In Pennsylvania you can’t just sign a title and hand it over. The seller and buyer complete the title in front of an authorized PennDOT agent (an agent, tag service or dealer authorized by PennDOT), and the agent sends the application to PennDOT. Expect the $72 title fee and 6% sales tax (7% in Allegheny County, 8% in Philadelphia).
What you need
- The Pennsylvania title (a paper title: if a lender holds it electronically, the seller must get a paper title first)
- The buyer’s Pennsylvania driver license or ID card (the agent records it on the application)
- Proof of insurance for the buyer, if a plate or temporary registration will be issued
- Payment for the title fee, sales tax and any registration or plate fees
At the agent: step by step
- Seller fills in Section A on the back of the title in front of the agent: the buyer’s name and address, the seller’s signature and printed name, and the odometer reading.
- Buyer signs and prints their name, and completes Section D on the front, including lender details if the car is financed.
- The agent notarizes Sections A and D. At that point the title is “transferred”.
- The agent completes form MV-4ST, the sales tax return and registration application. This is an agent-only form; you won’t fill it in yourself.
- The agent sends everything to PennDOT. They aren’t allowed to hand the paperwork to you to mail.
PennDOT then mails the new title to the buyer, or to the lender if there’s a loan.
Fees and tax
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certificate of title | $72 |
| Transfer a registration plate | $11 |
| Record a lien, per lien | $36 |
| Sales tax | 6% of the price or current market value (7% Allegheny County, 8% Philadelphia) |
Fees are from PennDOT’s schedule MV-70S. Agents may charge their own service fees on top; ask before you go. Some counties add a local use fee.
Plates, registration and inspection
- Plates stay with the seller. The seller removes them; the buyer never gets them.
- Buyer’s registration: the agent can transfer a plate you already have, issue a new one, or issue a temporary registration valid for 90 days.
- Insurance: proof is required before a temporary plate or plate transfer. Contact your insurer within 14 days of buying to add the car.
- Inspection: a used vehicle must be inspected within 10 days of the sale unless it shows a valid inspection sticker. Emissions testing applies in participating areas.
Out-of-state title?
Check where the seller signs; some states require notarization. A VIN tracing or verification on form MV-1 is needed for vehicles coming from another state. Ask the agent before the sale.
Selling? See the Pennsylvania seller checklist.