The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration announced today that High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) permits are once again available for plug-in electric vehicles. Drivers of plug-in electric vehicles or certain plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that are titled and registered in Maryland will be allowed to use the state’s HOV lanes on I-270 and US 50 regardless of the number of passengers, provided they apply and display an HOV permit on their vehicle.
Maryland previously had a similar program that expired in September 2022. It was reinstated through House Bill 123, which was approved this year by the Maryland General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Wes Moore. There are currently more than 72,000 registered EVs in Maryland, a dramatic increase from just 609 EVs registered in 2012.
“Maryland’s EV registrations have increased significantly over the past decade, and continue to rise,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “By offering incentives for EVs, including the use of HOV lanes, Maryland will move closer to reaching its goal of 300,000 registered EVs by 2025 – and the goal of reducing greenhouse gases 60% by 2031.”
“The HOV permit initiative has been a great benefit for Maryland’s EV drivers, and we expect this program to be popular with even more EVs on our roads,” said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “Our focus has been to ensure the convenience of applying for and acquiring this permit through the Motor Vehicle Administration so our customers can start using them as quickly as possible.”
Customers can order a sticker for a fee of $5 through their myMVA account here. Permits also will be issued at all MVA branch offices, licensed dealerships and Tag & Title agencies.
NOTE: Customers who had a previous HOV permit must order a new sticker, as those permits expired back in September 2022.
To qualify for the permit, a vehicle must meet the standards of a plug-in electric drive vehicle. This includes, but is not limited to: being manufactured primarily for use on roads and highways, does not weigh more than 8,500 pounds and is capable of being recharged from an external source of electricity. More information on the HOV permit program can be found here.
