PA Mulling Move To Digital Vehicle Registrations

HARRISBURG, PA — A state lawmaker wants Pennsylvania motorists to have the option of having their vehicle registration on their phones instead of having to maintain a paper copy under current state law.

State Rep. Tina Davis, a Bucks County Democrat, is planning to introduce legislation that would let motorists having the option of keeping their paper registration or carry it digitally.

"Paper registration documents are often stored in crowded glove compartments where nervous drivers struggle to find them when pulled over by law enforcement," Davis wrote in a recent memo to colleagues. "Digital vehicle registration cards will make this process faster and easier for drivers and police officers alike."

Davis said her legislation would stipulate "that individuals who elect to show digital proof of registration on an electronic device are not presumed to be consenting to a search of that device, thereby protecting the privacy of drivers."

Other states are moving forward with the digital registration option.

Last week, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission announced that drivers in that state can now show police a digital version of their motor vehicle registration if they're pulled over or appear in court.

The commission now is providing PDF files with proof of registration that can be printed out or downloaded for display as an electronic image on a phone, computer, or tablet.