Title 11 — Subtitle 16. Motor Vehicle Administration — Vehicle Operations

This chapter applies to:

The provisions of this chapter do not apply to law enforcement vehicles or other emergency service vehicles, such as fire and rescue vehicles, which transport hazardous materials required for the performance of their duties or services.

In this chapter, the following documents are incorporated by reference.

Documents Incorporated.

A governmental agency, or any other person, may not operate any vehicle as an emergency or service vehicle, as set forth in the Transportation Article, §§11-118 and 22-201, Annotated Code of Maryland, unless the governmental agency, or other person, shall make application for approval from the Administrator, upon forms and in such a manner as may be prescribed by the Administrator. The agency, or person, must be in receipt of the written approval before operation of the vehicles as emergency or service vehicles.

Each vehicle and type of operation shall be listed on approval form with exceptions.

The application for approval as emergency or service vehicles shall contain such information as may be required by the Administrator for each and every vehicle, with the exception of any governmental agency, or other person, which operates more than 20 vehicles in the same type of emergency or service operation. In that case, the Administration may accept a certification from the agency, or person, covering all vehicles engaged in similar operations.

Emergency type vehicles of manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and their authorized agents, equipped with red and/or white oscillating or flashing lights, and when properly registered in another jurisdiction, may not require the designation or authorization by the Administrator, pursuant to the provisions of the Transportation Article, §22-218, Annotated Code of Maryland, when operating interstate through Maryland for the sole purpose of sale, resale or, demonstration purposes. The use or display of these lights, in any manner, other than as provided for in Regulation .02, shall be deemed a violation of §22-218.

Out-of-State service type vehicles of any governmental agency, tow trucks, slow moving farm vehicles, and rural letter carriers shall be permitted to operate interstate through Maryland equipped with and displaying amber, green, or yellow oscillating or flashing lights or signal devices in accordance with Transportation Article, §22-218, Annotated Code of Maryland, while on official duty and when that operation impedes the normal flow of traffic and becomes a hazard to other motorists. The exemption set forth in this section may not apply to vehicles engaged in an intrastate operation.

Service type vehicles of manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and their authorized agents, equipped with amber oscillating or flashing lights, and when properly registered in another jurisdiction, may not require the designation or authorization by the Administrator, pursuant to the provisions of the Transportation Article, §22-218, Annotated Code of Maryland, when operating interstate through Maryland for the sole purpose of sale, resale, or demonstration purposes. The use or display of these lights, in any manner, other than as provided for in §B, shall be deemed a violation of §22-218.

The application form shall be distributed upon request by the Administration.

The application shall be completed in full and signed by the applicant or the applicant's representative.

An application not signed by the physically disabled applicant, or the parent or guardian of a minor applicant, will be rejected.

The Administration shall mail permits to individuals whose applications have been approved.

Applications received for residents of Baltimore City shall be forwarded to the Baltimore City Department of Transportation for processing.

Applications received for residents of Baltimore County shall be forwarded to the Baltimore County Department of Traffic Engineering for processing.

A signed or certified statement from a licensed physician is required for an application for a permit. This statement shall certify that the applicant has a permanent physical disability that:

The Administration, at its discretion, may:

An applicant may be issued a permit for the use of only one reserved parking space.

For the convenience of the applicant, an additional two permits for the use of the reserved parking space may be issued for vehicles belonging to members of the applicant's household.

Permits are not transferable.

Permits may only be used on household vehicles.

The reserved parking space shall be located as near the front, side, or edge of the applicant's property line as possible.

The reserved space may not be longer than 25 feet in length.

A reserved parking space may not be authorized to the applicant whose property has adequate and accessible off-street parking available.

A reserved parking space may not be authorized for any roadways that have parking or other restrictions prohibiting parking at any time.

All reserved parking spaces on roadways that have established restrictions prohibiting parking at certain times shall also be restricted to the prohibited times.

A vehicle using a reserved parking space shall be parked entirely within the space.

Reserved parking spaces shall be used when possible instead of other public parking spaces.

Except in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, upon approval by the Motor Vehicle Administration, the State Highway Administration shall erect the authorized handicapped parking sign.

In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, approval and erection of authorized handicapped parking signs shall be performed by the respective jurisdiction.

Of false statements on the application;

Of the misuse of the parking privilege;

Of the rezoning or reclassification of the roadway restrictions to prohibit parking at any time;

That the permit holder's disability has improved to the point where the permit holder can safely enter or leave a vehicle at a less convenient location;

That the permit holder's dwelling unit or adjacent property has been modified to provide adequate and accessible off-street parking; or

That the permit holder has failed or refused to provide documentation to substantiate the permit holder's continued need for reserved parking, when requested by the Administration.

In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.

Terms Defined.

Complaints made to the Administration regarding fraud or misrepresentation in applying for or using disabled registration plates or parking placards, or individuals with disabled registration plates or parking placards who do not meet the eligibility requirement shall be:

The Administration shall review the complaint and may conduct an investigation to determine if an individual with disabled registration plates or a parking placard:

The Administration shall maintain a record of all investigations conducted regarding fraud, misrepresentation, or ineligibility of individuals with disabled registration plates or parking placards issued by the Administration for:

Committed fraud in the application for the disabled registration plates or parking placard;

Made any misrepresentation in applying for or using the disabled registration plates or parking placard; or

Does not currently meet the eligibility requirements for the issuance of disabled registration plates or parking placard.

The Administration shall send a notice of the proposed revocation to the owner of disabled registration plates or parking placard, and that notice shall be:

The notice shall advise the individual of the following:

Failure to appear for the scheduled administrative hearing shall result in the immediate revocation of the disabled registration plates or parking placard.

The owner shall surrender to the Administration all disabled registration plates or parking placards revoked by the Administration.

Failure to surrender revoked disabled registration plates or parking placards will result in the Administration's issuance of an order to pick up the plates or placards.

The Administration shall issue substitute registration plates to replace the surrendered disabled registration plates for the remainder of the registration period.

Except as provided in §B of this regulation, a person may not operate a motor vehicle without leaving enough space so that an overtaking vehicle may enter and occupy the space between the trucks unless the driver is in receipt of written approval from the Administration.

A person may apply to the Administration for written approval for the operation of trucks in an electronically unified manner in conformity with Transportation Article, §21-310(f), Annotated Code of Maryland, and with this chapter.

The applicant shall certify to the Administration that the trucks will be operated in conformity with this chapter and related policies or procedures established by the Administration.

The driver shall carry copies of the written approval while operating the truck in a unified manner in accordance with this chapter.

The applicant shall submit an Operational Plan to the Administration. The Operational Plan shall include:

The Administration shall conduct a safety evaluation of the Operational Plan in consultation with appropriate agencies, including but not limited to the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration. The Administration may:

The Administration, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority, or the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration may request an inspection of all technology and safety equipment prior to or any time after approval.

The Administration reserves the right to withdraw written approval for any lawful reason, including but not limited to failure to comply with this regulation or any related policies or procedures established by the Administration.

A driver may not operate a truck as permitted by Transportation Article, §21-310(f), Annotated Code of Maryland:

No more than two trucks may operate as permitted by Transportation Article, §21-310(f), Annotated Code of Maryland.

While traveling under the authority of an approval of this chapter, the driver shall comply with:

When operating a truck under the approval of this chapter, the driver shall ensure the safety of the public.