PA · Registration fee guide
Pennsylvania car registration fees
Last verified · View sources
Pennsylvania charges a flat $48 a year to register a passenger car ($96 for two years), and the fee includes a standard plate the first time one is issued.
Your itemized estimate
Estimate your registration
Use your vehicle details to calculate the listed fees. Amounts reflect the schedule verified in 2026.
Start with the published example below, then adjust the details for your vehicle.
Published example · listed fees
$53.0012-month renewal example
No listed fees for this selection.
- State fees$48.00
- County / local$5.00
- One-time$0.00
View breakdown data
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| State fees | $48.00 |
| County / local | $5.00 |
| One-time | $0.00 |
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Passenger vehicle registration fee (1 year) | $48.00 |
| Fee for Local Use (county, 1 year) | $5.00 |
Estimate only. Includes only the fees listed here; other taxes, penalties or local charges may apply. Confirm with the official agency.
Confirm with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Driver and Vehicle Services
Registration fee schedule
Only applicable fees contribute to your estimate. Optional fees are excluded unless selected. One-time fees apply only to new registrations.
| Fee | Amount or rule | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger vehicle registration fee (1 year) | $48.00 MV-70S: passenger $48 for one year, $96 for two years. Includes the cost of a standard plate on first issuance. Some owners (for example certain retired persons) may qualify for a reduced fee. | All listed vehiclesAll listed vehicles |
| Fee for Local Use (county, 1 year) | View county ratesAdams: $0.00; Allegheny: $5.00; Armstrong: $0.00; Beaver: $5.00; Bedford: $5.00; Berks: $5.00; Blair: $5.00; Bradford: $0.00; Bucks: $5.00; Butler: $5.00; Cambria: $5.00; Cameron: $0.00; Carbon: $0.00; Centre: $5.00; Chester: $5.00; Clarion: $0.00; Clearfield: $0.00; Clinton: $0.00; Columbia: $0.00; Crawford: $0.00; Cumberland: $5.00; Dauphin: $5.00; Delaware: $5.00; Elk: $0.00; Erie: $5.00; Fayette: $0.00; Forest: $0.00; Franklin: $0.00; Fulton: $0.00; Greene: $5.00; Huntingdon: $0.00; Indiana: $0.00; Jefferson: $0.00; Juniata: $0.00; Lackawanna: $5.00; Lancaster: $0.00; Lawrence: $0.00; Lebanon: $0.00; Lehigh: $0.00; Luzerne: $0.00; Lycoming: $5.00; McKean: $0.00; Mercer: $0.00; Mifflin: $5.00; Monroe: $0.00; Montgomery: $5.00; Montour: $0.00; Northampton: $0.00; Northumberland: $0.00; Perry: $0.00; Philadelphia: $5.00; Pike: $5.00; Potter: $0.00; Schuylkill: $5.00; Snyder: $0.00; Somerset: $0.00; Sullivan: $0.00; Susquehanna: $5.00; Tioga: $0.00; Union: $5.00; Venango: $0.00; Warren: $0.00; Washington: $0.00; Wayne: $5.00; Westmoreland: $5.00; Wyoming: $0.00; York: $5.00 $5 per registration year in the 27 counties with an ordinance, per PennDOT's August 2026 participating-county fact sheet (Bedford from 8/12/2026, Susquehanna from 5/14/2026). $0 in all other counties. | All listed vehiclesAll listed vehicles |
| Road User Charge (electric vehicle, 1 year) | $250.00 2026 RUC flat fee: $250 for a one-year registration, $500 for two years. Indexed to CPI each January 1. Exempt (PennDOT RUC page): model year 1990 or older, electric motorcycles, vehicles over 14,000 lbs GVWR. Plug-in hybrids pay $63 (not modeled; ordinary hybrids pay nothing). | See conditionsfuel type: electric |
| Certificate of title | $72.00 MV-70S title fee. Recording a lien adds $36 per lien; transferring an existing plate to the new vehicle is $11. Sales tax is not included. | New registrationAll listed vehicles; one-time |
How Pennsylvania fees work
Pennsylvania charges a flat $48 a year to register a passenger car ($96 for two years), and the fee includes a standard plate the first time one is issued. Twenty-seven counties add a $5-a-year Fee for Local Use. Since 2025, electric vehicles also pay a Road User Charge, $250 a year in 2026, in place of the gas tax. A first registration adds the $72 title fee, plus sales tax.
The listed registration period is 12 months. Agency information
Cost factors: flat, county, fuel.
Electric & hybrid surcharges
Electric: $250.00 in the listed schedule. Fee source
Choose the matching fuel type in the calculator to include the applicable surcharge.
Late registration
PennDOT's MV-70S fee schedule lists no late-renewal fee for an expired passenger registration; you pay the normal registration fee when you renew. Driving with an expired registration can bring a citation.
Confirm deadlines and penalties with the agencyWorked example
Gas sedan, one-year renewal in Allegheny County: $48 passenger registration + $5 Allegheny County Fee for Local Use.
Listed total: $53.00
See the fee rules and sources aboveCommon questions
How are Pennsylvania registration fees calculated?
Pennsylvania charges a flat $48 a year to register a passenger car ($96 for two years), and the fee includes a standard plate the first time one is issued. Twenty-seven counties add a $5-a-year Fee for Local Use. Since 2025, electric vehicles also pay a Road User Charge, $250 a year in 2026, in place of the gas tax. A first registration adds the $72 title fee, plus sales tax.
Where can I confirm my final registration cost?
Confirm the final amount with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Driver and Vehicle Services. Its official website is linked below the calculator and in this guide’s sources.
What other limitations should I consider?
Amounts are for a one-year registration. Two-year registration doubles the registration fee ($96), the local use fee ($10) and the EV Road User Charge ($500). Plug-in hybrids owe a $63 one-year Road User Charge; the calculator's fuel types do not separate plug-in from conventional hybrids, so it is not added for 'hybrid'. PennDOT also offers installment payment plans for the Road User Charge instead of the one-time flat fee. Sales tax, inspection and emissions station fees, and specialty plate fees are not included.
Sources and last checked
Sources
- Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees, MV-70S (4-26) PennDOT
- Fact Sheet: Fee for Local Use - Participating Counties (August 2026) PennDOT
- Road User Charge PennDOT
- Payments and Fees PennDOT
Last verified
Fees can change. Confirm your final amount with the official registration agency before paying.
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