Pennsylvania License Plates

Once a car has been sold and its title transferred to the new owner’s name, its PA license plate must be removed by the seller. The license plate can be transferred to the seller’s other vehicle or returned to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Return Tag Unit, P.O. Box 68597, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8597. Once the plate has been received by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) it is marked as a “dead tag”. It is important that the seller returns the sold car’s plate to PennDOT, since it will protect him/her against the actions of the new owner (buyer) of the car.
The residents of Pennsylvania have a wide variety of license plates to choose from. The state offers:

• Standard issue license plates
• Special Fund license plates
• Military license plates
• Personalized (Vanity) license plates
• Special Organization license plates

The Special Organization license plates are available for cars, trucks and motor homes but not for motorcycles and trailers. They are available in the standard blue, white and yellow colors and let the driver advertise his/her organization’s name. While “Pennsylvania” is printed across the top of the plate, the organization’s name appears at the bottom of the plate. Not everyone or every organization, however, can qualify to apply for such a plate. The following requirements must be met:

• The organization must be a Non-profit organization
• Must be a welfare organization serving the community
• Licensed in the state of Pennsylvania
• Its name and purpose must not be offensive
• Guaranteed a minimum of applications (negotiable) before any plate will be produced

Personalized (Vanity) License Plates are also available. The applicant can first check online whether the display name/word is available or not. If it is then the applicant must complete Form MV-904, which can be downloaded online from PennDOT’s website.
The state of Pennsylvania honors the veterans by issuing military license plates to those eligible applicants who are entitled under law to have such specialized plates. For more information, it is advised that the reader visits PennDOT’s website.