Form DR-057, line by line
The Request for Motor Vehicle Administration Records has separate sections for driving and vehicle records. To look up a tag, fill in the vehicle part and leave the driving section blank:
- The vehicle: a tag number, a VIN, or the year, make and model.
- Your purpose: a required field, not a courtesy. The MVA uses it to decide what it can release.
- Your signature: you acknowledge, under penalty of criminal prosecution, that you'll use the information only for the purpose you described and won't pass on personal information except as the Maryland Public Information Act allows.
MVA materials list $12 for a non-certified record and $15 for a certified one. The agency also takes public records requests through a web form on its site, which is the quicker route for most people. Download the current DR-057 before you mail anything, because older copies with different fees still circulate online.
Why the owner's name usually stays private
The MVA's position is simple: motor vehicle records containing personal information are confidential and released only in limited circumstances, such as a request by the person the record belongs to, the police, an insurer or another approved official purpose. A Maryland tag lookup by a stranger with no qualifying reason returns, at most, information about the vehicle. That's a direct application of the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act and the state's own Public Information Act.
The right move in common Maryland situations
After a crash or hit-and-run, phone the police with the tag number. The report they write is what your insurer needs, and police identify the vehicle far faster than a mailed request would. For a car left on your lot or driveway, call local police or a licensed towing company, which notify the owner through their own channels. If you're buying, look at the title, match the VIN to the car and run a free VIN decode and recall check; the vehicle's history matters more than the seller's tag record. Maryland buyers also need a safety inspection for most used cars before they can title them.
For your own car, DR-057 works for your own vehicle record too, and you're the one person the MVA never turns away for privacy reasons. Requesting your own record is also how you confirm it matches your title.
Is a free Maryland tag lookup possible?
Not with the owner attached. The MVA charges per record, and the purpose field decides what personal information, if any, you see. Websites that promise a free Maryland tag lookup with names, or instant results by text, usually resell general vehicle specifications or ask for payment at the last step. If you need the record for a real reason, the MVA's own form is cheaper and lawful, and a DR-057 request is the version that holds up if anyone asks how you got the information.
Maryland tag lookup FAQ
Which form do I use to request a Maryland vehicle record?
Form DR-057, the Request for Motor Vehicle Administration Records, or the MVA's public records web form. The vehicle section takes a tag number, VIN or year, make and model, and the purpose of the request is required.
How much does a Maryland vehicle record cost?
MVA materials list $12 for a non-certified record and $15 for a certified one. Check the current form before paying, since fees change.
Will the MVA tell me who owns a car?
Usually not. The MVA says motor vehicle records are private unless requested by the person they belong to, the police, an insurer or for another approved purpose.
Sources
- Maryland MVA: Public information requests for driving and vehicle records
- Maryland MVA: Public information records
- Driver's Privacy Protection Act, 18 U.S.C. 2721
This page explains common rules and is not legal advice. The Maryland MVA has the final word on what it releases.