that includes covers.

If you don't keep your plate clear of them, the District Court of Maryland's fine schedule lists $70.

It carries zero points.

7. Headlights With Wipers

If you run your windshield wipers continuously because weather has cut your visibility, Maryland law says your headlights go on too.

The rule turns on the wipers, not on the time of day.

The fine is up to $25.

It isn't a moving violation under the state's point rules.

Secondary Enforcement

Some of these tickets can't start a traffic stop alone.

The headlight rule is one.

The snow and ice rule is another, unless the violation contributes to a crash.

A frame around your license plate is a third.

Items hanging from your rearview mirror belong on that list too, as long as they block your view through the windshield.

The belt rule for rear-seat passengers 16 and older works the same way, since officers can enforce it only as a secondary action.

Points Behind the Fine

The number of points you collect within a two-year period decides what the MVA does next.

A move-over ticket adds one point to that count, and the plate fines on the District Court's schedule add none.

At 3 to 4 points, you get a warning letter, and at 5 to 7, you have to enroll in a Driver Improvement Program.