Pennsylvania Title Transfer

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Pennsylvania is one of the few states that requires both buyer and seller signatures to be notarized on the title transfer. The notary requirement is why most Pennsylvania title work happens at authorized PennDOT agents and AAA offices — the agent is also a notary and signs in real time.

What the seller does

Sign the assignment-of-title block on the back of the Pennsylvania title in the presence of a notary.
Complete the odometer disclosure section on the title (vehicles less than 20 model years old).
Provide a written bill of sale showing the price, date, and both parties' names and addresses.
Remove the license plates from the vehicle if you are not transferring the registration to a different vehicle of your own.
File a release of liability with PennDOT once the buyer registers the vehicle, to protect against tickets and liability after the sale.

What the buyer does

The buyer has 20 days to complete the transfer before late fees apply, but driving on a vehicle whose title has not been transferred is risky — the title still legally belongs to the seller and the registration is therefore void. In practice, register within a few days of purchase.

Bring the signed and notarized title, the bill of sale, and a Pennsylvania insurance ID card to a PennDOT agent or AAA office.
Complete form MV-4ST (Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return / Application for Registration). The buyer's signature on this form is also notarized.
Pay the title-transfer fee of $58 (or $67.25 with a recorded lien).
Pay the registration fee, plate fee if needed, and Pennsylvania sales tax.
Receive plates and registration card on the spot from the agent.

Sales tax handling

Sales tax is collected at title transfer at the rate of 6% statewide, plus 1% local in Allegheny County and 2% local in Philadelphia. The taxable amount is the price on the bill of sale, or the NADA book value if the reported price is unusually low. The notary and the PennDOT auditor both review the price for reasonableness.

Family-gift transfers

Pennsylvania exempts transfers between immediate family members from sales tax. Eligible relationships:

Parent and child (including step-children).
Spouse to spouse.
Sibling to sibling.
Grandparent and grandchild.

Cousins, in-laws, and unrelated parties pay full sales tax. The exemption is claimed on the MV-4ST by checking the gift box and entering the relationship; the title still moves between the parties and the $58 title fee applies.

Liens and lienholders

If the seller still owes a balance to a lender, the lender holds the paper title (or the electronic record). Two paths to clear the lien:

Lien paid off, paper title in lender's possession: the lender mails the title to the seller marked "lien satisfied" and the seller signs over to the buyer in front of a notary. Allow 2-4 weeks.
Lien paid off, electronic record: the lender releases the lien through Pennsylvania's ELT system; the title is mailed directly to the seller in 7-10 days for transfer.
Active lien with new financing: the new lender records its lien on the MV-1 form during transfer; the new title is mailed directly to the new lender.

Out-of-state titles

If the seller's title is from another state, Pennsylvania accepts it as long as it is properly signed (in front of a notary if the issuing state requires; otherwise standard signature is sufficient). The buyer brings:

The signed out-of-state title.
A Pennsylvania-licensed bill of sale.
The most recent out-of-state registration as proof of ownership and last-known mileage.
A VIN verification on form MV-41A — performed at the agent office or by a Pennsylvania peace officer.
A current safety inspection from a Pennsylvania licensed inspection station within 10 days of registration.

Salvage and rebuilt titles

Vehicles arriving in Pennsylvania with a salvage history must pass an enhanced inspection (a "rebuilt" inspection) at a designated PennDOT inspection station before a Pennsylvania title can be issued. The rebuilt designation appears permanently on the new title and disclosure to a future buyer is required.

Common pitfalls

Signing the title outside the notary's presence — the notary cannot back-date the seal and the title must be re-issued.
Forgetting to enter the odometer reading at the time of sale — the title will be rejected at the agent.
Buying a vehicle from a state that doesn't issue paper titles (e.g., Massachusetts) without first obtaining a paper version — Pennsylvania requires paper for transfer.
Driving on the seller's plates after the sale — plates stay with the seller in Pennsylvania, never with the vehicle.