PennDOT Dealer Forms Guide
MV-1 vs MV-4ST: Which Form Does Your Dealer Need?
One Question Decides the Form
Is the vehicle currently titled in Pennsylvania?
Application for Registration / Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return
The vehicle has a PA title. Use MV-4ST to transfer ownership and collect sales tax in one form.
Application for Certificate of Title
The vehicle has never been titled in PA. Use MV-1 to apply for a new PA title.
Application for Certificate of Title
Use MV-1 when:
- The vehicle is new with a Manufacturer Certificate of Origin (MCO/MSO)
- The vehicle has an out-of-state title entering Pennsylvania
- The vehicle is imported (foreign or Canadian origin)
- The vehicle has never been titled in Pennsylvania
What MV-1 collects
MV-1 collects title application data only. It does not handle sales tax. Dealers report and remit sales tax separately.
MV-1 forms are available only from authorized PennDOT agents.
Source: PennDOT Fact Sheet fs-mv1.pdf (updated February 2025)
Application for Registration / Vehicle Sales and Use Tax Return
Use MV-4ST when:
- The vehicle is used and the title is already a PA title
- Private sale or dealer sale of a PA-titled vehicle
What MV-4ST collects
MV-4ST collects the registration application and the sales/use tax return in one form. It handles both the title transfer and tax collection in a single submission.
MV-4ST forms are available only from authorized PennDOT agents.
Source: PennDOT Fact Sheet fs-mv4st.pdf
Common Mistakes Dealers Make
PennDOT rejects transactions for these errors. Each rejection costs time and delays your customer's registration.
Wrong form for out-of-state vehicles
Dealers submit MV-4ST for a vehicle titled in another state. That vehicle has no PA title, so MV-4ST does not apply. Use MV-1.
Missing VIN verification
Out-of-state vehicles require a VIN verification alongside the MV-1. PennDOT rejects any MV-1 submitted without one.
No notarization on seller's signature
The seller must sign the existing title, and a notary must witness that signature. Titles with unnotarized signatures are rejected.
Missing odometer disclosure
Federal law requires odometer disclosure on title transfers for vehicles under 20 model years old. Omitting it halts the transaction.
Related PennDOT Forms
Dealers encounter these forms alongside MV-1 and MV-4ST transactions.
MV-13ST
Affidavit of Gift. Used for tax-exempt gift transfers between eligible family members. Eliminates sales tax on the transaction.
MV-38D
Duplicate Title. Filed when the original title is lost, damaged, or destroyed. Dealers use this to clear trade-in inventory that arrived without a title.
MV-120
Agent transaction form. Authorized PennDOT agents process this form alongside MV-1 or MV-4ST to submit the transaction through PennDOT's system.
Need Help with PennDOT Paperwork?
Contact Commonwealth Auto Tags. Our staff process MV-1 and MV-4ST transactions for dealers across Pennsylvania every day.