PennDOT Form DL-135 is Pennsylvania’s mail-in request for vehicle record information, and submitting it correctly comes down to four things: identifying the vehicle, choosing the right record type, proving you’re allowed to see it, and sending the right fee to the right P.O. Box. Each record costs $15, or $47 for a certified copy, and the completed form goes to the Bureau of Driver Licensing in Harrisburg. Records cover the past ten years.
Decide Which Record You Need
Section D of the form lists the record categories, and each returns different data. Pick the wrong one and you’ll wait weeks for a document that doesn’t answer your question.
- Encumbrance records show the owner’s name and address, title number, plate number, VIN, make, plate expiration, and any lienholder’s name, address, and expiration date.
- Title history (current or previous) returns copies of title transaction documents with basic vehicle information. Each title in the chain is a separate $15 record, so a vehicle that has changed hands repeatedly adds up fast. Call PennDOT before mailing to find out how many title records exist.
- Odometer records (current or previous) return a copy of the title or renewal transaction showing mileage.
- Insurance records return a copy of the title or renewal transaction, useful for verifying coverage history.
- “Other” is the catch-all. If you check it, attach a written explanation of what you want.
You can check more than one box, but each record carries its own fee.
Filling Out the Form Section by Section
Download the PDF from PennDOT’s Driver and Vehicle Services website. Print or type every entry. Illegible handwriting is a common reason requests come back unprocessed or get matched to the wrong vehicle.
Section A: Your Information
Enter your full name, mailing address, daytime phone number, and signature. The response gets mailed to the address you list here. The “Reference Number” field is optional; if you use it, your tracking number comes back on the returned record, which makes matching it to a case file easier.
Section C: Vehicle Identification
Give at least one of: plate (tag) number, title number, or VIN. The 17-character VIN is the most reliable identifier. A name or address alone will not let PennDOT search its vehicle files. If the request is tied to an accident, add the accident date here.
Section D: Type of Record
Check the box for each record you want. If you need the document as courtroom evidence, check “Certified — YES” and pay the $47 fee instead of $15.
Section B: Only If You’re Requesting on Behalf of Someone Else
If the end user is a third party, such as a claims adjuster pulling data for an insurance company, Section B needs the end user’s business name, physical address, contact person, and phone number. When the plate number is your only vehicle identifier, Section B also requires the NAIC number, policy number, and claim number, or a copy of the accident report or parking ticket in place of those.
Section E or Section F: Proving You’re Allowed to See the Record
The federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and Pennsylvania’s 75 Pa. C.S. § 6114 restrict access to vehicle records containing personal information. You can always request your own record. For anyone else’s, you need either the owner’s written consent or a qualifying legal or business reason.
Your Own Vehicle
Complete Sections A, C, and D, sign, and mail. No notarization is needed. The one exception: if you want a title history on a vehicle you own or previously owned, you also have to complete Section F and get it notarized.
Someone Else’s Vehicle
You have two paths. The simpler one is Section E, a written release the vehicle owner signs authorizing PennDOT to send you the record. The alternative is Section F, an affidavit of intended use where you swear under oath that your request fits one of eight permissible-use categories drawn from the DPPA. These cover government functions, vehicle safety and recall work, business verification of information a person submitted, use in legal proceedings, insurance claims and underwriting, and statistical research that doesn’t publish or contact individuals, among others. Check the box that matches your reason, sign under oath, and have the form notarized. You complete E or F, not both.
Fees and Payment
Each record is $15. A certified copy is $47 and includes the base record fee. Fees are non-refundable: if PennDOT has no matching record or your identifiers are insufficient, the fee still covers the search.
Pay by check or money order made out to “Commonwealth of PA.” No cash. No credit cards for mailed requests. Each vehicle needs its own fee, so three vehicles means $45 for standard copies or $141 for certified ones.
Where to Mail It
Attach the check or money order to the completed form and send everything to:
Department of Transportation
Bureau of Driver Licensing
Vehicle Record Services
P.O. Box 68691
Harrisburg, PA 17106-8691
Mail is the only submission method. PennDOT does not take DL-135 requests online, by fax, or in person at a driver license center. Check the P.O. Box number carefully. Driver record requests use P.O. Box 68695, and vehicle record requests sent there will be delayed.
After You Submit
PennDOT mails the record back to the address in Section A. There is no published turnaround specific to DL-135, so allow at least two weeks from the date the bureau receives your envelope.
If the request comes back denied, the usual causes are:
- Wrong fee amount, cash enclosed, or check payable to the wrong entity.
- No plate number, title number, or VIN in Section C.
- Requesting another person’s record without completing Section E or Section F.
- Section F not notarized when required.
- Entries that are illegible.
PennDOT sends a notice explaining the specific problem so you can fix it and resubmit. The original fee is not refunded on a rejected request, so you’ll pay again.
Penalties for a False Statement
Section F is sworn, and checking a permissible-use box you don’t qualify for carries real exposure. Under Pennsylvania law, making a false written statement on a government form that warns of penalties is a third-degree misdemeanor.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code 18 – Crimes and Offenses – Unsworn Falsification to Authorities Pennsylvania’s 75 Pa. C.S. § 6114 separately makes it unlawful to purchase or procure protected vehicle records outside the permitted exceptions.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 75 – Vehicles – Section 6114 The DPPA also lets a vehicle owner whose record was improperly obtained sue in federal court, with liquidated damages starting at $2,500 per violation, possible punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2724 – Civil Action The categories on the DL-135 mirror the federal list in 18 U.S.C. § 2721, so a wrong box exposes you to both.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 2721 – Prohibition on Release and Use of Certain Personal Information From State Motor Vehicle Records If you’re uncertain which category fits, get the owner’s signature in Section E instead.