Notary Notes Blog

The latest notary news for Pennsylvania notaries

Motor Vehicle

Acceptable Proof of Identity for Processing Motor Vehicle Applications

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This Driver and Vehicle Services Update Bulletin No. 21-03 dated February 2021 is to inform you of a change in the acceptable forms of identification for titling and registering vehicles in Pennsylvania.

Effective immediately, authorized agents may accept a valid camera card along with an expired Pennsylvania identification credential, or 15 day temporary internet driver license or identification card renewal credential with an applicant’s expired Pennsylvania identification credential for the purposes of titling and registering a vehicle.

With this change, agents may now accept one of the following credentials for identification purposes to issue title and registration documents:

  1. A valid Pennsylvania Photo Driver’s License;
  2. A valid Pennsylvania Photo Identification Card;
  3. A valid Pennsylvania Photo Exempt Driver’s License;
  4. A valid Pennsylvania Photo Exempt Identification Card;
  5. A valid Pennsylvania 15-day temporary internet driver license or identification card renewal credential and expired DL/ID
  6. A valid Pennsylvania Camera Card and Pennsylvania expired identification credential (as listed above); or
  7. A valid U.S. Armed Forces Common Access Card

Dependents of Armed Forces personnel must provide a valid United States Uniformed Services Identification and Privilege Card (DD Form 1173).

Each of the identification documents listed above must be in the same name as the name listed on the motor vehicle application.

The Acceptable Proof of Identification Documents for Completing Motor Vehicle Forms Fact Sheet has been updated to reflect this change.

Personal Delivery Devices

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Act 106, signed into law on November 1, 2020, has amended the definition of “Pedestrian” in Title 75, The Pennsylvania Vehicle Code. The act takes effect January 30, 2021.

Under Section 1, §102, the definition of a “pedestrian” is as follows:

  1. an individual afoot.
  2. an individual with a mobility-related disability on a self-propelled wheelchair or an electrical mobility device operated by and designated for the exclusive use of an individual with a mobility-related disability.
  3. a personal delivery device.

Act 106 also allows for a “personal delivery device” (PDD) to operate on roadways, shoulder/berms of roadways, and in pedestrian areas. The definition of a personal delivery device is a ground delivery device that:

  1. is manufactured for transporting cargo or goods;
  2. is operated by a driving system that allows remote or autonomous operation, or both; and
  3. weighs 550 pounds or less without cargo or goods.

Since Act 106 places PDDs within the definition of a pedestrian, PDDs are not considered a vehicle and not required to be titled and/or registered as a vehicle under the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code.

PennDOT Real ID Update

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After October 1, 2021, anyone going through airport security or entering most federal buildings will need a Real ID, a passport or a military identification.

PennDOT estimates that nearly 300,000 Pennsylvanians haven’t applied for their Real ID yet. Kurt Myers, PennDOT’s deputy secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services, believes that the department shouldn’t have any problem handling that many customers by the deadline.

“We’re by no means at full capacity right now,” Myers said. “We can certainly handle more people. We want to be sure we are meeting our customers’ needs as well as we can while keeping them safe.”

PennDOT plans to make a big marketing push early in 2021 to remind residents that the cards are available and the deadline is looming.

“We’re still planning to do the campaign that had been set for last summer,” Myers said. “That will definitely occur.”

Fraud Tip Hotline Information

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PAN members who are also motor vehicle agents under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) can download a free “Fraud Tip Hotline Information” sheet from the Member Portal. The sheet displays information required by the five-year agent service contract.

Log in to the Member Portal and click the “Motor Vehicle Information” link on the left. On the Motor Vehicle Information page, click “Forms” on the left.

The Fraud Tip Hotline Information sheet is provided in portable document format (PDF) and can be printed in color or black and white.

Knowledgebase Available for PAN Members

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PAN’s Knowledgebase is an online searchable database containing a library of articles, how-to-documents and forms that’s available to PAN members 24-7.

Simply type in a keyword or search term to open up a listing of articles, documents or forms related to your search. Once you find the information you need, click on it to open the article, document or form.

You can access PAN’s Knowledgebase through the Member Portal on PAN’s Web page at www.notary.org.

Check it out and let us know how we can improve the content through the Feedback link. Your specific feedback will help us develop the Knowledgebase into a tool you will want to use again and again.