Posted on

A Pennsylvania vehicle registration is a document that connects Keystone State residents with the mode of transportation they own or lease, including motor vehicles, motorcycles, and boats.

How to Register a Vehicle in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, residents must register their vehicle in person at a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT office). Residents who’ve moved to PA from another state must transfer their out-of-state registration to PennDOT. Residents of Pennsylvania will pay registration and titling fees, and they’ll need to have the vehicle inspected as part of the registration process.

NOTE: PA residents who bought a motorcycle can visit the Motorcycle Registrations page on PennDot for instructions.

New to Pennsylvania?

New residents of PA have 20 days to title and register their vehicle with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) once they move to the state.

Before residents of this state register their vehicle, they must get:

  • A Pennsylvania driver’s license or ID card, UNLESS they have:
  • A U.S. Armed Forces Common Access Card.

OR

  • A U.S. Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card.
  • Pennsylvania car insurance.
  • Verification of the vehicle identification number (VIN). Residents of PA can:
    • Use tracing paper and pencil to provide a tracing of the VIN themselves.

OR

  • Take the vehicle to a certified inspection mechanic or notary for verification.
  • Register the vehicle in person at a PennDOT office. Be sure to take:
  • The vehicle title (must be in the resident’s name).
  • Proof of Pennsylvania insurance.
  • The VIN verification.
  • Payment for required fees (see below for a breakdown).

Pennsylvania residents need to complete an Application for Certificate of Title (Form MV-1) at the PennDOT office.

NOTE: If the vehicle is leased, residents will also need the Application for Lessee Information (Form MV-1L), which must be completed by the lessor.

Registering a Vehicle in PA

When residents of PA buy a new or used vehicle, they need to title and register it with the PennDot.

If PA residents buy their vehicle from a dealer, they will usually handle this process. PA residents who buy a vehicle privately need to complete the process themselves.

Registration applications can be made in person at a PennDOT office. Residents will need:

Proof of ownership:

  • New car: The Manufacturer Certificate of Origin (MCO) OR Manufacture Statement of Origin (MSO).
  • Used car: The current title signed over to you, including an odometer statement.
  • A valid PA driver’s license or ID card.
  • Proof of car insurance.
  • To have a car safety inspected and emissions inspected (where applicable), within 10 days of the purchase date.
  • Payment for applicable fees.
  • To complete the appropriate application form (available at the PennDOT office):
    • New vehicle: Application for Certificate of Title (Form MV-1).
    • Used vehicle: Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return/Application for Registration (Form MV-4ST).

Pennsylvania residents may ALSO need:

  • The Motor Vehicle Verification of Fair Market Value by the Issuing Agent (Form MV-3), if they bought the vehicle for a price that is under 80% of its fair market price.
  • The Affidavit of Gift (Form MV-13ST), if residents received the vehicle as a gift.
  • The license plate IF residents is transferring the plate from the previous vehicle.

PA License Plates

Once residents register a car or other vehicle, they’ll get a Pennsylvania license plate. PennDOT issues a standard license plate as well as several types of special plates. Specialty plate applications usually require additional forms and fees.

Fees to Register a Car

Vehicle registration fees vary by vehicle type in Pennsylvania:

  • Passenger vehicle: $39.
  • Motorcycle: $21.
  • Truck: Based on weight. See the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees (Form MV-70S) for information.
  • Per year county fees.

PA residents will also pay title fees:

  • Vehicle title: $58.
  • Title WITH a lien recorded: $86.

If residents buy a vehicle from a dealer, they’ll usually pay sales tax to them. However, if individuals buy a car in a private sale, they’ll pay sales tax to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania when they register it:

  • 8% if residents live in the City of Philadelphia.
  • 7% if residents live in Allegheny County.
  • 6% in the rest of Pennsylvania.

Some PennDOT agents may also charge a transaction fee. Contact the PennDOT office directly for accepted payment methods.

Required Inspections in PA

PennDOT’s requires that all vehicles have a current safety inspection or are inspected within:

  • 10 days of purchase when purchased in Pennsylvania.

OR

  • 10 days of registration IF brought to Pennsylvania from another state.

In addition, emissions inspections are required for residents in certain counties.

Motorcycle Registration in Pennsylvania

As a Pennsylvanian, residents of this state must register their motorcycle with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) before riding on the road is allowed.

Use this guide to learn more about registering a motorcycle as a new PA resident and as a current resident who just bought a motorcycle.

New to Pennsylvania

After establishing Pennsylvania residency, individuals have 20 days to register their motorcycle with PennDOT.

Before residents can register their motorcycle in Pennsylvania, individuals need to obtain:

  • A Pennsylvania driver’s license with a Class M designation.
  • Proof of the motorcycle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) by:
    • Tracing or photographing the VIN themselves.

OR

  • Getting a VIN verification from certified mechanic or notary official.

Once these requirements are completed, residents can finish the registration process by providing the following items at a local PennDOT office:

  • The motorcycle’s valid out-of-state title.
  • The Pennsylvania motorcycle license.

Proof of:

  • PA motorcycle insurance.
  • The motorcycle’s VIN.

For leased vehicles, an Application for Lessee Information (Form MV-1L) completed by the lessor.

  • Payment for all applicable fees and taxes.

Additionally, PennDOT requires a motorcycle to pass a safety inspection and, depending on the resident’s Pennsylvania county of residence, an emissions inspection within 10 days of the registration date.

Motorcycle Registration in Pennsylvania

The process for registering a motorcycle varies depending on whether individuals purchased it at a dealership or through a private seller.

Below are the steps required to register a motorcycle with the PA Department of Transportation.

Dealer-Bought Motorcycles

When PA residents buy a motorcycle at a Pennsylvania dealership, typically the dealership will handle the registration process. The fees for motorcycle registration will usually be included in the overall purchase price.

The dealership may provide residents with temporary plates and registration until their permanent documents arrive via mail. Before leaving the dealership, confirm that no additional steps will be required.

Private Motorcycle Purchases

When PA residents purchase a motorcycle through a private seller, they must register it themselves. Residents need to visit their local PennDOT office with the seller to complete the transaction and present the following items to the agent:

  • The motorcycle’s current title. Must be signed by the buyer AND seller in the presence of a PennDOT agent.
  • A completed a Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return/Application for Registration (Form MV-4ST). This form is only available at your local PennDOT office.
  • Proof of Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance.
  • The resident’s Class M Pennsylvania driver’s license.
  • A completed AND notarized Motor Vehicle Verification of Fair Market Value by the Issuing Agent (Form MV-3) IF residents purchased their motorcycle at under 80% of its fair market value.
  • The necessary registration fees and taxes.

If the motorcycle doesn’t have valid inspection stickers, residents of PA need to take it in for safety and possible emissions inspection within 10 days of the purchasing date.

If the inspection sticker is valid when the resident buys the bike, they’ll need to have their motorcycle inspected when the current sticker expires.

PA Motorcycle Registration Fees & Taxes

In Pennsylvania, residents of this state may be required to pay the following fees and taxes when they register their motorcycle with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Motorcycle registration:

  • 1 year: $21.
  • 2 years: $42
  • Vertical motorcycle plate: $23.
  • Personalization fee: $112.
  • Plate transfer: $9.

Sales tax: 6% of the purchase price, EXCEPT for residents of:

  • Allegheny County: 7% of the purchase price.
  • Philadelphia: 8% of the purchase price.

Boat Registration and Licenses in Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) oversees all vessel titles and registrations. On this page, PA residents will find information about boat titling and registration, as well as the boater requirements to legally operate watercraft on PA waters.

PA Vessels to Title & Register

In Pennsylvania, residents of this state must register:

  • All motorized vessels.
  • Sailboats with auxiliary motors.
  • Recreational watercraft documented with the U.S. Coast Guard.
  • Non-motorized boats used on waters governed by the PA Fish and Boat Commission, PA State Parks waters, PA State Forests, or if required by the property owner

Vessels exempt from the PFBC’s registration requirements include:

  • Out-of-state boats temporarily operating on Pennsylvania waters.
  • U.S. government-owned vessels.
  • Lifeboats.
  • Search and rescue boats.
  • Documented boats used for non-recreational purposes.
  • Non-motorized vessels (e.g. kayaks, rowboats, sailboards) using waters not governed by PFBC or PA State Parks, State Forests, or on private property not requiring registration.

The following types of watercraft must also be titled with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission:

  • Boats model year 1997 or newer, powered by an inboard motor.
  • Vessels measuring 14 ft or longer, powered by an outboard motor.
  • Watercraft that already have a Pennsylvania title when purchased.
  • Boats with an out-of-state title primarily using PA waters.

PA residents who are not sure about whether your vessel requires a title and/or registration can give the PFBC a call at (866) 262-8734 for clarification.

Title & Register Your Boat in PA

To title and/or register your vessel with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, you’ll need to submit:

  • A completed Application for Pennsylvania Boat Registration and/or Boat Title (Form REV-336).

Acceptable proof of ownership, such as:

  • Current properly assigned Pennsylvania OR out-of-state vessel title.
  • Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin AND a copy of the boat’s bill of sale.
  • All applicable watercraft title/registration fees.

Mail the required items above to:

PA Fish and Boat Commission
Division of Licensing and Registration
P.O. Box 68900
Harrisburg, PA 17106

PA boat registrations will be valid for 2 years, expiring on March 31 of the final registration year.

The PFBC allows residents to apply for temporary vessel registration, so residents can boat while they wait for the official title/registration documents to arrive.

Residents can get their temporary registration from any PA boat registration agent—call the office ahead of time for details on what they need to provide.

PFBC Boat Title & Registration Fees

The costs to title and/or register a boat with the PA Fish and Boat Commission are as follows:

Original and renewal registration for:

  • Non-motorized boats: $22.
  • Motorboats less than 16 ft: $26.
  • Motorboats 16 to 20 ft: $39.
  • Motorboat 20 ft and longer: $52.
  • Vessel title: $15.
  • Per lien added: $5.
  • Replacement:
  • Boat title: $5.
  • Registration card: $3.
  • Vessel decals: Free.
  • Temporary boat registration agent fee: $2.
  • Registration transfer (transferring your existing registration to a new vessel): $5.

Sales tax—Percentage of the purchase price:

  • State: 6%.

Local (in addition to state sales tax) applied to:

  • Allegheny County: 1%.
  • Philadelphia County: 2%.

Pennsylvania Boat Renewals & Replacements

In Pennsylvania, boat registrations are valid for 2 years and expire on March 31 of the final registration year. The PA Fish and Boat Commission will mail residents a renewal notice before their registration expires.

To renew a vessel registration, submit the required information about the boat and payment for the appropriate renewal fees:

  • Online through the PFBC’s Outdoor Shop portal.
  • By mail to the address printed on your renewal notice.

NOTE: PA residents who do not receive a renewal notice or their registration has been expired for a long time, mail a completed Application for Pennsylvania Boat Registration Renewal (Form REV-336) in lieu of the renewal notice.

Replace Lost Boat Title & Registration

If the vessel title, registration card, or decals are lost or destroyed, residents can obtain duplicate copies by submitting the applicable items below:

A completed:

  • Change of Address, Status or Request for Duplicate Certificate of Registration (Form PFBC-732) for duplicate registration card and/or decals.
  • Application for Duplicate or Corrected Certificate of Title By Owner (Form PFBC-T1) for a duplicate boat title.
  • The necessary fees for replacement title/registration documents.

Mail the above items to the address on the form.

Pennsylvania Boater Qualifications

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission requires residents to hold a boating safety certificate:

  • To operate personal watercraft (like jet skis).
  • If residents were born on or after January 1, 1982 and want to operate a motorboat with an engine of 25 horsepower or greater.

To earn a boating safety certificate, PA residents first need to complete an approved boater education course:

  • Online—See the PFBC’s boating courses page for a list of approved online providers.
  • In the classroom, at various times and locations throughout the state.
  • With a home-study course—Call (800) 830-2268 to order this video-based boater education course.

Then, order a boating safety certificate by sending the following items to the PFBC:

  • A completed Application for a Permanent Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education Certificate (REV 2017).
  • Proof of boater education course completion.
  • An education provider should provide residents with a certificate or statement of course completion.
  • The $10 boating safety certificate fee.

Mail the required items above to:

PA Fish and Boat Commission
Boating Safety Education
P.O. Box 67000
Harrisburg, PA 17106

Taking an education course not only makes PA residents better boaters, but can also save residents money on boat insurance.

Accepted Forms of Payments

The Pennsylvania DMV accepts these forms of payments:

  • Debit cards
  • Credit cards
  • Checks
  • Money orders

The Pennsylvania DMV does not accept cash, so residents of this state need to make sure they bring the proper method of payment to pay their fees and avoid unnecessary penalties and fees. PennDOT will charge a fee of $62 or more for each check returned as uncollectible.

Leave a Reply