MD Executive Order 03-12-2020 (Driver's Licenses)
Executive Order
State: Maryland
Signed: March 13, 2020
Effective: March 13, 2020
SummaryMaryland Governor Hogan has issued an executive order that extends driver's licenses and Notary commissions to the 30th day after the COVID-19 state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency is rescinded.
AffectsCertain Maryland driver's license holders and Notaries Public.
Changes
- Extends driver licenses that would otherwise expire during the state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency and be renewable during these emergencies to the 30th day after the date by which the state of emergency is terminated and the catastrophic health emergency is rescinded.
- Extends all licenses, permits, registrations and other authorizations issued by the State of Maryland, including Notary commissions, to the 30th day after the date by which the state of emergency is terminated and the catastrophic health emergency is rescinded.
AnalysisMaryland Governor Hogan issued an executive order on March 12 extending, among other things, the expiration of driver's licenses and Notary commissions that would have expired during the state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency. While current Maryland law gives Notaries discretion to accept various forms of proof of identity for a notarial act, the typical form of identification presented to a Notary is a driver's license and the best practice the NNA espouses is to accept only IDs that have not expired. Under this executive order, Notaries may accept a driver's license that expires during these stated emergencies to the 30th day after the date by which the emergencies are lifted. Notaries must be careful to know just when these emergency orders are lifted to make sure they do not accept an expired driver's license.
Read Executive Order 03-12-2020.
Subsequent to the issuance of the Governor's order, the Governor issued the following executive orders extending the original order:
On June 19, 2000, the Governor issued Executive Order 20-06-19-01, extending the expiration date of license expirations to the 30th day after the date by which the state of emergency and catastrophic health emergency is rescinded.
On March 9, 2021, the Governor issued Executive Order 21-03-09-03, extending the expiration date of license expirations to June 30, 2021.
On May 12, 2021, the Governor issued Executive Order 21-05-12-01, declaring that expired driver's licenses and identification cards, and professional license expirations expire August 15, 2021.