Motorcycle Title, Registration and Inspection in Pennsylvania

Motorcycle Title Information in PA

When you buy a used motorcycle in PA, you will need a title transfer for a valid title in your name to register the motorcycle with the state. If you buy a new motorcycle, the dealership will generally handle this step for you. If you buy a used motorcycle, the buyer needs to give you a title card that has your name and address on it and the odometer reading. You need to sign the title in the presence of a notary public and then go to the Department of Transportation (DOT).

The buyer and seller must both go to transfer the title with their state-issued identification. The current mileage should be noted on the bill of sale and the buyer’s name and address should be put in the purchaser section of the application for a title. Both the buyer and seller must sign and print their names for the title to be transferred. The titling transfer fee is $53. The process is the same for ATV titles and the fee is $22.50.

The fee for a motorcycle tag and title transfer is $50 and the tax is usually charged as a separate fee, as 6% of the total purchase price or the fair market value of the motorcycle.

If you have just moved to Pennsylvania, you need a valid motorcycle license and proof of the VIN. Then you can register the bike at the DOT with your out-of-state title with proof of insurance. The process for a title and a title transfer is the same.

Motorcycle Registration Information

You need to have an insurance verification card and either a state-issued driver’s license or a photo identification card to register your motorcycle. You also need the current title in your name that both you and the seller have signed in the DOT office to get the title transferred to you.

The registration fees for PA are $21 for one year or $42 for two years. A vertical motorcycle plate is $23 and the personalized plates are $112. Plate transfer fees are $9.

The initial registration of your motorcycle must be done in person at the DOT office. Afterward, you can pay the registration fees online. You must have the title to register your bike as well as a valid license.

A 50cc scooter has the same registration requirements as a motorcycle and the registration fee is $9. You only need a regular class C driver’s license to operate it instead of a motorcycle license. The registration process is the same as a motorcycle for an ATV and the fee is $22.50. You can’t register a dirt bike in the state, because they are off-road vehicles and don’t have all the safety standards to operate them on the roadways.

Motorcycle Inspection Information

Motorcycles are exempt from the emissions part of the inspection process for vehicles in PA. Your motorcycle must be inspected once a year to renew your registration with the DOT. The motorcycle inspection fee can vary based on where the inspection takes place and lasts for one year with the expiration date printed on the inspection sticker that you attach to your bike.

You can drive up to 30 days on your motorcycle with an expired inspection sticker before you are issued a ticket of $500 for noncompliance with the law.
Your motorcycle must have a muffler that operates constantly and is in working condition to pass the inspection. Other items must be in working order to pass the inspection, including the suspension, tires and wheels, lights and electric systems, body, chassis, fuel system, glass, mirrors, and the speedometer.