You have two real options now—compare several licensed Maryland sellers using your foreign license, then use Maryland Auto if two standard insurers refuse you—but no official program guarantees a price below $7,000.
“I am moving to Maryland and need car insurance, but I don't have 6 months of US driving history. What are my options for finding an insurance company that accepts foreigners without charging $7,000 or more?”
Summary
Less than six months of U.S. driving history is not listed as a bar to Maryland Auto. You can shop with a valid government-issued foreign license now, and a state-backed route exists if the standard market actually rejects you.
You have a standard-market route first, a state-backed fallback after qualifying rejection, and a future income-based possibility that is not available today.
Use your valid government-issued foreign license and request quotes from several insurers or licensed s. Maryland Auto's newcomer guidance says some carriers accept a home-country government license for a limited period, while the Maryland Insurance Administration says to give every carrier the same vehicle, mileage, location, limits, and driving-record facts and to ask about deductibles and discounts.
Apply through a Maryland Auto after two s reject you, or after a qualifying cancellation/nonrenewal for a reason other than nonpayment. You must also satisfy §20-502's Maryland connection and vehicle/license requirement and owe no disqualifying debt to the Fund; Maryland Auto says it accepts a foreign government-issued license while valid, but the statute separately requires an MVA-registered vehicle, an MVA-issued license, or the specified lease status.
This cannot meet today's need. Starting July 1, 2027, Chapter 742 allows—but does not require—the Executive Director to create an approved affordability program for otherwise eligible applicants whose household income is no more than 250% of the federal poverty level; the law expires June 30, 2029.
Neither the standard market nor guarantees a price below $7,000; compare the same policy term, limits, drivers, vehicle, and deductibles.
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Watch out for
Next steps
These steps get you comparable quotes, preserve the Maryland Auto fallback, and keep your vehicle legal.
Within 60 days of becoming a resident
Start your Maryland license exchange
Use the MDOT MVA International Movers process at https://mva.maryland.gov/your-mva-guide/new-maryland-residents/international-movers and schedule through myMVA. You must pass vision screening; unless your valid license is from South Korea, France, Germany, Taiwan, or Japan, also take the knowledge and driving tests. This step is especially important if you do not yet own an MVA-registered vehicle, because an MVA-issued license independently satisfies §20-502(a)(1).
Requirements
Before buying or registering the car
Request several matched standard-market quotes
Use the August 2026 MIA guide at https://insurance.maryland.gov/Consumer/Documents/publicnew/AutoRateGuide.pdf and verify agents at https://www.apps.insurance.maryland.gov/CompanyProducerInfo/ProducerSearch.aspx?NAV=HOME. Give every seller the same facts, ask for the full annual premium, ask about a higher deductible and available safety, defensive-driving, good-driver, or other discounts, and record whether the result is an offer or a refusal.
Requirements
After qualifying rejection or cancellation
Apply through a Maryland Auto producer if you qualify
Use https://www.mymarylandauto.com/find-an-agent/ or call Maryland Auto Personal Auto Services at 667-210-5112. A Fund producer must certify your eligibility; Maryland Auto is not a direct seller. If you already have an MVA-registered vehicle, Maryland Auto says it can accept your valid foreign government-issued license as the driving credential, but you must still satisfy every §20-502 condition and pay the quoted premium.
Requirements
Before the vehicle is Maryland-registered
Bind coverage before Maryland registration
Choose the best valid offer and make the policy effective before registration. Keep it active continuously, even if the car is parked; insurers report coverage electronically to the MVA, and a lapse can lead to penalties, registration suspension, and vehicle flags.
Requirements
Legal sources
The answer is grounded in the Maryland Insurance Article, 2026 Maryland Chapter 742, MDOT MVA, the Maryland Insurance Administration, and Maryland Auto's own guidance.
MIA Auto Insurance: A Comparison Guide to Rates
Maryland's regulator directs you to compare several sellers using identical facts and warns that not every applicant qualifies everywhere.
pages 2-3
Do comparison-shopping. Contact several insurers or insurance producers (also known as agents or brokers). Ask for price quotes. In order to make an ‘apples-to-apples’ price comparison, you must provide the same information to each insurer or insurance producer. Individuals may not qualify for coverage in all insurers.
Md. Insurance Article §20-502
This is the controlling Maryland Auto eligibility law, including its vehicle/license, rejection, debt, and Maryland-connection conditions.
§20-502(a)-(b)
(1) that owns a covered vehicle registered with the Motor Vehicle Administration, has a license issued by the Motor Vehicle Administration to drive a covered vehicle, or is a lessee under a ‘lease not intended as security’, as defined in § 11–127.2(b) of the Transportation Article; (3) that: (i) has attempted in good faith to obtain a policy that provides the security required under § 17–103 of the Transportation Article from at least two Association members and has been rejected or refused the policy by two Association members for any reason other than nonpayment of premiums; (b) To be eligible for a policy issued under this subtitle, a person must: (1) be domiciled in the State;
Maryland Auto New-to-the-Country Guide
Maryland Auto confirms its own treatment of a valid foreign government-issued license and distinguishes it from a non-government-issued international document.
Can I Use My Drivers License from Another Country to Get Insurance?
Some insurance carriers may only accept a government issued driver’s license from your home country for a certain period of time before you will be required to have a driver’s license issued by one of the 50 United States. At Maryland Auto Insurance, we will accept a driver’s license issued by a specific governmental agency for the amount of time that driver’s license is valid.
MDOT MVA Auto Insurance Requirements
The MVA establishes continuous coverage and Maryland's minimum liability limits.
Minimum coverage required in Maryland
Maryland law requires every registered vehicle to have active auto insurance at all times. Maryland law requires at least: $30,000 for bodily injury per person $60,000 for bodily injury per accident $15,000 for property damage. These minimums are required even if the vehicle is not being driven.
MDOT MVA New Maryland Residents
A new resident has 60 days to obtain the Maryland license, title, and registration.
New Maryland Residents
You must obtain your Maryland driver's license and Maryland vehicle title and registration within 60 days of becoming a Maryland resident.
2026 Md. Laws Ch. 742 (SB 469)
The enacted law makes the affordability program discretionary, income-limited, and unavailable before July 1, 2027.
§20-507.1 and Section 2
Subject to review and approval by the Commissioner, the Executive Director may establish an affordability program if: (1) rates are not excessive or unfairly discriminatory. An individual is eligible for a policy through the affordability program if the individual: (1) meets the eligibility requirements for policyholders under § 20–502 of this subtitle; and (2) has a household income that is not more than 250% of the federal poverty level. This Act shall take effect July 1, 2027.
These are the official Maryland rules and agency materials published or effective on the cited dates; rules and rates can change.
This is general information about official processes, not legal advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
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