# Transportation (GTR)

## Title 16. Vehicle Laws -- Drivers' Licenses

### Subtitle 7. Driver License Compact

#### Section 16-701

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) "Article" means an article of the Driver License Compact.

(c) "Compact" means the Driver License Compact.

(d) "Executive head", with reference to this State, means the Governor.

(e) "Licensing authority", with reference to this State, means the Administration.

#### Section 16-702

The Driver License Compact is enacted into law and entered into with other jurisdictions that join in the Compact in the form substantially as the Compact appears in Sec. 16-703 of this subtitle.

#### Section 16-703

Article I

Findings and Declaration of Policy

(a) The party states find that:

  (1) The safety of their streets and highways is materially affected by the degree of compliance with state laws and local ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles.

  (2) Violation of such a law or ordinance is evidence that the violator engages in conduct which is likely to endanger the safety of persons and property.

  (3) The continuance in force of a license to drive is predicated upon compliance with laws and ordinances relating to the operation of motor vehicles, in whichever jurisdiction the vehicle is operated.

(b) It is the policy of each of the party states to:

  (1) Promote compliance with the laws, ordinances, and administrative rules and regulations relating to the operation of motor vehicles by their operators in each of the jurisdictions where such operators drive motor vehicles.

  (2) Make the reciprocal recognition of licenses to drive and eligibility therefor more just and equitable by considering the overall compliance with motor vehicle laws, ordinances and administrative rules and regulations as a condition precedent to the continuance or issuance of any license by reason of which the licensee is authorized or permitted to operate a motor vehicle in any of the party states.

  Article II

  Definitions

  As used in this Compact:

(a) "State" means a state, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(b) "Home state" means the state which has issued and has the power to suspend or revoke the use of the license or permit to operate a motor vehicle.

(c) "Conviction" means a conviction of any offense related to the use or operation of a motor vehicle which is prohibited by state law, municipal ordinance or administrative rule or regulation, or a forfeiture of bail, bond or other security deposited to secure appearance by a person charged with having committed any such offense, and which conviction or forfeiture is required to be reported to the licensing authority.

Article III

Reports of Conviction

The licensing authority of a party state shall report each conviction of a person from another party state occurring within its jurisdiction to the licensing authority of the home state of the licensee. Such report shall clearly identify the person convicted; describe the violation specifying the section of the statute, code or ordinance violated; identify the court in which action was taken; indicate whether a plea of guilty or not guilty was entered, or the conviction was a result of the forfeiture of bail, bond or other security; and shall include any special findings made in connection therewith.

Article IV

Effect of Conviction

(a) The licensing authority in the home state, for the purposes of suspension, revocation or limitation of the license to operate a motor vehicle, shall give the same effect to the conduct reported, pursuant to Article III of this Compact, as it would if such conduct had occurred in the home state, in the case of convictions for:

  (1) Manslaughter or negligent homicide resulting from the operation of a motor vehicle;

  (2) Driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a narcotic drug, or under the influence of any other drug to a degree which renders the driver incapable of safely driving a motor vehicle;

  (3) Any felony in the commission of which a motor vehicle is used;

  (4) Failure to stop and render aid in the event of a motor vehicle accident resulting in the death or personal injury of another.

(b) As to any other convictions, reported pursuant to Article III, the licensing authority in the home state shall record the conviction on the individual's driving record, but may not assess points for the conviction.

(c) If the laws of a party state do not provide for offenses or violations denominated or described in precisely the words employed in subdivision (a) of this article, such party state shall construe the denominations and descriptions appearing in subdivision (a) hereof as being applicable to and identifying those offenses or violations of a substantially similar nature, and the laws of such party state shall contain such provisions as may be necessary to ensure that full force and effect is given to this article.

Article V

Applications for New Licenses

Upon application for a license to drive, the licensing authority in a party state shall ascertain whether the applicant has ever held, or is the holder of a license to drive issued by any other party state. The licensing authority in the state where application is made shall not issue a license to drive to the applicant if:

  (1) The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been suspended by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation and if such suspension period has not terminated.

  (2) The applicant has held such a license, but the same has been revoked by reason, in whole or in part, of a violation and if such revocation has not terminated, except that after the expiration of 1 year from the date the license was revoked, such person may make application for a new license if permitted by law. The licensing authority may refuse to issue a license to any such applicant if, after investigation, the licensing authority determines that it will not be safe to grant to such person the privilege of driving a motor vehicle on the public highways.

  (3) The applicant is the holder of a license to drive issued by another party state and currently in force unless the applicant surrenders such license.

  Article VI

  Applicability of Other Laws

  Except as expressly required by provisions of this Compact, nothing contained herein shall be construed to affect the right of any party state to apply any of its other laws relating to licenses to drive to any person or circumstance, nor to invalidate or prevent any driver license agreement or other cooperative arrangement between a party state and a nonparty state.

  Article VII

  Compact Administrator and Interchange of Information

(a) The head of the licensing authority of each party state shall be the administrator of this Compact for his state. The administrators, acting jointly, shall have the power to formulate all necessary and proper procedures for the exchange of information under this Compact.

(b) The Administrator of each party state shall furnish to the Administrator of each other party state any information or documents reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration of this Compact.

Article VIII

Entry into Force and Withdrawal

(a) This Compact shall enter into force and become effective as to any state when it has enacted the same into law.

(b) Any party state may withdraw from this Compact by enacting a statute repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until 6 months after the executive head of the withdrawing state has given notice of the withdrawal to the executive heads of all other party states. No withdrawal shall affect the validity or applicability by the licensing authorities of states remaining party to the Compact of any report of conviction occurring prior to the withdrawal.

Article IX

Construction and Severability

This Compact shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes thereof. The provisions of this Compact shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence or provision of this Compact is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any party state or of the United States or the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this Compact and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this Compact shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state party thereto, the Compact shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining states and in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.

#### Section 16-704

(a) The Motor Vehicle Administrator is the Compact Administrator in this State.

(b)

  (1) The Motor Vehicle Administrator may designate an alternate from among the officers and employees of the Administration to serve in the Motor Vehicle Administrator's place as the Compact Administrator.

  (2) Subject to the provisions of the Compact, the Motor Vehicle Administrator shall determine the authority and responsibilities of the alternate.

#### Section 16-705

The Administration shall furnish to the appropriate authorities of other party states information or documents reasonably necessary to facilitate the administration of Articles III, IV, and V of the Compact.

#### Section 16-706

The Compact Administrator described in Article VII of the Compact may not be entitled to additional compensation for service as the Administrator, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with the Administrator's duties and responsibilities as Administrator, in the same manner as for expenses incurred in connection with other duties or responsibilities of the Administrator's office or employment.

#### Section 16-707

(a) For the purposes of Article IV(a) and (c) of the Compact, the Administration shall:

  (1) Give the same effect to a conviction described in Article IV(a)(1) of the Compact as the Administration would for a conviction under Title 2, Subtitle 5 or Sec. 2-209 of the Criminal Law Article;

  (2) Give the same effect to a conviction described in Article IV(a)(2) of the Compact as the Administration would for a conviction under Sec. 21-902(a), Sec. 21-902(b), Sec. 21-902(c), or Sec. 21-902(d) of this article;

  (3) Give the same effect of a conviction described in Article IV(a)(3) of the Compact as the Administration would for a conviction for a felony involving use of a vehicle in this State; and

  (4) Give the same effect to a conviction described in Article IV(a)(4) of the Compact as the Administration would for a conviction under Sec. 20-102 or Sec. 20-104 of this article.

(b) For the purposes of Article IV(b) of the Compact, the Administration shall give the same effect to a conviction in another state reported under Article III of the Compact, other than a conviction described under Article IV(a) of the Compact, as the Administration would for an identical or substantially similar conviction under the Maryland Vehicle Law.

#### Section 16-708

(a) Subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, an act or omission of an official or employee of this State done or omitted under, or in enforcement of, the provisions of the Compact shall be subject to judicial review under the provisions of Title 10, Subtitle 2 (Administrative Procedure Act) of the State Government Article.

(b) Judicial review of the validity of a conviction in another state reported under Article III of the Compact shall be limited to establishing the identity of the individual who was convicted in another state.

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Md. Code Ann., Transp. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)