Clueless and need to register a car in PA

February 25, 2015 8:01 AM

I will try to list all the main points to my question. I am getting confused as to what steps I need to take and which forms I need to complete. My parents own a car in NY. They want to give me the car as a gift. I live in Pennsylvania. I am trying to make sense of the title transfer paperwork and the affidvait of gift form. Has anyone done this before? If so, can you walk me through which forms I need to fill out? Do I need proof of insurance before I attempt to register the car? The car is currently insured through my parent's and I am listed on their policy. This is my first time registering a car and I don't have much experience with PennDOT. Not sure if this matters but I have a PA driver's license. Thank you!
posted by allthingsconsidered to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

Call this auto tag place (or most any in Philadelphia) and ask. Briefly when I moved to PA I went to a tag place (not the one in the link, I was living in Center County at the time) with my MD plates, PA license, MD title, and proof of insurance. The auto tag place took care of issuing me my PA tags and PA title.
posted by Rob Rockets at 8:26 AM on February 25, 2015

In Pennsylvania, the easiest way to deal with this is to visit a AAA office. They do this all day long, and will walk you through the process. If you don't have all the necessary documents and information with you, then you'll just have to make a second trip.

Yes, you'll need proof of insurance in order to register the car. I don't know for sure whether your parents' existing insurance will suffice at first, but I doubt it. Ultimately you'll need to have the safety and emissions inspections done too, but there might be a grace period for that.
posted by jon1270 at 8:30 AM on February 25, 2015

I can't help with the real meat of your question unfortunately, but it may be worth looking into whether you would be responsible for any sort of gift tax or similar for receiving the car. You may want to have them privately sell it to you, and list the sale price as a dollar, or something similar.

Disclaimer: I have a friend who likes to regularly change cars, and he has exchanged vehicles with family and friends this way. I have not actually experienced this gift tax issue - I only have it through him that it's a thing.
posted by Urban Winter at 8:51 AM on February 25, 2015

The $1 sale price thing won't work in PA. If they believe you purchased it for less than the fair market value, they will still make you pay sales tax on the fair market value. I speak from experience registering a Jeep that I paid $6k for (legitimately). But you should be able to do the Gift Affidavit assuming you can meet all the requirements, like proving that your parents paid sales tax when they bought it.

Seconding jon1270's suggestion of going to AAA. Much easier than going to those shady-feeling car tag places.

I don't think you will be able to register with out of state insurance. AAA does sell insurance so they might be able to take care of that while you are there.
posted by jshort at 9:35 AM on February 25, 2015