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Friday, September 4, 2026

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Justice Department · Friday, September 4, 2026

DOJ urges Maryland to stop nonresident vehicle permit fees on military families

The File desk · Sep 4, 2026, 12:06 PM UTC

Status

Confirmed as a Justice Department letter request dated Sept. 3, 2026. This is not a court judgment. Maryland’s response is not in the release.

On Sept. 3, 2026, DOJ OPA said the Justice Department issued a letter urging the Maryland Department of Transportation to stop collecting nonresident vehicle permit fees from servicemembers and their spouses that DOJ says violate the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon (Civil Rights Division) said families already registered in a home state should not pay additional taxes or fees when relocating under military orders. DOJ asks Maryland to exempt those families, refund amounts already collected, and update policies and training. Press release number 26-1016.

Justice Department OPA, Thursday, September 3, 2026, press release 26-1016: “The Justice Department has issued a letter urging the Maryland Department of Transportation to stop efforts to collect nonresident vehicle permit fees from servicemembers and their spouses that violate the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).”

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division, as quoted: “If a vehicle belonging to a servicemember or their spouse is registered in their home state, then that family has already paid their fair share. They should not also be required to pay additional taxes or fees in each state that they move to in compliance with military orders.”

“The Department is asking Maryland, consistent with the SCRA, to exempt servicemembers and their spouses from the Motor Vehicle Administration’s nonresident vehicle permit fees, refund amounts they have already collected, and update their policies and trainings to ensure that military families are not subject to such fees going forward.”

This file is the OPA letter request. It is not a court judgment. Maryland’s response and any refunds are not documented in the release. No lawsuit filing is claimed in this release.

What is still unknown or disputed

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    Justice Department Seeks Relief for Maryland Military Families from Illegal Fees

    U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs · September 3, 2026

    The Justice Department has issued a letter urging the Maryland Department of Transportation to stop efforts to collect nonresident vehicle permit fees from servicemembers and their spouses that violate the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Press Release Number: 26-1016.

    https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-seeks-relief-maryland-military-families-illegal-fees