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Maryland garage liability for motor vehicle dealers

Maryland ties a vehicle dealer’s surety bond to the number of vehicles sold or projected, while interchangeable dealer plates require auto liability at all times. The MVA asks to be listed as certificate holder and requires proof when plates are issued and at license renewal. 1,2

What Is Garage Liability?

Garage liability can address injury and property-damage claims from auto repair and related garage operations. If you run a repair or service shop, check separately whether customer cars in your care need garagekeepers coverage for vehicle damage. Read the national Garage liability guide.

Maryland Requirements

RequirementDetails
Dealer surety bondAmount based on actual or projected vehicle sales; full dealership and owner names must match the application 1
Interchangeable platesAuto liability must remain in force; submit certificate of liability insurance at issuance and renewal 2

What to Watch for in Maryland

  • Name the MVA as Certificate Holder

    The Maryland MVA specifies its Business Licensing and Compliance address as certificate holder for dealer-plate liability proof. Ask your agent to use the MVA’s exact designation when issuing or renewing interchangeable plates. 1,2

  • Tie the Bond to Projected Sales

    Maryland’s dealer bond amount is based on vehicles sold or projected, and the bond must list the complete dealership name and owners exactly as on the application. Revisit the bond when sales volume or the legal business name changes. 1

  • Dealer-Plate Counts Are Capped

    The MVA allows up to five dealer plates per location and two per licensed salesperson, and may require excess plates back. Match the liability schedule and plate inventory to current locations and salesperson rosters at renewal. 2

Who Regulates Insurance in Maryland

Maryland Insurance Administration

The Maryland Insurance Administration licenses producers and insurers, reviews rates and forms, and investigates complaints about insurance companies and producers. You can use its state lookup or complaint service to check a license or raise an insurance issue. 3,4,5

Surplus-lines tax and stamping office

Reported tax rate: 3% of gross premiums less returned premiums when Maryland is the insured's home state; excludes risks of Maryland and its political subdivisions When Maryland is the insured's home state, the tax is 3% of gross premiums less returned premiums, except insurance of risks of the State or a political subdivision. For policies effective on or after July 21, 2011, Maryland taxes the entire premium and the broker must charge the tax in addition to premium. Maryland's property and casualty guaranty corporation excludes surplus-lines policies. 6,7

Providers With Documented State Licenses

No provider in Spot’s research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy in Maryland

  1. Does the liability certificate name Maryland MVA as the specified certificate holder for our interchangeable plates?
  2. Does our bond amount reflect the MVA’s sales-volume tier and the full legal name on the license?
  3. How many plates are authorized for each location and salesperson, and do we have liability proof for all of them?

Garage Liability in Maryland: FAQ

Does Maryland require insurance for dealer plates? 2

Yes. The MVA requires auto liability to remain in force and proof at plate issuance and license renewal. It must be submitted with the MVA listed as certificate holder. 2

How does Maryland determine a dealer’s surety bond? 1

The MVA says the bond amount is based on the number of vehicles the dealer sold or projects to sell. The bond and application names must match. 1

Garage Liability in Other States

Other Coverage in Maryland

Sources

  1. Business Licensing Packet. Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration; Dealer application checklist: bond amount tied to sales volume; insurance certificate for interchangeable plates. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. Interchangeable Plate Requirements and Procedures. Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration; March 14, 2025 bulletin: auto liability at all times, proof at issuance and renewal, certificate holder and plate caps. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Maryland Insurance Administration. Maryland Insurance Administration; Homepage and consumer contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. Insurance License Lookup. Maryland Insurance Administration; State-designated producer/company search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  5. File an Insurance Complaint. Maryland Insurance Administration; State complaint process and contact. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  6. Md. Code, Insurance §3-324. Maryland General Assembly; Insurance §3-324(a)-(b), (d)-(f): government-risk exclusion; 3% of gross premiums less returns; entire-premium home-state basis from July 21, 2011, with tax charged in addition. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  7. Maryland Insurance Article (2026). Maryland General Assembly; Insurance §9-303(5), (7): surplus-lines and unauthorized insurers excluded from property and casualty guaranty subtitle; 2026 Insurance Article PDF. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  8. Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
  9. Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
  10. Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  11. About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  12. Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  13. Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  14. Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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