Change Information on Vehicle Registration in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania administers vehicle registration through the Driver and Vehicle Services division of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Registration and title records are maintained centrally in Harrisburg, while title applications are completed in person through an authorized agent network of notaries, dealers, and messenger services across the state.

Pennsylvania Vehicle Registration Changes that Commonly Require Action

Pennsylvania requires vehicle records to reflect current information, and the events below are the ones that most often generate a filing:

A change of residence address, which must be reported to PennDOT within 15 days.
A legal name change resulting from marriage, divorce, or a court order.
A registration card or plate that is lost, stolen, defaced, or never received.
The purchase or sale of a vehicle, which requires a title transfer through an authorized agent.
A move into Pennsylvania from another state, which requires an out-of-state title conversion.
Plate surrender or transfer, since a seller must remove the plate after a sale and either return it to PennDOT or move it to another vehicle.

Where to File a Pennsylvania Vehicle Registration Change

Address and name corrections on existing registration records are handled directly by PennDOT through its online vehicle services portal or by mail to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Harrisburg. Renewals may be completed online, by mail, or at a Driver and Vehicle Service Center location.

Title transactions follow a different channel. The Application for Certificate of Title (Form MV-1) is not available online and must be completed by an authorized agent of the department, which includes most notaries, dealers, and messenger services. Agents connected to PennDOT's online messenger system can process title and registration requests on-site. Under Section 1301 of Title 75, no vehicle may be registered unless a certificate of title has been applied for or issued, so title and registration filings travel together.

Pennsylvania Address Changes on Vehicle Registration

PennDOT requires notification of a new address within 15 days of moving. An in-state move can be reported online through the vehicle services portal, which requires the first 8 numbers of the title number and the plate number, or by mailing the Change of Address (Form MV-63), covering the driver license, photo ID, and vehicle registration, which also carries voter registration updates. A new registration card is issued after the change is processed.

An out-of-state mailing address is accepted only in limited circumstances, such as military families stationed outside Pennsylvania and certain federal or state employees. Those record holders file Self Certification for Proof of Residency (Form MV-8), with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Harrisburg.

Pennsylvania Name Changes and Title-Linked Corrections

A legal name change is reported on the Application for Correction or Change of Name (Form MV-41A), and the filing rules differ by side of the form:

Side A applies to changes arising from marriage, divorce, or a pending divorce, carries no fee, and does not produce a new title.
Side B applies to changes arising from a court order or other reasons, and a new certificate of title is issued, generally with a $67 title fee.

Every filing must include a copy of the updated Pennsylvania driver license or photo ID showing the desired name, and a pending divorce additionally requires a written notice stamped by the court with the caption and docket number of the proceedings. The completed form is mailed to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Harrisburg. Updating the name on the registration record through this filing also resolves the title record in either case, since both records are maintained by the same bureau.

Correcting Incorrect Information on a Pennsylvania Registration Record

Pennsylvania law requires the registrant to sign the registration card and carry it in the vehicle under Section 1311 of Title 75, which makes prompt replacement of an incorrect or missing card important. Replacement products follow these procedures:

A duplicate registration card can be printed free of charge through online services, or ordered by completing Form MV-44, which also covers replacement plates.
A card that was never received is replaced through Form MV-50.
A duplicate certificate of title is requested on Form MV-38O by the owner, or on Form MV-38L by a lienholder.
A vehicle record correction, such as a body type change, is filed on Form MV-41, together with the certificate of title and required fees.

Pennsylvania Deadlines for Vehicle Registration Changes

The following timelines apply under Pennsylvania law and PennDOT procedure:

A change of address must be reported to PennDOT within 15 days of moving.
New residents must apply for a Pennsylvania title and registration within 20 days of establishing residency, presenting the out-of-state title, proof of Pennsylvania insurance, and VIN verification to an authorized agent, according to the state's new resident guidance.
A registration renewed by mail produces a permanent card within 10 days of issuance, while online renewals produce a self-printed credential.
A refund request for an unused registration must be made within 14 days of the prior registration's expiration.
Insurance is mandatory on every registered vehicle except trailers, with minimum coverage of $15,000 for injury or death of one person, $30,000 for injury or death of more than one person, and $5,000 for damage to property of others; a lapse results in a 3-month registration suspension unless the lapse lasted 30 days or less and the vehicle was not operated, or unless the record holder pays the optional $500 civil penalty in lieu of suspension, as described in PennDOT's financial responsibility guidance.
Registration plates and cards must reach PennDOT within 30 days of an insurance cancellation to avoid suspension, and a seller who does not transfer the plate must return it to the Return Tag Unit in Harrisburg, as explained on the state's buying and selling page.

How Much Does It Cost To Change Vehicle Registration Details in Pennsylvania?

Registration Change or Service	Fee
Address change	No Fee (Payments and Fees)
Legal name change (Side A—marriage, divorce, or pending divorce; no new title produced)	Free (Change Your Name or Address)
Legal name change (Side B — new title issued)	$67 per the Change Your Name or Address page; $72.00 Certificate of Title fee on Form MV-70S (Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees (MV-70S))
Incorrect information on the registration certificate (duplicate registration card)	$2.00 at the time of initial registration, renewal, transfer, or plate replacement; $7.00 at any other time; No Fee if done online (Payments and Fees; Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees (MV-70S))
Duplicate/replacement title for a lost, misplaced, or damaged title	$72.00 (Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees (MV-70S))
Vehicle purchase	$72.00 certificate of title fee, plus registration fee that varies by vehicle type ($48.00 annual for passenger vehicles), plus lien fees and sales tax if applicable (Payments and Fees)
New state residency	$72.00 certificate of title fee plus registration fees that vary by vehicle type, with title and registration due within 20 days of establishing residency (Motor Vehicle Information for New Residents)
License plate transfer to another vehicle	$11.00 Transfer of Registration Plate fee (Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees (MV-70S))

Contact Information

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
1101 South Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104
Phone: (717) 412-5300
Official Website: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation