Auto Theft Laws in Pennsylvania

Stealing a car is a serious crime in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania also criminalizes other actions involving the unlawful use of a motor vehicle, including stealing car parts, carjacking, and joyriding.

What Are the Penalties for Stealing a Vehicle in Pennsylvania?

Stealing a vehicle is a felony in the state of Pennsylvania.

Defining Theft

Under Pennsylvania’s theft statute, a person commits theft of a motor vehicle by taking, transferring, or exercising control over a vehicle that belongs to someone else without permission and with the intent to deprive the owner of the vehicle. It doesn’t matter if the thief intends to keep, sell, or otherwise dispose of the car. If the thief doesn’t intend for the owner to get their vehicle back, the act is theft. For example, a person who takes another person’s car from a parking lot and then abandons it has committed theft. A motor vehicle can include any car, airplane, motorboat, sports utility vehicle, truck, or other motor-propelled vehicle.

Felony Penalties

Like many states, Pennsylvania classifies most thefts based on the value of the property taken. However, some thefts, including motor vehicle thefts, are punishable based on the nature of the stolen property. Motor vehicle theft constitutes a felony in the third degree, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. The same possible punishment applies whether the car is worth $1,000 or $50,000. If a person steals a high-end vehicle worth $100,000 or more, the penalty increases to a second-degree felony with a possible 10 years of prison time and a maximum $25,000 fine.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1101, 1103, 3903, 3921 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Joyriding (Unauthorized Use of Vehicles) in Pennsylvania?

Unauthorized use of an automobile, commonly called joyriding, is also a crime in Pennsylvania. A person commits a joyriding offense by operating a motor vehicle belonging to someone else without the owner’s permission. For example, a teenager who takes their neighbor's car and drives it to a friend’s home and then back again—knowing that she did not have the neighbor's permission to do so—has committed joyriding, a second-degree misdemeanor. Unlike theft, joyriding doesn't require proof that the defendant intended to deprive the owner of the vehicle. A joyrider faces up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1101, 1104, 3928 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Stealing Vehicle Parts in Pennsylvania?

Many vehicles are stolen for their parts. Some thieves don’t bother stealing the car when they can steal the tires, a catalytic converter, or an engine in a matter of minutes. In these types of cases, the prosecutor can charge a defendant with general theft, theft of a catalytic converter, criminal mischief (for property damage), or crimes relating to chop shops.

Theft of a Catalytic Converter

With the huge rise in catalytic converter thefts, Pennsylvania (like many states) created penalties to deal specifically with these incidents. The law makes it a felony of third degree to steal a catalytic converter worth $1,000 or more. If the value is below $1,000, misdemeanor penalties apply unless it’s the person’s third or subsequent conviction for this offense. These repeat offenders face third-degree felony penalties as well, regardless of the value of the catalytic converter.

(75 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3723 (2025).)

Theft of Vehicle Parts

Stealing other vehicle parts can result in general theft charges. Misdemeanor charges apply when the value of the stolen property is $2,000 or less. Above this amount, third-degree felony charges apply.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903 (2025).)

Criminal Mischief (Property Damage)

Most thefts of vehicle parts result in property damage to the vehicle. When this is the case, a prosecutor could also file charges for criminal mischief. The offense level depends on the amount of damage. Here, felony charges apply when the damage exceeds $5,000. Below this amount, criminal mischief is a misdemeanor.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3304 (2025).)

Chop Shops and Altered VINs

Bringing a stolen vehicle or vehicle parts to a known chop shop carries stiff felony penalties. This crime doesn’t depend on the value of the stolen property involved. Pennsylvania law makes it a second-degree felony with maximum penalties of up to 10 years of prison time and a $100,000 fine.

It’s a third-degree felony any time a person alters, defaces, or otherwise tampers with an identification number associated with a vehicle or vehicle part when they intend to prevent its identification. The same felony penalty applies to a person possessing a vehicle or a part with altered ID numbers.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 7702, 7703, 7704 (2025).)

What Are the Penalties for Carjacking (Robbery of a Motor Vehicle) in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, a person commits the crime of carjacking—called robbery of a motor vehicle—by stealing or taking a motor vehicle in the presence of the vehicle’s driver, passenger, or owner. Unlike many other states, the crime of robbery of a motor vehicle does not require proof of use or threat of force in Pennsylvania. As such, any car theft that occurs from a person who is driving or riding in a car or holding the keys to the car constitutes a carjacking (a first-degree felony), even if the defendant does not use threats or violence. A carjacker can receive up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

(18 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1101, 1103, 3702 (2025).)

Defenses to Vehicle Theft and Related Charges in Pennsylvania

Defendants charged with vehicle theft or a related crime have several defenses available to them.

Innocence. A defendant might argue that the prosecutor has the wrong person. They could raise an alibi defense, challenge an eyewitness identification, or otherwise establish their innocence.

Consent. In theft and joyriding prosecutions, a defendant could claim that they had (or believed they had) the owner's permission or consent to use the vehicle on the instance in question. Oftentimes, the defendant will argue they had implied consent. If the defendant has the owner's permission, there is no crime.

Intent. In theft cases, the defendant could alternatively claim they did not intend to deprive the owner of the vehicle permanently, in which case the crime would be joyriding, not theft.

Knowingly. Charges for bringing a vehicle or its parts to a chop shop require the prosecutor to show the defendant did so knowingly. Defendants who didn't know a place is a chop shop might avoid a second-degree felony conviction.

Obtaining Legal Assistance

Any criminal conviction, including one related to motor vehicle theft, can have serious consequences, such as time in prison or jail, hefty fines, job loss, and a criminal record. If you are charged with a crime, contact a criminal defense attorney or ask for a public defender. An experienced defense attorney can tell you what to expect in court and make the strongest arguments on your behalf so that you achieve the best outcome possible under the circumstances.