Published by Chris Townsend
Could your mover really be fined $5,000 for working a local job in Rockville without a state registration? What happens when a 14-foot-high load rolls onto I-95 with no Maryland SHA oversize pass? And will the Port of Baltimore let a 2005 drayage tractor through the gate now that a new Clean Ports grant is paying drivers to swap in newer engines?
These questions matter because Maryland added 71,000 new residents between July 2023 and July 2024, its biggest one-year influx since 2016. More people means more moving trucks, tighter curb space, and stepped-up enforcement. The Department of Labor can now fine an unregistered mover up to $5,000 per violation under the 2019 Household Goods Movers Act, Baltimore sells out of its $65 street permits every spring moving season, and State Police weighmasters issue per-pound penalties that quickly top $2,000 for overweight rigs. But here's the best part- every permit you need—from a same-day hauling pass to a brand-new state registration—can be filed online, often in minutes, and Three Movers folds it all into one seamless service so you can focus on the fun parts of relocating.
Let's find out what permits are important for relocating in and out of Maryland and how professional movers keep everything under check.
Do you really need a moving “license” in Maryland?
Yes, you do need moving license in MD and most long distance movers are equipped with these licenses. However, in case you fail to comply, you can face hefty penalties.
| Trip type | Governing layer | Proof on truck | 2025 cost / penalty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intrastate (MD → MD) | Household Goods Mover Registration with the Department of Labor | Registration number on ads & paperwork | $325 annual fee; up to $5,000 fine per offense if unregistered |
| Interstate / International | FMCSA USDOT + MC + UCR | Numbers lettered ≥2 in. on cab | $0 / $300 / $37 + |
| City curb / lane use | Local ROW or “Moving-Truck” permit | Printed placard on dashboard | $65 week in Baltimore; $50–$100 day in Annapolis |
| Oversize / Overweight | SHA Hauling Permit | PDF permit & route sheet | $30 single-trip typical; per-ton fees for heavy loads |
Bottom line: any paid move inside Maryland must involve a registered carrier, and most jobs layer on city curb permits or state hauling passes.
State-level licensing — Maryland Household Goods Mover Registration
Maryland’s 2019 Household Goods Movers Act shifted licensing from the Public Service Commission to the Department of Labor. Online registration opens statewide in Fall 2025, but provisional sign-ups began in January and are already required for new carriers.
Application steps
- Online CORE portal application — $325 first-year fee; $75 late renewal penalty.
- Proof of insurance — coverage meeting 49 CFR § 387.303 (≥$50k cargo & ≥$750k liability).
- List every trade name & ≥25 % owner.
- Display registration number on all ads, trucks, and written estimates.
Consumer rules
- The Act bars “hostage-load” tactics—refusing delivery to squeeze extra cash. Violations count as unfair trade practices under MD Com. Law § 14-3102 and carry fines plus AG restitution orders.
- Estimates must be written and itemised; carriers cannot exceed the binding price by more than 10 % without customer consent.
Federal layers for cross-border moves
If you are leaving Maryland—even for one mile, it adds federal paperwork that you need to have:
- USDOT Number (free)
- MC Operating Authority ($300 one-time)
- Unified Carrier Registration — 2025 fees start at $37 for fleets ≤2 power units
- BOC-3 Process Agent designation
Roadside inspectors may issue out-of-service orders and fines up to $11,000 per day for missing or revoked credentials.
City-level parking & right-of-way permits
| City | Permit & 2025 fee | Lead-time | Penalty for no permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | “Moving-Truck Permit” $65 per week covers two standard spaces; $20 each extra space. | 5 business days | Tow + $252 city tow fee |
| Annapolis | Right-of-Way Permit $50–$75 day depending on lane width; metered-space bag fee extra. | 48 hrs | Ticket $100 + tow |
| Rockville / Silver Spring (Montgomery Co.) | Temporary Occupancy $55 first day + $10/day; must post signs 72 hrs ahead. | 2 days | $150 fine |
| College Park, Frederick, others | Similar ROW apps; $25–$40 day typical. | 1–2 days | Meter bag fee + citation |
Three Movers files, pays, and posts all curb permits, so our truck parks right at your front door—no tickets, no neighbor complaints.
Oversize & Overweight permits — SHA ePermit system
Maryland’s legal maximums: 8 ft 6 in wide × 13 ft 6 in high × 80,000 lb gross weight. Anything larger needs a state hauling permit.
| Permit | Valid | 2025 fee* | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-trip oversize ≤14 ft wide | 5 days | $30 | Tall armoire that won’t fit normal van |
| Single-trip heavy >80k lb | 5 days | $5 per ton over legal + $30 base | Machinery or hot-tub |
| Annual oversize | 12 mo | $250 | High-cube vans making weekly runs |
| Annual oversize + overweight | 12 mo | $600 | Heavy container tractors |
*Fees scale with weight, distance, and toll-road mileage; $0–$10,000 range in SHA schedule.
Escort & curfew rules
Loads wider than 12 ft or heavier than 120,000 lb need civilian escorts; loads over 130 k lb or on non-Interstate routes add a State Police escort requirement. No oversize travel on major holiday mornings (6 a.m.–Noon) or during weekday rush hours inside I-695.
Overweight fines
State Police assess 1–40 ¢ per excess pound:
- 1 – 1,000 lb → 1 ¢/lb
- 1,001 – 5,000 lb → 5 ¢/lb
- 5,001 – 10,000 lb → 12 ¢/lb
- 10,001 – 20,000 lb → 20 ¢/lb
- 20,001 + → 40 ¢/lb
plus a $10 minimum. Officers may also confiscate the permit for 5,000 lb+ violations.
Moving manufactured homes & tiny houses
A mobile-home or tiny-house shell wider than 12 ft uses the same SHA permit but must add flashing amber beacons and escorts on two-lane roads. Several counties (e.g., Harford, Charles) require an extra County House-Mover Permit before the structure leaves the lot. Insurance must cover $1 million minimum.
Ports, rail ramps & Clean Ports incentives
- Port of Baltimore is replacing 2013-and-older drayage tractors with a $15 million Drayage-Truck Replacement Program funded by EPA and DOT grants; non-compliant trucks will be barred once replacements are in place (target July 2027).
- A separate Clean Ports Grant will bring 25 on-road zero-emission trucks and 188 pieces of electric cargo equipment to Seagirt and Dundalk terminals over the next three years.
- Three Movers already fields 2019-plus tractors with DPF filters on all port runs, so your shipment clears security even as rules tighten.
Enforcement snapshot
| Agency | What they police | Top 2025 penalty |
|---|---|---|
| MD Dept. of Labor | Registration, ads, contracts | $5,000 per violation |
| State Police & SHA | Size / weight compliance | 40 ¢ per lb over + permit confiscation |
| FMCSA | Interstate authority | $11,000 per OOS day |
| Baltimore DOT | Unpermitted curb closure | Tow + $252 fee + ticket |
| MD AG Consumer Protection | Hostage-load, deceptive ads | Injunction + restitution + civil fines |
Quick permit checklist for a typical Maryland move
| Paperwork | When needed | Issuer | Turn-around |
|---|---|---|---|
| HGM Registration | Any MD-only paid move | Dept. of Labor | 1 – 3 weeks (first-time) |
| USDOT + MC + UCR | Crossing state line | FMCSA / UCR Board | Same-day online |
| Baltimore Moving-Truck Permit | City curb parking | Baltimore DOT | 3-5 days |
| Annapolis ROW Permit | Downtown curb in Annapolis | DPW | 2 days |
| Single-trip SHA Hauling | >8′ 6″ wide or >80 k lb | SHA ePermit | ≈15 min |
| Pilot-car cert | Load >12 ft wide | Private escort service | 1 day |
| Port drayage RFID + CBP docs | Export via Seagirt | Port / CBP | 1–2 hrs |
How Three Movers keeps you covered
- Registered statewide — our HGM number appears on every bill of lading.
- City permits prepaid — cones and meter bags go down 48 hours before the truck arrives.
- SHA on speed-dial — oversize passes issued in under 15 minutes when your baby-grand bumps the limits.
- Port-ready tractors — 2019-plus engines, TWIC-cleared drivers, and grant-funded electric upgrades already rolling.
- No hostage loads—ever — binding estimates honor Maryland’s 10 % rule, so you never pay extra to get your belongings back.
Final Word
Maryland’s blend of new state registration, city curb permits, and SHA size-and-weight rules can look like a maze—but every step exists to keep highways safe and customers protected. Three Movers maps the route, files the forms, and pays the fees long before moving day, turning red-tape hurdles into one smooth, fully licensed ride—from Baltimore row-homes to Ocean City condos, or across the state line and beyond.
Ready for a worry-free Maryland move? Let’s get your permits squared away today with our network of professional movers. Contact us now at (888) 202-0036 for an instant free moving quote.
Key Sources:
- MD Regular Hauling Permit and Oversize/Overweight Hauling Permit
- Maryland Department of Labor — Household Goods Movers Registration overview
- Department of Labor
- Baltimore City Moving Truck Permits
- Baltimore City DOT — Right-of-Way Permits for Moving Trucks
- Maryland Department of the Environment — Port of Baltimore Dray Truck Replacement Program
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/air/mobilesources/pages/dieselretrofitprojects.aspx - Maryland General Assembly — Household Goods Movers Registration regulations (proposed text, PDF)
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/pubs/committee/AELR/24-140P-Regulation.pdf
