While In-Transit transactions are required to be processed online, situations can arise that make that impossible. We have included step by step guides below for a few common situations, but you can always reach out to us at 800-870-5584 or via email at CS-Pennsylvania@vitu.com for extra assistance. 

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Follow these steps to issue an In Transit manually:

1. If you attempt to process an ITT online and you receive an error please contact Vitu Client Services to validate the outage. If valid, they will issue an authorization number allowing you to do the in transit offline. 
2. Write that number in the upper right corner of the MV-120 
3. Issue the In-Transit Tag and give the customer the pink copy of the MV-120 
4. When the system is available, process the In-Transit transactions in the order they were issued — this will remove the plate from your inventory. 
5. Mail the registration card to the customer.
6. Submit your paperwork along with the MV-120, as normal.

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If you receive a “purged record” message or error 2286: 

1. Contact Vitu Pennsylvania Support to rule out a system issue at 800-870-5584 or CS-Pennsylvania@vitu.com
2. If the system is OK and the error is valid, client services will issue an authorization number to issue a manual In-Transit. 
3. Mark the in transit plate as "Issued Manually" and mail the MV-120 with your daily paperwork.

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If the vehicle had a prior In-Transit (example Lease Buy Out) 

1. Call Vitu client services to validate 
2. If there is no system issue, Client Services will issue an authorization number to issue a manual In-Transit 
3. Submit MV-120 with your daily paperwork

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When an In-Transit tag is reported lost, stolen, or needs to be replaced, follow these steps:

1. Notify Dealer Audit Unit: DealerAuditUnit@pa.gov 
2. Provide these documents:
   

• Original In-Transit reg card 
  
• Current insurance card 
• Copy front and back of driver license 
• Proof of ownership document, title or MCO 
• If the ITT is lost or stolen, provide copy of police report 
• If the ITT is defaced, include a photo of defaced plate 
  

The Dealer Audit Unit will: 

• Review all emailed documents 
• If approved, process the replacement In-Transit Tag for the customer and 
• Mail the replacement In-Transit registration plate

Ever wonder what the plate type code is for the plate you are trying to transfer? Hopefully you will find this sheet helpful. Beware! There are over 600 plate type codes listed.

Pennsylvania introduced a new style of registration plate in May 2025 — Let Freedom Ring. When processing these plate types in MessWIN, the tag color code that needs entered is an F.

Please refer to the attached bulletin for more information on the new Let Freedom Ring registration plate.

Before submitting a Problem Report for a name correction, first attempt to correct the name within the system under MV 03 Change. If you are unsuccessful with correcting the name on your own, please submit a Problem Report to paproblemreports@vitu.com or 717-234-2164.

When you are unable to issue an In-Transit Tag (ITT) online, please follow these steps to issue the In-Transit Tag manually:

1. Call Pennsylvania Operations at 717-724-0744 to obtain an incident number. Enter the incident number in the blank space at the top right of the MV 120.
2. Complete the MV 120 and give your customer the pink copy of the MV 120 and the title.
3. Fax copies of the MV 120, front and back of title, drivers license and insurance to both Vitu at 717-234-2164 and to PennDOT at 717-787-9928.
4. File the documents with your In-Transit Tag files.

If an In-Transit Tag is issued manually due to the system being down, you may NOT process it online after the system comes back up.

All of the above listed steps should be completed on the same day the In-Transit Tag is issued manually.

PennDOT does not accept an out-of-state notary stamp or seal to verify a VIN. In fact, PennDOT rejects Problem Reports with an out-of-state notary stamp or seal. Because Problem Reports are time sensitive, the Problem Report and all supporting documents must be submitted within the tanking period.

Please click the image below to see the PennDOT Fact Sheet listing acceptable VIN verifications.

We wanted to take a second to say thank you to everyone who participated in our Satisfaction Survey in August! We rely on your feedback to continue improving what we do at Vitu, and we appreciate the time you took to help us.

If you took the survey and never received your $5 gift card, please check your spam folder. If you still can’t find it, email us at marketing@vitu.com — we’ll be sure to get it out.