Main Page >> Practice Areas >> Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning >> Maryland Vehicle Beneficiary Designations

Maryland Vehicle Beneficiary Designations

The State of Maryland recognizes beneficiary designations on motor vehicle titles (Maryland Code Annotated, Transportation Article § 13-115). This will have a positive impact on your estate plan because it provides you with the ability to transfer your vehicles outside of the probate process, which will save your estate time, attorney’s fees, and estate creditors’ claims. I strongly encourage you to place beneficiary designations for all of your vehicles.
Please note that you can only designate one beneficiary for each vehicle whether or not there is a lien, encumbrance, or other financing agreement on the vehicle. It is important that you do not have your vehicles titled in both spouse’s names.

To place a beneficiary designation on your vehicle, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Motor Vehicle Administration’s (MVA’s) website: https://mva.maryland.gov/

2. Select Online Services, which is located on the top, right side of your screen.

3. Under Vehicle Services, select View All Online Vehicle Services.

4. On the left-hand side of the screen, under Titling and Ownership, select Designate Vehicle Beneficiary.

5. Read the instructions displayed on the screen and select Next to continue.

Note: You will need your vehicle title number and driver’s license number, and the beneficiary’s date of birth, to complete the Vehicle Beneficiary Application.

6. Enter your vehicle’s Title Number, your Driver’s License/ID Number and your Date of Birth where indicated and select Next to continue.

7. Verify that your vehicle’s information is correct and select Next to continue.

8. You are presented with the option of updating your contact information on file with the MVA. If you need to update your contact information, select Yes. Otherwise, select No. Then select Next to continue.

9. In the Type of Beneficiary drop-down box select Individual, and then select Next to continue.

Note: You may also name a business as the beneficiary. These instructions assume you will be naming an individual as the beneficiary.

10. Options will be displayed for you to enter the beneficiary’s Relationship to Owner (the beneficiary’s relationship to you), the beneficiary’s Date of Birth (DOB), the beneficiary’s Last Name, the beneficiary’s First Name. You may also enter the beneficiary’s Middle Name and Suffix, which are optional. Once you have entered all of this information, select Next to continue.

Note: You may only designate one beneficiary for a vehicle.

11. Select whether you would like the MVA to mail the new title to the address on record or an alternate address, then select Next to continue.

12. The fees for this transaction will be displayed. Verify that the fees are accurate and select Next to continue.

Note: As of October 5, 2025, the fee for each beneficiary designation is $20.

13. The beneficiary’s information will be displayed. Verify that the beneficiary’s information is correct and select Next to continue.

14. Read the Confirmation Submission acknowledgement and select Add to Cart.

15. Select any of the optional products you would like to add to your cart and select Continue.

Note: All of the products listed under Additional Products are optional and are not required to place a beneficiary designation for your vehicle.

16. Select Checkout.

17. Pay the $20 fee via e-check or credit card by following the prompts, entering your payment information and completing the transaction.

18. The new title will be mailed to you. Please keep this new title with your estate planning documents.

19. Repeat steps 1 through 17 for each vehicle you own.

Requirements for Certificate of Title - Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designations:

(1) The vehicle must be owned by one person. If multiple individuals are listed on the title, the title cannot contain a beneficiary designation.

(2) Only one beneficiary per vehicle title is permitted. This can be either one individual or one business entity.

(3) The beneficiary designation must be made after October 1, 2017.

Advantages of Certificate of Title - Transfer on Death Beneficiary Designations:

(1) The vehicle will pass outside of the probate process. This could save time, unnecessary attorney's fees and prevent the vehicle from being subject to other creditors' claims.

(2) After the death of the vehicle owner, the person named as the beneficiary only needs to bring the title reflecting the beneficiary into an MVA office to have the title transferred into the beneficiary's name.

(3) The title does not have to be signed by the owner before his or her death.