How to Sell a Car in Pennsylvania

The steps and process for selling a vehicle online are different in every state. Learn how to sell your used car or truck privately in Pennsylvania.

Whether you live in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the Poconos, Happy Valley, the Susquehanna River Valley, Southern Alleghenies or the greater Pittsburgh area, if you are thinking about privately selling your used car or truck, you’ve come to the right place. With an estimated 4 million registered trucks and cars in the state of Pennsylvania, it is no wonder that thousands of private car owners from the Keystone State have used Autotrader to sell their car. Below, we’ve outlined the five steps and forms required for how to sell a car in the state of Pennsylvania so you can sell your car quickly for the most cash. Remember, most U.S. states consider the vehicle title a legal document which is why it is advised to use the legal names (no nicknames) of both parties involved along with legible handwriting using a black or blue ink. Mistakes, errors and using White Out may void the document so be careful and take your time filling it out.

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party
Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation
Step 3: Bill of Sale
Step 4: Transfer the title
Step 5: Remove your license plates

Step 1: Allow the buyer to have the car inspected by a third party

Most vehicle shoppers who buy a car privately pay for a pre-purchase vehicle inspection conducted by a qualified and licensed auto mechanic of their choosing. Although the buyer pays for this inspection, the seller and buyer must agree on when and where the inspection is to be held. If the inspection does find any issues with the car, it is a good idea for you as the seller to keep the report for your records.

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Step 2: Organize and gather all related vehicle documentation

Find all maintenance records, owner’s manual and other paperwork related to the vehicle. If you can provide the buyer with extensive and detailed maintenance records, this will help provide the buyer with confidence that you’ve maintained the car in a proper and regular manner. Any of the following are acceptable as ownership documents in Pennsylvania and therefore should also be provided to the buyer if available:

• Manufacturer Certificate/Statement of Origin
• Certificate of Salvage
• Court Order assigning ownership

If the seller’s certificate of title is held electronically by a lienholder, a paper title must be obtained before the seller can transfer ownership of the vehicle and the buyer can make application for a Pennsylvania Certificate of Title.

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Step 3: Bill of Sale

Although not legally required in Pennsylvania, a Bill of Sale should include the following information:

• Year, Make and Model of the Vehicle
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Date of Sale
• Purchase Price
• Legal full name, address and signature of the buyer(s)
• Legal full name and signature of the seller(s)

A Bill of Sale can be helpful if problems arise when the buyer goes to transfer the title or register the vehicle in their name. Many private vehicle owners in Pennsylvania notarize their Bill of Sale as a best practice.

Private vehicle transactions in Pennsylvania require a sales tax based on a percentage of the fair market value of the vehicle rather than the purchase price based on the Motor Vehicle Understated Value Program. If the vehicle is being gifted, the seller should include a purchase price of $0.00/Gift on the Bill of Sale and the seller and buyer will need to fill out and sign an Affidavit of Gift form MV-13ST. Vehicles which are gifted are exempt from paying sales tax.

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Step 4: Transfer the title

Under state law, the transferring of a Pennsylvania Certificate of Title must be completed by an agent, tag service or motor vehicle dealer who is an authorized Penn DOT agent.

If the vehicle’s title has been lost or stolen or badly damaged, you’ll need to apply for replacement title using form MV-380 and pay any related fees prior to selling the car. If there is more than one owner showing on the title, the following number of signatures will be required based on the connection between the names: And – All persons listed must sign. Or – Either seller can sign, only one signature required. If no connection listed, it will default to “and” and all owners (sellers) must sign. In the case of where one of the co-owners of the vehicle has passed away, vehicle ownership is automatically passed to the surviving owner(s) and a new title may be applied for by the surviving owner. If the vehicle is part of an Estate, Will, Inheritance or not included in a Will read this Vehicle Transfer After Death of Owner fact sheet.

Pennsylvania private vehicle sellers must complete the following on the vehicle’s title in the presence of an authorized Penn DOT agent:

• Print and sign their legal name
• Have their signature notarized or verified on the Pennsylvania title
• Provide proper proof of identification
• Document the vehicle’s odometer mileage
• Print the purchaser’s legal name and address

Section D on the front of the title must be filled out by the buyer. If the vehicle is being titled in the name of multiple buyers, all owners must sign. If the vehicle is already titled in Pennsylvania, the buyer will need to fill out form MV-4ST which will be provided by the DOT agent. If the vehicle has an out-of-state title, read these instructions.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) odometer disclosure requirements were updated in December 2020 impacting certain private vehicle sales in Pennsylvania: For a vehicle transfer that occurs from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2030, any vehicle of model year 2011 or newer (2012, 2013, etc.) will require an odometer disclosure. Starting on January 1, 2031, any vehicle that is less than 20 model years old will require an odometer disclosure. Previously, the NHTSA required disclosure was for only the first 10 years. Cars older than 2010 are exempt from odometer disclosures. Pennsylvania's DMV provides this helpful odometer fact sheet.

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Step 5: Remove your license plates

Before you complete the sale, take your license plates off the vehicle. The license registration plate should never be given to the buyer. Unless the seller is transferring the plate to another vehicle, return to registration license plate to:

Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Return Tag Unit, 1^st Floor
1101 South Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104

Buyers who purchase a vehicle from a private seller but who do not have a registration license plate to be transferred may obtain a temporary registration, valid for 90 days, from an authored Penn DOT agent. Pennsylvania no longer issues a vehicle registration sticker starting in November 2013, but vehicle owners are still required to maintain a valid and current registration card. After the sale is completed, cancel your insurance.

For more information, visit the Pennsylvania DMV’s website.

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Questions about selling your car in Pennsylvania? We have answers.

Do I remove my license plate when I sell a car in Pennsylvania?

Is a Bill of Sale required for selling a car in Pennsylvania?

What paperwork do I need to privately sell a car in Pennsylvania?

Does a bill of sale have to be notarized in Pennsylvania?

Does a vehicle title have to be notarized in Pennsylvania?