Pennsylvania Vehicle Bill of Sale
In Pennsylvania the title assignment must be notarized before a PennDOT agent under 75 Pa.C.S. 1111.
Introduction
A Pennsylvania vehicle bill of sale records a private car sale, but it is not how ownership transfers here. What conveys the vehicle is the notarized title assignment. Under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111, the seller must sign the assignment on the back of the Pennsylvania title sworn to before a notary public, and the transfer is complete only once Sections A and D are signed and notarized. If more than one owner is on the title, all owners must sign before the notary. PennDOT does not publish a standalone bill-of-sale form, so the transaction is done in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or dealer who completes the application, Form MV-4ST for a PA-titled vehicle or Form MV-1 for a new or out-of-state vehicle. The seller records the mileage in Section A on the title rather than on a separate sheet, satisfying the federal odometer rule. The buyer must apply for a new title within 20 days of the assignment. Pennsylvania sales tax is 6 percent of the purchase price or current market value, 7 percent in Allegheny County and 8 percent in Philadelphia, and the agent can require Form MV-3 to verify fair market value when a stated price looks low, so the bill-of-sale figure does not automatically set the tax. DocDraft drafts a Pennsylvania vehicle bill of sale from your facts, with attorney review available.
Key Things to Know
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There is no official PennDOT bill-of-sale form. Pennsylvania does not publish a standalone vehicle bill of sale. Ownership transfers through the title assignment plus Form MV-4ST for a PA-titled vehicle or Form MV-1 for a new or out-of-state vehicle, completed by an authorized PennDOT agent.
- 2
The title assignment must be notarized. Under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111, the seller's assignment on the back of the Pennsylvania title must be sworn to before a notary public, and the transfer is complete only once Sections A and D are signed and notarized. If more than one owner is on the title, all owners must sign before the notary.
- 3
Odometer disclosure goes on the title, not a separate form. The seller indicates the mileage in Section A on the back of the Pennsylvania title, or the space provided on an out-of-state title. The federal baseline under 49 CFR 580 applies and is integrated into the PA title.
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Sales tax is 6 percent of price or market value. Pennsylvania charges 6 percent of the purchase price or the current market value, 7 percent for Allegheny County residents and 8 percent for City of Philadelphia residents. The agent can require Form MV-3 to verify fair market value, so a low stated price does not automatically set the tax.
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The buyer titles within 20 days before a PennDOT agent. The transfer is completed in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer, and the buyer must apply for a new title within 20 days of the assignment under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111.
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A bill of sale is optional, not the transfer instrument. PennDOT does not require a bill of sale to record a private sale. Ownership passes through the notarized title assignment and the MV-4ST or MV-1 application. A bill of sale is a useful private record but does not convey the vehicle.
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Notarization is the Pennsylvania difference. The sworn, notarized title assignment completed before a PennDOT agent, tag service, or dealer is what makes a Pennsylvania sale valid, which sets it apart from states where a signed bill of sale is enough.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Bill of Sale in Pennsylvania, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Bill of Sale guide walks through them.
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Pennsylvania Requirements for Bill of Sale
Pennsylvania publishes no standalone bill-of-sale form. Ownership transfers through the title assignment on the back of the Pennsylvania title, which under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111 must be sworn to before a notary public. The transfer is complete only once Sections A and D are signed and notarized.
If more than one owner is listed on the Pennsylvania title, all owners must sign the assignment before a notary public. The transaction is completed in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer.
Identify the vehicle by year, make, model, body type, color, and the full vehicle identification number (VIN), along with the sale price and date, so the bill of sale matches the title being assigned.
The seller must indicate the mileage in Section A on the back of the Pennsylvania title, or the space provided on an out-of-state title. The federal baseline under 49 CFR 580 applies and is integrated into the PA title, so the disclosure is made on the title rather than on a separate form.
Pennsylvania sales tax is 6 percent of the purchase price or the current market value, 7 percent for Allegheny County residents and 8 percent for City of Philadelphia residents. PennDOT can require Form MV-3 to verify fair market value, so a low stated price on the bill of sale does not automatically set the tax base.
The buyer must apply for a new title within 20 days of the assignment under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111. The transfer is completed in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer.
For a vehicle already titled in Pennsylvania, the agent completes Form MV-4ST. For a new or out-of-state vehicle, the agent completes Form MV-1. These application forms are available only from authorized PennDOT agents and are completed when the transfer is processed.
PennDOT does not require a bill of sale to record a private sale, and it is not the transfer instrument. Keep this bill of sale as a private record of the parties, price, vehicle, and date alongside the notarized title assignment and the MV-4ST or MV-1 application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pennsylvania does not require a bill of sale to transfer a vehicle. Ownership passes through the title assignment on the back of the Pennsylvania title, which the seller must sign sworn to before a notary public, plus Form MV-4ST for a PA-titled vehicle or Form MV-1 for a new or out-of-state vehicle, completed by an authorized PennDOT agent. A bill of sale is optional and serves as a useful private record of the sale.
The Pennsylvania title assignment must be notarized. Under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111, the seller signs the assignment sworn to before a notary public, and the transfer is complete only once Sections A and D are signed and notarized. If more than one owner is listed on the title, all owners must sign before the notary. The transaction is done in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer.
No. PennDOT does not publish a standalone bill-of-sale form. Ownership transfers through the notarized title assignment together with Form MV-4ST for a vehicle already titled in Pennsylvania or Form MV-1 for a new or out-of-state vehicle. These application forms are available only from authorized PennDOT agents. Form MV-3 may also be used to verify fair market value when the stated price is low.
Pennsylvania sales tax is 6 percent of the purchase price or the current market value of the vehicle, 7 percent for residents of Allegheny County and 8 percent for City of Philadelphia residents. PennDOT can require Form MV-3 to verify fair market value when a stated price looks low, so the figure on a bill of sale does not automatically set the tax base. Check with PennDOT for the rate that applies to you.
Title transfers are completed in person before an authorized PennDOT agent, tag service, or motor vehicle dealer, who handles the notarized assignment and the MV-4ST or MV-1 application. The buyer must apply for a new title within 20 days of the assignment under 75 Pa.C.S. Section 1111. Missing the 20-day window can add cost and delay, so complete the transfer promptly.
A Pennsylvania vehicle bill of sale should name the seller and buyer, describe the vehicle by year, make, model, and VIN, state the sale price and date, record the odometer reading, and note the as-is condition. Because the title assignment must be notarized in Pennsylvania, the document should include a notary acknowledgment block. Remember the legal odometer disclosure goes in Section A on the title itself, not only on the bill of sale.