Pennsylvania title guide
Selling a junk car without a title in Pennsylvania
The short answer
In Pennsylvania, you'll usually need the title to sell or scrap a car. If it's lost, apply for a duplicate from the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services before you book a pickup.
First published November 4, 2026. Rules checked against official Pennsylvania sources on and reviewed by Paola Reniery, Operations Manager (see the sources).
What does Pennsylvania ask of sellers?
In Pennsylvania, a replacement title (form MV-38O) costs $72.00, and your signature on the title must be notarized. Each card links to the official page it came from.
- Replacing a lost title
- Form MV-38O, Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title by Owner. Fee: $72.00.
- Official source
- After the sale
- There's no separate notice: you sign the title in front of an authorized PennDOT agent, who processes the transfer. Then remove the plate.
- Official source
- License plates
- The seller removes the plate after the title is transferred and either returns it to PennDOT or transfers it to another vehicle.
- Official source
What do you do if you have the title?
Sign and print your name where the seller signs, fill in the odometer reading if there's a space for it, and leave the buyer section blank. Pennsylvania requires the seller's signature to be notarized, so sign in front of a notary after you've accepted an offer, not at pickup. Banks, credit unions and shipping stores often have a notary.
What if the title is lost or damaged?
Pennsylvania replacement titles come from the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services, using form MV-38O (Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title by Owner), for a fee of $72.00. You'll need the VIN, which is on the dashboard by the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on your registration. If you're in a hurry, tell our buyer partner when it contacts you: it can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for your car in Pennsylvania.
For the full walkthrough, including the states that exempt older cars and what to avoid, read how to sell a junk car without a title.
What if there's a loan, or the owner has died?
If a lender is still listed on the title, you'll need its lien release, or the loan gets paid off as part of the sale. If the owner has died, only someone with legal authority, usually the executor, can sell the car, and the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services can tell you which estate papers Pennsylvania accepts.
What do you do after the sale?
- There's no separate notice: you sign the title in front of an authorized PennDOT agent, who processes the transfer. Then remove the plate.
- Plates: The seller removes the plate after the title is transferred and either returns it to PennDOT or transfers it to another vehicle.
- Keep a photo of the signed title, and cancel the insurance once the car has been picked up.
Title rules change, so confirm them with the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services before you sell; this page is general information, not legal advice.
Can you junk a car without a title in Pennsylvania?
Usually not. In Pennsylvania you'll normally need the title or a duplicate from the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services. Our buyer partner can buy some cars without a title, so ask whether that works for yours in Pennsylvania when you get your offer.
How do I get a duplicate title in Pennsylvania?
Apply to the PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services with form MV-38O (Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title by Owner), and have a photo ID and the VIN ready. The fee is $72.00, according to the agency.
Can I sell a car in Pennsylvania with just a bill of sale?
A bill of sale on its own usually isn't proof of ownership for a titled vehicle. It's a useful record of the sale, but buyers will normally want the title or a duplicate.