BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration will close all branch offices and Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program (VEIP) stations on Friday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. MDOT MVA branch offices will reopen for normal operations by appointment only on Saturday, November 12. VEIP testing also will resume November 12 and does not require an appointment.
Baltimore County government closing information can be found here
To honor Maryland’s veterans, MDOT MVA will issue commemorative banner pens to active and retired service members during the week leading up to Veterans Day. The banner pen displays the benefits MDOT MVA offers to veterans and active military members, as well additional resources through the MDVA. The banner pens will be available while supplies last.
Additionally, the MDOT MVA will participate in Operation Green Light, by illuminating its Glen Burnie campus green next week. Operation Green Light is a new initiative to support military veterans and raise awareness about the resources available to assist veterans and their families. As part of Operation Green Light, the MDVA is launching “Landing Zone Maryland,” a digital welcome guide for veterans and families retiring or moving to Maryland. The guide will include federal, state, and local benefits to meet the needs of transitioning veterans and their families. Beginning Monday, Nov. 7, customers applying for military or veteran products at the MDOT MVA will receive Landing Zone Maryland pocket cards with a link to the guide.
“Military members and veterans have dedicated so much to the state and nation, and we’re honored to be able to show our appreciation through our programs and services,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. “It is so important that our military members and veterans have access to the resources they need, and we will continue to explore new ways to remove any obstacles.”
MDOT MVA reminds the military community that many services are offered through the MDOT MVA that directly benefit veterans and active-duty members. In 2019, MDOT MVA partnered with the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) to open Veteran Benefits Offices in several branch offices statewide. Since the first office opened in the Glen Burnie branch, the service has expanded to five additional offices in the Bel Air, Cumberland, Gaithersburg, Hagerstown and Salisbury branches. The offices have a fulltime veteran’s benefits specialist available to assist veterans and families applying for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits.
To assist veterans and active-duty personnel who are transitioning to a civilian career, the MDOT MVA will waive the CDL skills test requirements for a class A or B commercial license for veterans who have been discharged within the previous 12 months, active-duty personnel, reservists and national guard personnel who meet specific criteria. Criteria and additional information can be found here.
Last year, the Maryland General Assembly passed a law to exempt active military personnel from VEIP requirements for vehicles owned by at least one active-duty member of the military who is deployed outside of the United States or in a state not subject to a vehicle emissions inspection. MDOT MVA leadership proposed the bill after meeting the mother of a soldier who was stationed out of state and was unable to complete the emissions inspection on his vehicle, which was registered in Maryland.
In addition to these initiatives, MDOT MVA has several ways for veterans to show their pride. Driver’s license and identification card holders can add a “Veteran” designation to their card, which indicates they are eligible for state veteran benefits. MDOT MVA also issues permanent vehicle registration cards and license plate stickers to Maryland veterans who qualify as 100% permanently disabled. Veterans who qualify as permanently disabled receive free registration with any plate type, including the more than 100 types of specialty license plates honoring veterans and their families.
Additional information is available at the Military and Veterans page here.
MDOT MVA self-service VEIP kiosks, online services, and 24-hour kiosks will be available throughout the holiday weekend. Customers are encouraged to sign up for a myMVA account to take advantage of the many services available online. With a myMVA account, customers can access their driver’s license information including their REAL ID status, check their vehicle registration status, view MDOT MVA correspondence, check their vehicle emissions inspection program deadlines and complete an array of online services.
