There is a lot that goes into choosing the best exclusive car. Though most people focus on the purchase, you will be required to register your vehicle before it is roadworthy.
Some luxury car companies offer to walk you through the process and register the vehicle for you. If you fail to register your vehicle, you will attract a fine.
In this article, we will look at how the vehicle registration process in Pennsylvania works as well as how to check your vehicle registration status pa.
Why do I need to register my vehicle?
Vehicle registration is a State’s (or country’s) way of keeping tabs on all vehicles and their owners. States do this to ascertain these vehicles on the road are safe to use, to track any criminal activity, and to ensure all the necessary taxes and fees have been paid. And luxury cars are no different.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation or PennDOT has an extensive database of registered vehicles-over 8 million registered passenger cars. Once you register your vehicle, it will be part of this database.
How do I register my vehicle?
All vehicle owners are expected to register their vehicles every year or every two years. You can only renew your registration after two years if the car model qualifies for this option. If you are a new PA resident, the state will give you 20 days to get your title and vehicle registration.
As mentioned, if you buy your car from a luxury car dealer, they will probably take care of this process before handing over the car. However, if you buy your exclusive vehicle privately from an individual owner, you will have to go through the PennDOT process yourself.
Documents needed for vehicle registration
To register your luxury vehicle, you will need:
- Proof of ownership. This is the Manufacturer’s Certificate of Origin for any new luxury cars or the title number and an odometer statement for a used vehicle.
- Your driver’s license.
- Proof of car insurance.
- Filled form MV-1 for a new vehicle registration or form MV-4ST for a used one.
- Payment of $39 if it’s a passenger car. You will also be required to pay $58 for the title (or $85 if it has a car lien).
Any new vehicle must also be inspected within 10 days of purchase. When you complete registering your vehicle, you will receive a standard PA license plate.
How can I renew my vehicle registration?
You can renew your vehicle registration using email, online through the Pennsylvania DMV website, or at any PennDOT station. You will need various details including your title number, insurance details, odometer reading, and registration plate number. This is not a cheap process, as you will need to pay $38 for a one-year renewal or $76 for two years.
How can I check my vehicle registration status?
If you don’t want to find yourself on the wrong side of the law, checking your vehicle registration status regularly is necessary.
If you are renewing your registration, PennDOT will send you an email with information on when the next registration is due and how much the process will cost.
You will need to ensure that emails from PennDOT are not going to your spam folder. You can visit the PennDOT page if you do not have an email address, or if you would just like to confirm your registration status.
This is an online service residents of PA can use to access various vehicle and driver services, including renewing their vehicle registration and driver’s license.
Once the page opens, click on the ‘Online Services’ tab, which is the third tab at the top right corner of the page. Next, scroll down to select the ‘Vehicle Services’ option. This will take you to the ‘Online Vehicle Services Login’ page.
How to log in
To log in, you will need:
- The first eight numbers of your vehicle Title Number
- Plate number
You will find all these details on the vehicle registration card or the invitation to renew document you will receive in your email.
Once you enter the title number and plate number, check the box under it indicating you are authorized to access the information you are looking for. Finally, click on the ‘Login’ button.
You will then be able to view all the details of your vehicle, including the registration expiration date, model, year of manufacturer, and make, among other details.
If your registration has already expired, you will not be able to view these details. Rather, you will see a message informing you that your registration has either expired or has been suspended.
Conclusion
Life can get busy, and it is easy to forget to register your vehicle when you buy it or to renew its registration. Nevertheless, forgetting to register your vehicle is no excuse. If a year goes by very fast, you can choose the option of renewing your vehicle registration after two years, if eligible. Either way, you will still need to mark the date and ensure you do not drive with an expired registration.
