Can Two Names Be on the Title if They Are Residents of Different States?

[amo]

My question involves vehicle registration or title in the state of: PA

I am currently a legal resident of NJ, and according to my DL, I live at my parents' house there. However, I have been going to college in PA for three years now, and I am looking to change my residency. I have had my own apartment in PA for a while now, and I know at this point that I will not be going back to live with my parents in NJ again. My license will expire in a month, so instead of renewing it in NJ, I want to get a new PA license.

My parents' insurance (under which I am currently covered) has said that if I switch to an out-of-state license, I will see a large rise in my premiums, which I am unable to afford. I have already sat down with an insurance agent here in PA, so I know that I can afford my own insurance policy here (it is much cheaper than in NJ). I will also then need to reregister the car here in PA. The problem here is that the car title is not currently in my name, and I'm not sure if I can add my name to it.

My car is currently titled to my father because he bought it as a gift for me and he is still making payments on it. The lender will not allow him to retitle it to me because he is the one making the payments. As far as my parents are concerned, the vehicle is mine, and the title and registration are only in my dad's name for the purpose of payments and insurance. Although it is legally "his car", that is not how they view it. Thus, they are willing to make any changes necessary to solve this problem.

I was advised to add my name to the title as well so that my dad could continue to make the payments, but I could register the car in my new home state and get my own insurance policy. Is this legal? Can two names be on the same title if they are residents of different states? If so, how do I go about making that happen? Also, I know that the car was purchased in NJ, so it is probably a NJ title. Even if my name is added to it, would I be able to register a car in PA if it has a NJ title? Would my father, who lives 6 hours away, have to be present to register it? It is very important to me that I do change my DL, so I need to find a way to make this work. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If the lender has a lien on the car and objects to a change in how it's titled, it won't happen unless you pay off the loan. If you register the car in Pennsylvania, you will transfer the title to Pennsylvania. You should be able to do that as a registered owner and the co-owner's consent (in the form required by the Pennsylvania DMV), but if you want to be sure what the Pennsylvania DMV requires you can ask them in advance.

[lwpat]

One way would be to have him lease the vehicle to you. Then you can get your own insurance and also register the vehicle. Having your own insurance is a good idea. Be sure to get UM and UIM coverage.