How to Clear a Salvage Title in Pennsylvania
by Jen Davis
When a vehicle is given a salvage title, it is considered to be totaled and no longer safe to drive on the roadways. Salvage titles are normally issued when the cost of a vehicle's damages are more than the value of the vehicle or the vehicle is in too bad of condition to be repaired. You can rebuild a salvage vehicle in the state of Pennsylvania so that the vehicle is no longer considered to be a salvage vehicle and can be driven on the roadways legally.
Step 1
Fully restore the salvaged vehicle to running condition. Save all receipts for parts and repairs, and carefully document the process as it is completed with photographs and records.
Step 2
Apply for the title of the salvaged vehicle, if you have not already transferred the salvage title into your name. Have the vehicle undergo a safety inspection from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. This will certify that the vehicle is completely roadworthy.
Step 3
Submit Pennsylvania state form MV426B, the "Application for Reconstructed, Specially Constructed, Collectible, Modified, Flood, Recovered Theft Vehicles and Street Rods" along with all documentation of repairs, the bill of sale for the vehicle and passed safety inspection information along with any processing fees.
Step 4
Receive the new title for the vehicle. Depending on why the title was originally declared salvage, you will be issued either a reconstructed vehicle title or a title with branding on it that designates the vehicle was once damaged but is now considered roadworthy by the state and can be registered and driven. In some cases, when the vehicle was a recovered theft vehicle that was not significantly damaged, the state may issue a clear title.
References
Things You'll Need
- State Forms MV-1 Application for Certificate of Title, MV-5, MV-41 and MV-426B
- Bill of sale
- Repair receipts
- Color photographs of vehicle (minimum of four)
Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.
