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Restoring Vehicle Registration after Serving a Suspension Due to a Lapse in Insurance Frequently Asked Questions

1. What do I Need to Restore my Vehicle Registration?
2. Where do I Send the Restoration Fee and/or Proof of Insurance?
3. I Have Submitted my Restoration Fee and Current Proof of Insurance to PennDot, Now What?

1. What do I Need to Restore my Vehicle Registration?
A restoration fee must be paid by check or money order to PennDOT by check or money order. Place the vehicle’s title number on the check to ensure the fee is correctly applied. You may also pay by credit card online by selecting "Pay Your Financial Responsibility Restoration Fee." Please refer to Form MV-70S, "The Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees," for the current fees. 

In order to have your registration restored, current proof of insurance must be provided within 30 days prior to your eligibility date. Submit a copy of either your insurance identification card, the declaration page of your insurance policy, a valid binder of insurance, or an application for insurance to the Pennsylvania Assigned Risk Plan as acceptable proofs of insurance for your motor vehicle. (NOTE: Original documents will not be returned.)

2. Where do I Send the Restoration Fee and/or Proof of Insurance?
Payments and documents can be submitted through the website, or follow the instructions listed above and return all of the necessary information to the following address:
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Bureau of Motor Vehicles
P.O. Box 68674
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8674

3. I Have Submitted my Restoration Fee and Current Proof of Insurance to PennDot, Now What?
Once the restoration fee is paid (Please refer to Form MV-70S, "The Bureau of Motor Vehicles Schedule of Fees," for the current fees), current proof of insurance is submitted and your eligibility date has been met, the following scenarios will apply:
(a) If the registration plate and card were surrendered to PennDOT to serve the suspension and the registration has not expired, you will receive a registration plate and card within 7 to 10 business days.
(b) If the registration plate and card that were surrendered to serve the suspension are expired, and registration has not been renewed, an application for registration renewal, using Form MV-140, “Request for Registration,” must be submitted. This form may be obtained from our Forms and Publications and mailed to the address listed on the form, or taken to an authorized online agent to be processed. The applicable registration fee will also be required.
(c) If the registration plate has not been surrendered to PennDOT to serve a suspension and has expired, an application for registration renewal may be completed online using our website, at any of PennDOT’s on-line authorized agents, or through the mail using Form MV-140, “Request for Registration.” The applicable registration fee will also be required.


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