MDOT is testing the new license plate technology on agency fleet cars.

Digital license plates may soon be coming to Maryland. The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) is testing a new digital license plate via a two-year pilot program. The digital plates allow drivers to update car registration without using a sticker and can also be used to display important safety information. The plates are being tested on 20 MDTA vehicles and are not available to the general public. 

Maryland is the first state in the Northeast to test the Rplate, developed by a company called Reviver.

“We are very pleased to work with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration to help make Maryland one of the first states in the Northeast to pilot digital license plates, highlighting Maryland’s progressive approach to simplifying the registration process,” said Neville Boston, co-founder and chief executive officer of Reviver.

The Rplate can be digitally updated with registration renewal information, eliminating the need for renewal stickers. The plates can also be updated to show an Amber Alert or display a message to alert others if the car has been stolen. 

Rplates are legal in California, Michigan, and Arizona, at the owners' expense. The digital plates start at $349, plus $199 for installation and a $2.99 monthly data fee. Users can monitor and change plate information via a smartphone app. Automobiles in Maryland are required to have a license plate on the front and the rear of the car, but only one plate needs to carry the renewal sticker. 

Reviver is providing the 20 plates to the state free of charge. Upgraded versions of the plate allow users to monitor the location of the car and track your mileage with a built-in GPS tracker. 

Would you pay $350 or more for a digital license plate on top of your registration fees? Tell us in the comments!