Selling a Car in Pennsylvania: Title, Notary and Plate Steps

What do I need to sell my car in Pennsylvania?

Very little, but each item matters. Before you meet the buyer, gather:

• The Pennsylvania title (the paper Certificate of Title) in your name. If there is a loan, see the lien section below.
• Your photo ID. PennDOT's page says the seller must show proper proof of identification to the agent.
• Every owner named on the title. PennDOT's fact sheet says that when the title lists several owners, all of them must sign.
• The buyer's full name and address, and the exact odometer reading.
• A notary or authorized PennDOT agent who sees you sign.

If the buyer is also new to the process, our guide to buying a used car in Pennsylvania explains their side. If your title is missing, read how to replace a lost title first, because you cannot complete a sale without it.

Does a PA title need to be notarized when I sell?

Yes. PennDOT's seller guidance says: “The seller's signature is required to be notarized or verified on the Pennsylvania title.” You sign and handprint your name in front of an authorized agent. A dealership can verify the signature instead of a notary. PennDOT's fact sheet says the title counts as transferred once Section A (seller) and Section D (buyer) are signed and notarized, and that seller and buyer should meet with the agent together. United Business Center is an authorized PennDOT agent and also offers notary public service, so seller and buyer can sign the title in front of us while we handle the transfer.

A notary public only confirms who you are and watches you sign. It does not check the car, the price or the buyer. To learn what a notary can and cannot do, see notary public: what it can and cannot do.

Do not sign the title in advance and hand it over. PennDOT's process has you sign in front of the agent, so a title signed at home can cause problems.

How do I sign the title correctly, and what if I make a mistake?

Use the back of the title, Section A (seller). Fill in the buyer's name and address and the odometer reading, then sign and handprint your name. Do it slowly, with the notary or agent beside you.

PennDOT is strict about mistakes. Its Defaced Titles fact sheet says erasures, white-out, correction tape, striking through the mileage and correcting the mileage disclosure are all unacceptable. If you wrote the wrong seller or buyer information, PennDOT accepts a single line through it with the words “Completed/signed in error” and the notary's initials nearby, plus a notarized affidavit explaining the error. For other alterations, the owner must apply for a duplicate title.

This is why you should never fill in the title alone at the kitchen table. One cross-out in the wrong place can mean waiting for a new title.

Do I need an odometer statement, a bill of sale or a receipt?

Odometer: yes. The seller records the mileage in the spaces on the title, and PennDOT's agent handbook says that once the reading is listed it may not be erased or altered. Federal rules also require an odometer disclosure on every transfer of vehicles from model year 2011 and newer during their first 20 years.

Receipt: PennDOT's fact sheet tells sellers to get a signed Buyer's Acknowledgement of Delivery of Vehicle and Title. It should show the date of sale, make, year and model, title number, VIN and the buyer's name and address. Keep it as proof that you sold the car and handed it over.

Bill of sale: PennDOT's seller steps center on the title and the signed receipt above. A bill of sale is still a cheap extra record: PennDOT's insurance FAQs say that if it ever asks about a car you sold, a copy of the title or a bill of sale showing the new owner is what you send. Keep it short, with the date, price, VIN and both signatures.

Release of liability: your proof of sale is the buyer's signed receipt, your bill of sale and a copy of the signed title. Keep all three.

What do I do with the license plate and my insurance?

1. Finish the title transfer first.
2. Remove your plate from the car. PennDOT says: never give the plate to the buyer.
3. Keep the plate to use on your next vehicle, or return it to PennDOT's Return Tag Unit (the address is on PennDOT's Buying or Selling page).
4. Only then cancel the insurance on the car you sold.

The order matters because PennDOT can suspend the registration for three months if coverage on a registered vehicle lapses, and the plate and registration card have to be surrendered to serve it. PennDOT's FAQ says to send in the plate and registration card immediately when you cancel the insurance. If you move the plate to a new car, make sure that car is insured.

What if there is a loan on the car?

If you still owe money, the lender (the lienholder) holds the title or has it recorded electronically. Pay off the loan first. Under PennDOT's Electronic Lien and Title program the lender releases the lien electronically, and PennDOT then prints and mails a paper title to the owner the next business day. PennDOT's fact sheet says that if a lienholder holds your title electronically, you must get a paper title before you transfer ownership.

If the loan is paid but PennDOT was never told, ask the lender to sign Form MV-38O (the duplicate-title form) for you. PennDOT states there is no extra fee to remove a satisfied lien, and no fee for the duplicate if the record shows an electronic release and you have not received the title ten or more days later.

Can I sell to an out-of-state or foreign buyer, or with a lost title?

Out-of-state buyer: your steps do not change. You sign the Pennsylvania title in front of a notary or agent and you still remove your plate. The buyer then titles and registers the car in their own state, with that state's rules, so ask them to check what their state needs from you. Do not hand over your plate; ask their state about a temporary permit to drive the car home.

Foreign buyer or export: exporting a vehicle from the U.S. has federal rules handled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Check CBP's current requirements before the car ships, and keep your receipt.

Lost title: you cannot sell without it. The owner applies for a duplicate with Form MV-38O. Our guide to a lost car title in Pennsylvania walks through it.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Pennsylvania car title need to be notarized when I sell?

Yes. PennDOT says the seller's signature must be notarized or verified on the Pennsylvania title. You sign and handprint your name in front of an authorized agent or notary.

Can I sign the title before I meet the buyer?

It is not a good idea. PennDOT's process has you sign in the agent's presence, and corrections on a title are limited. Sign when you are with the notary or agent.

Do I give the buyer my license plate?

No. PennDOT says to remove the plate after the title transfer and never give it to the buyer. Keep it for another car or return it to PennDOT.

Do I need a bill of sale in Pennsylvania?

A bill of sale is worth having. PennDOT's seller steps call for a signed buyer's receipt, and a short bill of sale (date, price, VIN and both signatures) is what you can send if PennDOT ever asks about a car you sold.

When should I cancel my insurance after selling a car?

After the title is signed over and the plate is removed. A coverage lapse on a registered vehicle can lead to a three-month registration suspension, so do not cancel first.

Is there a release of liability form in Pennsylvania?

In PennDOT's seller process, your proof is the buyer's signed receipt (Buyer's Acknowledgement of Delivery of Vehicle and Title). Keep it with a copy of the signed title if you can.

Can I sell a car if I lost the title?

Not until you get a duplicate. The owner applies with Form MV-38O, which is explained in our lost title guide.