How to Register an Out of State Vehicle in Pennsylvania

Registering an out of state vehicle in Pennsylvania is said to be more difficult than in most other states, especially if the vehicle is financed and the loan company holds the title. The very first thing you need to do is get a valid Pennsylvania drivers license. You cannot except under rare circumstances, register a vehicle in Pennsylvania without one. The driver's license must also have your current address because this is the address that must be used to register the vehicle. The second step is to get Pennsylvania insurance.

If your vehicle is financed the first thing you will want to do is find a notary that is going to do the registration for you. There you will fill out a paper that is asking the loan company to release the title to the notary in order to transfer the vehicle to Pennsylvania. The paper is also letting the loan company know that after the transfer the title will then be returned to the loan company. When you go to the notary to fill out this paper you will need your driver's license, year, make, and model of your vehicle, and various information about your loan and the loan company. You will need the loan company's name, address, phone number, fax number, and your account number. The notary then either faxes or mails this form to the loan company. Generally, the loan company will only send the title to the notary who will call you when it comes in, but there are a few loan companies that will only send it to the customer. When you are at the notary, ask them if they verify then Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or if you need to take it to a certified mechanic. If they do it, there you are good to go. If they say you have to take it to the mechanic, ask for the form that you need so you can get this step done while you are waiting on the title to come in.

Once the notary calls or you have the title, return to the notary. You must bring the title (if they sent it to you), the VIN verification form (if they don't verify the VIN on the premises), your valid Pennsylvania drivers license, a current proof of insurance such as an insurance card, binder, or deck page, and the vehicle that is being registered. The first thing the notary will do is verify the VIN number. To do this they will either take the title out to your vehicle and verify that it matches the number on the VIN tag on the vehicle or they will verify the information on the VIN verification form you already had filled out by the certified mechanic. The notary will then make copies of your driver's license and proof of insurance and fill out the necessary paperwork. Then you will sign a few papers and pay the fees. The Notary will assign you a license plate and give you a pink slip and you are good to go.