Questions about transferring antique vehicle plates in PA.

Submitted by UltraShadowArbiter t3_125mv1t in Pennsylvania

Hello. I'm going to be purchasing an antique car from a private seller soon, but I'm finding and being told conflicting information about transferring the plates to my name.

For a regular car, you need proof of insurance in order to transfer the plates. BUT, the seller of the car and my dad and other people are telling me that you don't immediately need it for transferring antique plates. I can't find anything that explains any of this stuff online, only stuff for regular plates. I know you don't need insurance to transfer the title, but the plates thing is confusing me.

For context, I don't have my own daily driver car. I always use one of my parents' cars whenever I go somewhere. And therefore, I don't have my own vehicle insurance. The antique car will NOT be a daily driver. It is also not drivable at the moment.

My dad also keeps saying that his vehicle insurance should be enough proof, because apparently that's what my mom used when she bought her Jeep, but I don't think that's going to work here. Because her Jeep is a modern vehicle.

Would it be possible to buy the car and transfer the title, then get insurance, and then transfer the plates after?

Can someone please help me figure this all out? It's very confusing and is starting to kinda stress me out.

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HogwartsKate t1_je8nzom wrote

Any vehicle driven on PA roads must have insurance. While plates match the cars vin, they belong to the owner who bought them. Therefore, if you buy the car no tags are required until its road worthy. Your Dads insurance is only good for you if you are listed on the policy as a household driver. Usually a spouse is on the policy which is why the Jeep was able to be tagged. He can call his insurance to list the car under his insurance, but why bother if it cant be driven? Usually with antique cars you just transfer the title. When road worthy you go to a notary and get tags for it after showing proof of insurance. AAA will guide you thru the tag process when road worthy. Only title transfer is necessary at this time. If you get the tag with the car you can reregister it as yours at the notary when you show proof of insurance and the transferred title.

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UltraShadowArbiter OP t1_je93q5i wrote

>If you get the tag with the car you can reregister it as yours at the notary when you show proof of insurance and the transferred title.

So basically I can just hold onto it after I get it and the car until I get insurance? Then do the paperwork and everything?

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colormeslowly t1_je4wu0o wrote

I found this fact sheet

https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/dvspubsforms/BMV/BMV%20Fact%20Sheets/fs-ant.pdf

which led to this form

https://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BMV/BMV%20Forms/mv-11.pdf

I find it interesting that the form does not ask for insurance info.

I know you said this was a transfer of owners, and these forms might not apply but if this form is not asking for insurance, I don’t see why a transfer would but since I am not 100% sure, you can contact penn dot

https://www.dmv.pa.gov/Pages/Contact-Us.aspx

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TSUTigers95 t1_je5gbpx wrote

Yes, Reddit has all the answers!

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basement-thug t1_je8dttx wrote

Find the local authorized service, like a notary that offers these services. They will guide you through the process. Relax. You don't need to figure it out.

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worstatit t1_je9iz2n wrote

Ask a competent notary service.

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