Does anyone know the procedure for buying a car in the state of Penn? What is required for the transfer of title etc. Thanks

Charlie

Assuming your seller has the title.....geting the transfer notorized is easy to do.....Temp plates can be issued by dealers and many Notary Publics.....not needed to go to DMV. Now its been a long time since I have done so in PA (14 years)......it might have changed.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

If the car stays in PA: You will need driver's license to prove who you are. You will pay a notary fee plus sales tax to JUST to transfer the title. If you are driving away: You will need the above plus proof of insurance and you will need to purchase regisration $36 +.

It has been a while for me also and I live here.

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'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

Yeah, he's right. You might be given a piece of paper to put on your rear window until you get a registered plate. PA takes a lot of money when you buy a car, I think a lot of it is BS

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-Randy Wakefield

1969 220D 4 speed (parts car)
1976 280C
1976 280S
1981 240D 4 speed (parts car)
1982 300D
1983 300TD (Ivory)
1983 300TD (gold)
1985 300TD (gray)
1987 190D 2.5
1970 280SEL (sold)
1977 240D 4 speed (sold)
1974 280 (rusted to death)
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1927 Chevy 4 door sedan
1938 Chevy 2 door sedan
1950 Willys Jeepster
1955 Studebaker President 4 door
1977 Ford F250
1979 Glastron 17'
1948 John Deere A
1960 John Deere 2010
1979 Satoh S650G
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2000 Bichon (Doby)

You get Temporary transport tags right then and there..............I grew UP in PA.....and last lived there 12 years ago

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

So, I'll have pay a notary fee(why is this necessary?), registration(is there a fee for this?), AND sales tax?!!!!? Which I assume is based upon the price paid for the vehicle? Insurance? I'm not a resident of PA and will insure it may state of residence.

If you are buying a car in PA, and you live in AL, then all you do is drive to PA, pay for the car, get the title, and drive home. If the PA title does not have a spot for 'purchase price', you should get a bill of sale, too. You never have to see a PA gov't office.

If the seller is keeping the plates, talk to your DMV before you go to PA, if you have insurance, they will give you temp tags for getting it home. Then you title and register it once you've returned home. They'll want the signed over title, a bill of sale if there is no purchase price listed on the title, your proof of insurance, a safety inspection and emissions report (if required by your state) and a few other items depending on state, possibly tax receipts for the previous year (to prove you paid your taxes), application forms (which they will have), etc.

If you go to your local DMV before you go they can give you a 'checklist' of everything you need, makes it very easy (at least, as easy as the DMV can make anything).

You'll end up paying sales tax, registration fees, title fees, and maybe a horsepower surcharge.

Oh, and make SURE you get the title, in the previous owners name, and signed over to you properly. When I bought my wagon the previous owner had the title that was still in the previous previous owner's name. He hadn't reassigned the title... In TX that isn't a problem apparently, but in MO it was. I had to jump through a few hoops for a few months, and just the other day I finally resolved it for a little over 200$, not bad really. But it would have saved a LOT of hassle if I had taken the time to verify that the title was 'free and clear, and in the sellers name'.

peace,
sam

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"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

My car is from PA, we didn't have to visit any office, we just got the title, and the temp plate for free (talked the dealer guy into it), and we had our insurance that we'd activated ahead of time. Very painless Mine came from Harrisburg, but the original owner lived south, I don't even think he lived in PA, it was the second owner who did......I am the third.....essentially not a spec of rust, and no block heater either, so I'd assume it was a southern car. So much undercoat on it that its never going to rust.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

You only pay sales tax and tag fees in the state where you live. If you are buying from a dealer they should provide temporary plates for you to drive
until you get home to your home state. You should also have insurance check with your agent some full coverage policys have a rider when you purchase a new car to you. I would also check with your home state department of motor vehicles, if you are not buying from a dealer, if they have temporary or transport plate for you to drive your car home.

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[FONT=Franklin Gothic Medium]79 240D 243 k O'L LIGHTING[/FONTtakes a lickin keeps on ticken]

Check it very closely for rust. What they call a rust-free car in Pennsyltucky we call a rust-bucket here on the gulf coast.

Charlie

Pretty easy. If you need help let me know I have done many.

Tom Scordato Bellefonte PA

If the car is really from PA (that is, year-round use for 5 or more years) it will be the last used northern car you will ever buy.

You don't know how lucky you are with respect to rust-free cars until you get one from Ohio, PA, NJ, etc.

If you can condition the transaction on seeing the car first, please do so.

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles