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What prompted this issue?
Beginning in August of 2008 many states began clamping down on illegal scooters sold in their states by “fly-by-nighters” on street corners, and by sales online, where the seller cannot be found after the sale.
Pennsylvania also took this stand and will not issue a Title to any scooter or motorcycle whose VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) cannot be verified with the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration) VIN Decoding Letter database.
NHTSA VIN Decoding Letter?
Every vehicle manufacturer, whether it be a car, truck, motorcycle, scooter, trailer, etc., MUST file a Decoding Letter with the NHTSA to be added to their database. The Letter decodes the VIN, ie., the first letter for a Chinese scooter is an “L”, meaning that the country of manufacture is China. Every letter or character has a special meaning depending upon what the manufacturer determines it to mean.
What if there is no Letter?
As stated above, if there is no letter on file with the NHTSA then no title will be issued for that vehicle until a letter is filed from the manufacturer. The bottom line - if no letter is ever filed there will never be a title issued.
What if my scooter can’t be Titled or registered?
Your recourses are few. If you are a PA resident and cannot find resolution through the selling dealer you may file a consumer complaint with the Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection
1-800-441-25555
www.attorneygeneral.gov
Know your seller!
Ask for a copy of the Decoding Letter if you have any doubts. Most reputable dealers will have access to the database and can print a copy for you.
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