===== PAGE 1 ===== # County of Adams ## INVOLUTARY TRANSFER OF VEHICLE TITLE I. Instructions ### II. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Fact Sheet & DL-135 III. Forms ## Disclaimer Court staff is not able to give you legal advice or help you fill out/complete these forms. The information in this packet is not a substitute for professional legal advice. The Court assumes no responsibility and accepts no liability for actions taken by users of these documents, including reliance on their contents. If you want to obtain the services of an attorney but do not know whom to contact, please call the Pennsylvania Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-692-7375. Last Updated: April 24, 2025 ===== PAGE 2 ===== # INSTRUCTIONS INVOLUTARY TRANSFER OF VEHICLE TITLE THIS FORM IS A GUIDELINE TO BE USED FOR THE FILING OF A PETITION FOR THE INVOLUNTARY TRANSFER OF VEHICLE TITLE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS OF ADAMS COUNTY. THIS FORM AND THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE. THE INVOLUTARY TRANSFER OF VEHICLE TITLE IS AN IMPORTANT LEGAL MATTER. THEREFORE, YOU ARE ADVISED TO SEEK THE ASSISTANCE OF AN ATTORNEY BEFORE PROCEEDING TO FILE SUCH A PETITION. The steps in this packet are for rare situations that don't involve abandoned vehicles or cases where you can get a title using a Certificate of Title or the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. This process includes getting vehicle information from PennDOT, starting a legal action to obtain the title, notifying all interested parties, and presenting your case at a hearing. Keep in mind that following these steps does not guarantee the Court will approve your request for the title transfer. 1. Read the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Fact Sheet (included in this packet). 2. Fill out the DL-135 form (vehicle information request; included in this packet) and send it, along with the fees, to PennDOT. 3. Once you receive the vehicle information from PennDOT in response to the DL-135, and if you are unable to resolve the ownership issue with any known person of interest, you can initiate a legal action in the appropriate court to try to be recognized as the vehicle's owner. You must file these items in the Prothonotary's Office: a. A civil cover sheet (included in this packet) b. A template Scheduling Order (included in this packet) c. A Petition for Involuntary Transfer (included in this packet) d. A proposed Court Order (included in this packet) e. A certificate of compliance (included in this packet) f. A self-addressed, stamped envelope You must also pay any filing fee required by the Prothonotary. 4. After you file the petition and receive the scheduling order from the Prothonotary's Office, you must follow the requirements outlined in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Fact Sheet, including notification requirements to all persons with an interest in the ownership of the vehicle and legal notice advertising requirements. Retain proof of certified mailing and proof of advertising as evidence to be provided to the Court at the time of hearing. NOTE: If, after you have filed your petition and if an interested party has responded, and if you are able to resolve the issue of ownership without the need for Court intervention, you will need to file a praecipe to withdraw the petition for involuntary transfer of title (included in this packet). ===== PAGE 3 ===== 5. Appear at the hearing at the scheduled date and time and be ready to show the Court that you've completed all the requirements. 6. If the Court approves your request and issues an Order to award you with ownership, you must follow the requirements outlined in the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Fact Sheet to obtain a Certificate of Title. Following the steps in this packet does not guarantee that the Court will award ownership to you. Each case is unique based on the circumstances. ===== PAGE 4 ===== # FACT SHEET Transfer of Ownership by Court Order ## PURPOSE This Fact Sheet outlines the procedures that must be followed when applying for a Certificate of Title involving the involuntary transfer of a vehicle's ownership. This procedure involves obtaining a court order and should be used only in those circumstances where it is impossible to transfer ownership of a vehicle by the use of a Certificate of Title or Vehicle Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin. Since every set of facts and surrounding circumstances will be unique, a person attempting to be declared owner of a vehicle where proper ownership documents are not available should seek the advice of a private attorney. PennDOT WILL NOT OFFER LEGAL ADVICE REGARDING THE INVOLUNTARY TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF A VEHICLE. ## PROCEDURES 1. A person attempting to obtain ownership of a vehicle must commence a proceeding with a court of competent jurisdiction setting forth the facts and circumstances of the case. The ownership of the vehicle will be determined by the court. Please note that a sample court order is provided on the reverse side of this fact sheet. UNLESS THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION, THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AN INTERESTED PARTY TO THIS COURT PROCEEDING. THEREFORE, THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT BE A NAMED PARTY IN THE PROCEEDING. 2. A person attempting to be declared owner of a vehicle by court order must notify all persons with an interest in the vehicle of the pendency of the court proceeding. The notification must be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and must include the following: (1) A specific description of the vehicle (i.e., year, make, model and VIN); (2) The court of competent jurisdiction where an action will be or has been filed; and (3) The time, date and place of any court proceeding. AT A MINIMUM, THE NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE PERSON(S) TO WHOM THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY TITLED AND REGISTERED AND EVERY LIENHOLDER THAT IS LISTED ON THE TITLE RECORD. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF A PERSON ATTEMPTING TO BE DECLARED OWNER OF A VEHICLE IS UNAWARE OF ANY PERSON WITH AN INTEREST IN THE VEHICLE, THE PERSON ATTEMPTING TO OBTAIN OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE MAY OBTAIN A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER RECORD BY COMPLETING FORM DL-135 (REQUEST FOR VEHICLE INFORMATION), AND SUBMITTING TO PENNDOT ALONG WITH THE APPROPRIATE FEES. 3. In the event the notice sent to a person with an interest in the vehicle is returned as “Unclaimed,” the person attempting to be declared owner of the vehicle must advertise a legal notice at least once in the county legal journal(s) and at least once per week for three consecutive weeks in the newspaper(s) of general circulation where any person known to claim an interest in the vehicle may be located and where the vehicle is located, if these two locations are different. Please refer to the Pennsylvania Bar Association Lawyers Directory & Product Guide to determine the appropriate legal journal. The advertisement should include the following: December 2022 - over -

| A | REQUESTER INFORMATION | B | END USER OF INFORMATION BEING REQUESTED | ||||||||
| NAME | NAME OF BUSINESS | ||||||||||
| ADDRESS: P.O. Box number may be used in addition to the actual address, but cannot be used as the only address. | ADDRESS: (P.O. Box not accepted), need to provide physical location of business/residence | ||||||||||
| CITY | STATE | ZIP CODE | CITY | STATE | ZIP CODE | ||||||
| DAYTIME TELEPHONE NUMBER (Required) | REFERENCE NUMBER | CONTACT PERSON | PHONE # | ||||||||
| NAIC NUMBER | POLICY NUMBER | ||||||||||
| SIGNATURE X | CLAIM NUMBER | ||||||||||
| NOTARIZATION NOT REQUIRED WHEN REQUESTING YOUR OWN RECORD | D | MICROFILM | Certified - ☐ YES (44.00 Required) < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > C < /td > < td colspan = "3" > VEHICLE INFORMATION (read instructions for number 2 on the back of the form) < /td > < td rowspan = "2" colspan = "6" > CHECK (✓) ONE ONLY: SEE REVERSE SIDE FOR EXPLANATION OF INFORMATION YOU WILL RECEIVE. ☐ TITLE - CURRENT RECORD ☐ ODOMETER - CURRENT RECORD ☐ TITLE - PREVIOUS RECORD ☐ ODOMETER - PREVIOUS RECORD ☐ ENCUMBRANCE ☐ INSURANCE ☐ OTHER ________________ < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "2" > TAG NUMBER < /td > < td colspan = "2" > TITLE NUMBER < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "3" > VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER < /td > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > DATE OF ACCIDENT (if applicable) < /td > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > E < /td > < td colspan = "5" > VEHICLE OWNER RELEASE < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "4" > NAME < /td > < td rowspan = "2" colspan = "6" > I _______________HEREBY REQUEST THE PA Department of Transportation to furnish acopy of my PA vehicle record to, ____NAME OF REQUESTER < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "4" > ADDRESS < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "2" > CITY < /td > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > STATE < /td > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > ZIP CODE < /td > < td colspan = "4" > SIGNATURE OF VEHICLE OWNER < /td > < td colspan = "2" > DATE < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td style = 'text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;' > F < /td > < td colspan = "9" > AFFIDAVIT OF INTENDED USE - YOU MUST CHECK (✓) ONE ITEM < /td > < /tr > < tr > < td colspan = "4" > ____1. For use by any government agency, including any court or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its functions, or any private person or entity acting on behalf of aFederal, State, or local agency or political subdivision in carrying out its functions. ____2. For use in connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft; motor vehicle emissions; motor vehicle product alterations, recalls, or advisories; performance monitoring of motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts and dealers; motor vehicle market research activities, including survey research, and removal of non-owner records from the original owner records of motor vehicle manufacturers. ____3. For use in the normal course of business by alegitimate business or its agents, employees, or contractors, but only: a. to verify the accuracy of personal information submitted by the individual to the business or its agents, employees, or contractors; and b. if such information as so submitted is not correct or is no longer correct, to obtain the correct information, but only for the purposes of preventing fraud by, pursuing legal remedies against, or recovering on adebt or security interest against, the individual. ____4. For use in connection with any civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding in any Federal, State, or local court or agency or before any self-regulatory body, including the service of process, investigation in anticipation of litigation, and the execution or enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of aFederal, State, or local court. ____5. For use in research activities, and for use in producing statistical reports, so long as the personal information is not published, redisclosed, or used to contact individuals. ____6. For use by an insurer or insurance support organization, or by aself-insured entity, or its agents, employees, or contractors, in connection with claims investigation activities, antifraud activities, rating or underwriting. ____7. For use in providing notice to the owners of towed or impounded vehicles. ____8. For use in connection with the operation of private toll transportation facilities. < /td > < td colspan = "4" > Ihereby certify that _______________will use the vehicle information requested pursuant to Section 6114 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, for the purpose checked above only and for no other reason. This affidavit is filed in compliance with Section 607 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Federal Drivers Privacy Protection Act. I/We state that I/we have read and signed this form after its completion, and I/we swear or affirm that the statements made herein are true and correct, and that any statement made on or pursuant to this form is subject to the penalties of 18 Pa.C.S. Section 4904(b) (relating to unsworn falsifications), which shall include punishment of afine not exceeding2,500, or to a term of imprisonment of not more than one year, or both. SIGNATURE OF REQUESTER TITLE OF REQUESTER (if applicable) __________________ | ||||||||
| NOTARIZATION | SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BEFORE ME: | MONTH | DAY | YEAR | |||||||
| SIGNATURE OF PERSON ADMINISTERING OATH | |||||||||||
| SEAL | SIGN IN PRESENCE OF NOTARY | ||||||||||
| PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY |
| ☐ Dental |
| ☐ Legal |
| ☐ Medical |
| ☐ Other Professional: |
| ____________________ |
| ____________________ |
| Commencement of Action: ☐ Complaint ☐ Writ of Summons ☐ Petition ☐ Transfer from Another Jurisdiction ☐ Declaration of Taking | ||
| Lead Plaintiff's Name: Are money damages requested? ☐ Yes ☐ No | Lead Defendant's Name: Dollar Amount Requested: ☐ within arbitration limits (check one) ☐ outside arbitration limits | |
| Is this a Class Action Suit? ☐ Yes ☐ No | Is this an MDJ Appeal? ☐ Yes ☐ No | |
| Name of Plaintiff/Appellant's Attorney: ________________ ☐ Check here if you have no attorney (are a Self-Represented [Pro Se] Litigant) | ||
| Nature of the Case: Place an “X” to the left of the ONE case category that most accurately describes your PRIMARY CASE. If you are making more than one type of claim, check the one that you consider most important. | ||
| TORT (do not include Mass Tort) ☐ Intentional ☐ Malicious Prosecution ☐ Motor Vehicle ☐ Nuisance ☐ Premises Liability ☐ Product Liability (does not include mass tort) ☐ Slander/Libel/ Defamation ☐ Other: ________________ | CONTRACT (do not include Judgments) ☐ Buyer Plaintiff ☐ Debt Collection: Credit Card ☐ Debt Collection: Other __________________ ☐ Employment Dispute: Discrimination ☐ Employment Dispute: Other __________________ ☐ Other: ________________ | CIVIL APPEALS Administrative Agencies ☐ Board of Assessment ☐ Board of Elections ☐ Dept. of Transportation ☐ Statutory Appeal: Other __________________ ☐ Other: ________________ |
| MASS TORT ☐ Asbestos ☐ Tobacco ☐ Toxic Tort - DES ☐ Toxic Tort - Implant | REAL PROPERTY | MISCELLANEOUS |
| REAL PROPERTY ☐ Ejectment ☐ Eminent Domain/Condemnation ☐ Ground Rent ☐ Landlord/Tenant Dispute ☐ Mortgage Foreclosure: Residential ☐ Mortgage Foreclosure: Commercial ☐ Partition ☐ Quiet Title ☐ Other: | MISCELLANEOUS ☐ Common Law/Statutory Arbitration ☐ Declaratory Judgment ☐ Mandamus ☐ Non-Domestic Relations Restraining Order ☐ Quo Warranto ☐ Replevin ☐ Other: |
| ____________________ ____________________________________________________________________ | |
| For Prothonotary Use Only: | TIME STAMP |
| Docket No: |