How Much Will It Cost to Transfer Title & Tags at a Notary in Pennsylvania?
by Anita FlynnAs of 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's (PennDOT) published rate for a vehicle title and tag transfer is $50. In most cases sales tax will be charged as a separate fee, though no sales tax is required when a motor vehicle is gifted to another owner. Pennsylvania sales tax is 6% of the purchase price or current market value of the vehicle with two exceptions: The rate is 7% for residents of Allegheny County and 8% for City of Philadelphia residents. PennDOT will charge a fee of $58 or more for each check returned to the Department as uncollectible.
Notary Charges
In addition to the transfer fee and sales tax, there also will be notary fees which vary by notary office. In addition, if you elect to have your paperwork processed electronically there will be additional fees charged by the tag agency. These are fees paid directly to the notary/tag agency and are not part of the state’s $50 fee.
Transfer Process
The process to transfer the title and tags to family members vs. non-family members is the same. A PennDOT authorized agent will handle all the details and most likely have a notary on site.
The following documentation is required when completing the title transfer form:
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- Pennsylvania Drivers License or Pennsylvania Photo ID
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- The motor vehicle title being transferred
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- Auto insurance identification card
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- Form MV-4ST, “Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return/Application for Registration.” This form is only available from authorized agents of PennDOT.
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- If the vehicle is being given as a gift, the Form MV-13ST, “Affidavit of Gift” must be attached to the title application.
Note that the registration of the vehicle to the new buyer can be completed on the same title transfer form.
The PennDOT website is a good source of information regarding driver and vehicle services as well as forms and FAQ’s. You also can contact PennDot by phone at 1-800-932-4600 within the state of Pennsylvania or customers outside Pennsylvania can call 717-412-5300.
References
Writer Bio
Anita Flynn resides in Philadelphia and has worked for more than 36 years for a global chemical manufacturer. She has an extensive background in the SAP Order-to-Cash environment. Flynn holds a BS in marketing and an MS in information systems management. She has been published in "Supervision" magazine and was a contributing author to Philadelphia's local CBS website.
