The short version
- The buyer and seller sign the title together in front of a notary or authorized PennDOT agent, who files the paperwork.
- The buyer pays 6% sales tax, or 7% in Allegheny County and 8% in Philadelphia, plus a $72 title fee. A genuine gift is tax-free.
- The seller keeps the plate and either moves it to another car or returns it to PennDOT.
Pennsylvania title transfers are handled by authorized PennDOT agents, such as notaries, tag services, AAA offices and dealers, rather than by PennDOT itself. Agents charge their own service fees on top of the state’s, and our guide to Pennsylvania DMV appointments explains how they differ from PennDOT’s own centers.
Not a private-sale title transfer?
- Giving a car away? A genuine gift is exempt from sales tax with Form MV-13ST, signed by everyone giving and receiving the car.
- Inherited a car? A surviving spouse or the heirs use Form MV-39 with an original death certificate, and a surviving spouse doesn’t pay the title fee.
- Moving to Pennsylvania with your car? You’ll title it as a new resident, with a VIN verification for the out-of-state title, and our guide to transferring an out-of-state license to Pennsylvania covers your license.
How to Sign Over a Pennsylvania Title as the Seller
Sign in Front of a Notary or Agent: Meet the buyer at an authorized PennDOT agent and bring your photo ID. Fill in Section A on the back of the title, including the odometer reading, and sign it there. Your signature has to be notarized or verified by the agent, so don’t sign it ahead of time. Afterward, ask the buyer for a signed receipt showing they received the title.
If the Car Has a Loan: Pay it off first. If your lender holds the title electronically, you’ll need a paper title before you can sign it over.
Keep Your License Plate: The plate stays with you and should never go to the buyer. Once the title is transferred, take it off and move it to another car you own, or return it to PennDOT’s Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597. Return it before you cancel the insurance, or the lapse can cost you a three-month registration suspension.
How to Title a Car Bought From a Private Seller in Pennsylvania
The 20-Day Deadline
You have 20 days from the assignment to apply for a new title. Most buyers do it on the spot, since the agent who notarizes the title files your application with PennDOT.
What to Bring
- The title, with your part, Section D on the front, completed at the agent’s office
- Your Pennsylvania driver’s license or photo ID
- Your insurance ID card, if you’re registering the car
- A check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the tax and state fees, plus the agent’s fee
The agent fills out Form MV-4ST, the sales tax return and registration application, with you.
Plates, Insurance and Inspection
Plates
You can transfer a valid plate from another car you own for $11, or get a new one with your registration. Without a plate to transfer, the agent can issue a temporary registration that lasts 90 days, and our guide to the Pennsylvania temporary tag explains how it works.
Insurance
Call your insurer within 14 days of buying the car to extend your coverage to it.
Inspection
Get the car inspected within 10 days of the sale, unless it already has a valid Pennsylvania inspection sticker.
Pennsylvania Sales Tax on a Private Car Sale
You’ll pay 6% of the price, or 7% in Allegheny County and 8% in Philadelphia. There’s no trade-in credit in a private sale.
When Tax Is Based on Market Value
If the price looks too low for the car, the Department of Revenue’s Understated Value Program can bill you for tax on its fair market value instead. Below-market sales between family members are a common target.
Gifts
A genuine gift, with nothing paid or exchanged, is exempt. Claim it with Form MV-13ST, the Affidavit of Gift, signed by everyone giving and receiving the car. A sale to a relative isn’t a gift, so it’s taxed on the price.
Pennsylvania Title Transfer Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Title | $72 |
| Title with a new lien recorded | $108 |
| Passenger car registration, one year | $48, including a standard plate |
| Plate transfer from another car you own | $11 |
| Duplicate title | $72 |
| Sales tax | 6%; 7% in Allegheny County; 8% in Philadelphia |
| Agent’s service fee | Set by each agent |
| Example: $12,000 private sale with a new plate, outside Allegheny County and Philadelphia | $840 ($720 sales tax + $72 title + $48 registration), plus the agent’s fee |
Our guide to Pennsylvania registration renewal covers what you’ll pay each year after that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, yes. The seller’s signature on a Pennsylvania title has to be notarized or verified by an authorized agent, and a signed title with a bill of sale isn’t enough on its own.
Yes. PennDOT requires the seller’s signature on a Pennsylvania title to be notarized or verified by an authorized agent, wherever the buyer lives.
Not if it’s a genuine gift. File Form MV-13ST with the title paperwork. If you pay them anything for it, it’s a sale, and you’ll owe tax on the price.
Keep it. Move it to another car you own for $11, or return it to PennDOT’s Return Tag Unit, and only then cancel the insurance.
Within 10 days of the sale, unless it still has a valid Pennsylvania inspection sticker.
The seller has to get a duplicate first with Form MV-38O, which costs $72. Ownership can’t be transferred without the paper title.
Conclusion
A Pennsylvania private sale happens in one visit to an authorized agent, where the seller signs the title in front of a notary and the buyer applies for a new title, usually on the spot. Sellers should keep their plate and return it before canceling the insurance. Buyers should budget 6% sales tax, or 7% in Allegheny County and 8% in Philadelphia, plus $72 for the title and the agent’s fee, and get the car inspected within 10 days unless it has a valid sticker. A genuine gift is tax-free with Form MV-13ST, but a cheap sale to a relative can still be taxed on the car’s market value.
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