Tourism plays a vital role in many of the beach communities, where wonderful bed and breakfast inns combine with quaint shopping districts and fine restaurants capable of pleasing the most discriminating guests. Along with vacationers come yachtsmen, sailors, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Over the decades, the Eastern Shore has become a mecca of large estates, cozy cottages and summer homes for families who live in other parts of Maryland or the Northeast. Commercial development, manufacturing plants and government offices expand the employment opportunities in some of the area’s larger cities like Cambridge, Easton and Salisbury.
Although a network of highways provides an easy trip between the Eastern Shore communities and links the area to Baltimore and Washington, D.C., the crowning jewel of transportation amenities is the 4.3-mile span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The very magnitude of the Chesapeake Bay is astounding. With over 3,000 miles of shoreline and 185 miles in length, it nearly divides Maryland in half before joining the Atlantic Ocean. It was the construction of this massive bridge that truly opened the wonders and delights of Maryland’s Eastern Shore to the world.
Driver’s Licenses
Maryland law requires a motorist to obtain a driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency. You must apply in person and present a valid out-of-state license and birth certificate. Although a vision test is required, other tests may be waived provided the out-of-state license has not expired beyond a six-month period.
Motor Vehicle Title & Registration
Before a vehicle can be registered and titled in Maryland, state law requires that the vehicle pass an equipment inspection at one of the authorized Maryland inspection stations in the county of residence. Each state-certified station sets its own fees. Once the vehicle passes inspection, the owner whose name appears on the car’s title must bring the following items to a Motor Vehicle Administration Office to apply for tags, registration and title:
· Certificate that the vehicle passed equipment inspection
· Title to the vehicle and former registration
· Proof of insurance
· Any applicable lien contracts
All vehicles from another state are subject to a one-time excise tax of 5% of the Blue Book value or purchase price, depending the age of the vehicle.
Vehicle Safety Laws
Children under the age of three must be in approved child safety seats. Children ages three to five years old must be secured by safety belts or in approved safety seats in passenger cars or multi-purpose vehicles.
Safety belts are required for drivers and front-seat passengers. The only exceptions are reasons certified by a licensed Maryland physician. The fine for non-use of a safety restraint is $25.00. If a passenger under the age of 16 is not utilizing a safety belt, the driver can be fined. Unbelted passengers over the age of 16 can be cited for violation of the law.
Insurance Requirements
Every vehicle must be covered by an automobile insurance policy written by any insurance company licensed to do business within Maryland, providing the minimum Maryland limits of $20,000/$40,000 covering bodily injury and $10,000 covering property damage. In addition, the policy must include uninsured motorist coverage in the like amounts and $2,500 economic loss coverage. The application for title includes a space for certifying insurance coverage. Economic loss coverage is not required on motorcycles.