Selling or junking a car in Pennsylvania

How do I sign over a car title in Pennsylvania?

The seller signs and hand-prints their name on the PA title and writes in the mileage. The seller's signature must be notarized or verified on the PA title. Legal transfer happens when the seller and the buyer both sign the title in front of a notary. The seller must show ID to the authorized PennDOT agent. The buyer reports the purchase price and mileage on Form MV-4ST and must submit the transfer paperwork within 20 days of notarization.

Can I sell or junk a car without a title in Pennsylvania?

A normal private sale needs the title. If you lost it, get a duplicate first. Under Vehicle Code §1163(b), an owner who transfers a vehicle to a scrap metal processor assigns the title or salvage certificate to the processor, and that assignment does not need notarization. Under §1163(d), an owner whose title is faulty, lost or destroyed may transfer a salvage vehicle located on the owner's property to a scrap metal processor, provided the processor follows that section. The report to PennDOT must be verified by the person handing over the vehicle. PennDOT's related forms include MV-4RP (Indemnity Agreement for Faulty/Lost/Destroyed Title) and MV-7.

How do I get a duplicate title in Pennsylvania?

Form MV-38O (Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title by Owner). Owners apply by mail, sending the form with a check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The fee is $72 (Form MV-70S). Lienholders use MV-38L and dealers use MV-38D.

What do I do with the plates after selling a car in Pennsylvania?

Plates stay with the seller. Remove the plate after the title is transferred. You can move it to another vehicle, or return it to PennDOT, Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597.

What happens to the title when a car is junked or salvaged in Pennsylvania?

A vehicle that is only good for parts or scrap gets a Nonrepairable Certificate (Form MV-6) and can never be titled again. A scrap metal processor that receives a title must send it to PennDOT right away with the prescribed form (MV-7, the Salvage Dealer/Scrap Processor report), designating the vehicle nonrepairable. The vehicle cannot be rebuilt or retitled. Vehicles that can still be rebuilt get a Certificate of Salvage.

What can I do about an abandoned vehicle on my property in Pennsylvania?

A vehicle left on private property without the owner's consent for more than 24 hours is presumed abandoned (75 Pa.C.S. §102). Under §7311.1, the property owner files Form MV-952PP with the local police before the vehicle is removed. Within 5 business days the police process it on Form MV-952 (Police Request for Removal of Abandoned Vehicle). An authorized salvor then removes it and must submit MV-952 within 48 hours of the tow.

Official sources

1. PennDOT - Buying or Selling a Vehicle
2. PennDOT - Motor Vehicle Miscellaneous FAQs
3. PennDOT - Get a Duplicate Title
4. PennDOT Fact Sheet - PA Certificate of Title and Lien Fees (July 2025)
5. PennDOT Bulletin 16-19 - Act 91 Transfer to Scrap Metal Processor
6. PennDOT Pub 460 Salvor Manual (abandoned vehicles, MV-952PP)
7. PennDOT Form MV-6 Application for Nonrepairable or Salvage Certificate
8. 75 Pa.C.S. § 1163 Transfer to scrap metal processor
9. PennDOT Form MV-70S Schedule of Fees

This guide summarizes public rules and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Driver and Vehicle Services before you sell.