You have two options for dealing with a lost car registration in Pennsylvania if you find that your documents have gone missing or are significantly damaged. Generally, you can get a copy of vehicle registration online, through the mail or in person. Driving without your registration documents will cause you to face serious consequences, so you must always keep your credential on hand. Consequently, it is important that to replace a car registration if you no longer have a physical copy of it.

To complete the process of getting a DMV lost registration duplicate in PA, you must fill out the proper application form and provide an acceptable payment method for the applicable fees. Then, after you have submitted the required paperwork, you will be provided with a duplicate copy of your registration. To learn more about the DMV registration replacement process, continue reading through the sections below.

When do you need to get a copy of your vehicle registration in Pennsylvania?

Lost car registration papers in PA must be replaced with valid credentials in order for vehicles to be legally driven in the state. As a general rule, car owners must always ensure that they keep their registration cards in their vehicles. If you are pulled over and you do not have proof of your registration, you may be subject to paying a fee of $75 or double the registration fee, whichever is higher.

To avoid these consequences, ensure that you replace a car registration if the original credential goes missing or is damaged. Additional instances when getting a duplicate vehicle registration include if your card is stolen or completely destroyed.

How to Obtain a Replacement Vehicle Registration in Pennsylvania

In general, you can choose between two different methods for getting a DMV copy of registration in Pennsylvania: online or by mail. However, you may also be able to request duplicates in person at certain PA DMV locations.

To determine if this is a possibility near you, contact your local DMV office before visiting that location. Learn more about these methods by reading the sections below.

How to Replace a Vehicle Registration Online

You can go online to get a copy of car registration through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation website.  You can order a duplicate registration card through this online method as long as you are able to provide all necessary information. To perform the vehicle transaction online you will need:

• Your vehicle title number.
• Your license plate number.
• Proof of auto insurance coverage.
• Your vehicle’s odometer reading.
• Your drivers license number (if you are completing a change of address).
• An acceptable payment method for the replacement fees.

The replacement vehicle registration card will not be sent to you in the mail, so you must ensure that you print your valid registration document at the end of the transaction. This must be printed on white paper and kept in a safe place so that it cannot get damaged, lost or stolen. Thus, ensure that your printer is working and ready before you attempt to complete the process.

How to Replace a Vehicle Registration by Mail

You can also request a DMV copy of registration through the mail. To complete this application process, you must do the following:

• Complete the ‘Application for Duplicate Registration Card, Replacement of Registration Plate or Weight Class Sticker’ form
• Write out a check or money order for the replacement fee

Then, you must mail those two items to the following address:

Pennsylvania Bureau of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 68593
Harrisburg, PA 17106

Note: It is important to keep in mind that submitting a DMV registration replacement application via mail will take longer to be processed due to processing and delivery times.

How to Replace a Vehicle Registration in Person

In order to replace a lost car registration in person in Pennsylvania, you must first contact your local DMV office and find out if it offers these procedures. That is because not all locations allow you to process a duplicate request in person.

Pennsylvania Stolen Car Registration Requirements

It is important that you handle a stolen car registration appropriately if you believe that your credential was stolen. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has created a specific form that you can fill out if you believe that someone has stolen any of your motor vehicle credentials, including your registration.

After you complete this form and attach other relevant documentation, such as a police report, you must mail it to the following address:

PennDOT Risk Management Office
P.O. Box 69005
Harrisburg, PA 17106-9005

Pennsylvania DMV Sticker Replacement

There is no need for a DMV sticker replacement in PA because license plate stickers are not a requirement in the state for any registered vehicles. Effective December 12, 2016, Pennsylvania residents no longer need to place a DMV registration sticker on their plates.

Instead, residents must ensure that they have a registration card on hand and are able to present it if proof of registration is requested by law enforcement officials.

Pennsylvania Vehicle Registration Replacement Fees

In order to replace your lost auto registration certificate in Pennsylvania, you must pay the applicable fees associated with that request. For instance, consider the following related costs:

• Duplicate registration card: $6
• Duplicate registration card (if ordered along with a replacement or renewal of a license plate): $2

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