Quick answer: New Pennsylvania residents must apply for a PA title and registration within 20 days of moving here. You'll need your out-of-state title, a PA driver's license or PA ID, Pennsylvania auto insurance, and a VIN verification. If you owned the vehicle for at least six months before moving, you generally won't pay PA sales tax. The Imperial Agency, an Authorized PennDOT On-Line Agent in Bala Cynwyd and Northeast Philadelphia since 1987, can complete the whole transfer in one visit, including the VIN verification and your new PA insurance policy. We speak English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole.

The Deadlines

• Title and registration: within 20 days of becoming a PA resident.
• Driver's license: within 60 days, but you'll need your PA license or PA ID to title your car, so get it first.
• Inspection: within 10 days after registering, your car needs a PA safety inspection, plus emissions testing in our area.

What to Bring

• Your out-of-state title. Pennsylvania requires you to surrender it to get a PA title.
• Your PA driver's license or PA state ID.
• Pennsylvania auto insurance: a PA insurance ID card, PA declarations page, or signed insurance binder. Don't have PA coverage yet? We can get you a Pennsylvania auto insurance quote from more than 15 insurance companies we represent, often on the spot.
• VIN verification: bring the vehicle to our office and we'll verify the VIN, or bring a VIN tracing or a Form MV-41 completed by a PA inspection mechanic.
• Payment: we accept cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Apple Pay. Cash is least expensive, since card fees may apply.

What If My Car Is Financed or Leased?

Your lender holds the title and has to send it to Pennsylvania. Many out-of-state lenders will only release it to an authorized agent. As a bonded, full-service PennDOT agent, The Imperial Agency sends your lender a notarized title request, and lenders mail the title directly to our office.

We'll need your loan or account number, the lender's title department fax or email, the title owner's name, and the vehicle information. Lenders can take several days to several weeks to send the title, so start early.

What It Costs

• Passenger car registration: $48 per year, plus a $5 county fee. Trucks are priced by weight; motorcycles, trailers, buses, and motor homes have their own fees (see PennDOT's official fee schedule).
• PA title: $72, plus a $36 lien fee if the car is financed.
• Sales tax: none if you owned the car for six months or more before moving here. Otherwise, it's 6%, or 8% in Philadelphia and 7% in Allegheny County.
• Gifted car from out of state: you'll need proof the previous owner paid sales tax, plus a PA gift affidavit (Form MV-13ST).
• Our service fees apply.

Common Questions

Can I drive on my out-of-state plates for now?
Yes, during your first 20 days as a resident. After that, you need PA title and registration.

Can I keep my old insurance policy?
No. You need a Pennsylvania auto policy. Your current company may be able to write one if it does business in PA. If their PA rate is too high, we can quote you from more than 15 companies in our office. Make sure there's no gap when you switch, or you could end up with your registration suspended for a lapse in insurance.

Can you help my business move its vehicles to PA too?
Yes. We handle titles and registrations for company cars, trucks, trailers, and fleets. Bring:

• Articles of incorporation showing the business is registered in Pennsylvania
• Insurance in the company's name
• A company officer to sign, as listed on the corporate documents. If someone else signs, bring a letter on company letterhead, signed by a listed officer, authorizing that person.
• The signer's valid driver's license (any state)

Call us first to confirm you have everything.

Visit Us

We speak English, Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole.

The Imperial Agency has been an authorized PennDOT agent since 1987 and is also a licensed insurance agency, so we can insure your car and transfer your title and plates in the same visit.

Bala Cynwyd: 193 W. City Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 (54th and City Ave) - (610) 617-8850
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 9:00-5:00 | Thu 9:00-6:00 | Sat 10:00-3:00

Philadelphia (Mayfair): 6444 Sackett St, Mayfair Shopping Center, Philadelphia, PA 19149 - (215) 624-5220
Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri 8:30-5:00 | Thu 8:30-6:00 | Sat 8:30-4:15

Serving Philadelphia, Lower Merion, Narberth, Wynnefield, Overbrook, Manayunk, Roxborough, and Montgomery and Delaware Counties. PennDOT fees are listed as of October 2026 and may change. Call us to confirm what to bring for your situation.