Chapter 02. Authorized Emergency and Service Vehicles

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.