Is hit and run on private property a crime in Pennsylvania?

Yes, it can be. Pennsylvania's leaving-the-scene sections are not limited to public roads. Hitting an unattended vehicle or property in a parking lot and driving off without leaving a note or notifying police is a summary offense under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3745. If the struck vehicle was attended, § 3743 applies as a third-degree misdemeanor, and any injury brings § 3742 into play as a misdemeanor or felony.

What is the penalty for leaving the scene in a parking lot?

A § 3745 summary conviction carries a fine and costs and is reported to PennDOT, though it is not one of the higher-point moving violations. A § 3743 misdemeanor of the third degree carries up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. A § 3742 conviction involving injury carries jail exposure plus a mandatory 1-year license suspension.

Can police charge me from parking lot security footage?

They can charge from footage, a plate read, a witness tip, or paint transfer — but the Commonwealth still has to prove you were the driver and that you knew an accident occurred. Grainy footage that establishes the vehicle but not the operator is a common weak point in these prosecutions.

Does a private-property hit and run add points to my license?

A summary § 3745 conviction is recorded on your driving history but is not a high-point moving violation. Section 3742 is the one that carries the serious license consequence — a mandatory 1-year suspension separate from any points.

What if I did not realize I hit the other car?

Knowledge is an element of every leaving-the-scene charge. Low-speed contact in a tight lot, no visible damage, and no audible impact are exactly the facts that defeat this element. See our page on being charged when you did not know an accident happened.

Should I go back and leave a note the next day?

Talk to a lawyer before you contact anyone. Coming forward can resolve a case favorably, but a statement made without advice is also the Commonwealth's easiest proof of both identity and knowledge. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this.

Leaving the Scene

Hit and run on private property.

A parking lot is not a legal free zone. Pennsylvania's leaving-the-scene duties follow the vehicle and the property — not the road it happened on.

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Short answer: yes, it can be charged. Striking an unattended vehicle or property in a lot or driveway and leaving without a note or a call to police is a summary offense[4] . If the vehicle was attended, it is a third-degree misdemeanor[2] . If anyone was injured, § 3742 applies — a misdemeanor of the first degree or worse, with a mandatory 1-year license suspension[1] . The Commonwealth still has to prove you knew an accident happened.

Which section fits your facts.

Police and district attorneys frequently overcharge these cases — starting at § 3743 when the vehicle was plainly unattended, or at § 3742 with no evidence of injury at all. Getting the section right is usually the whole defense.

Pennsylvania leaving-the-scene charges by private-property scenario
What happened	Likely charge	What the statute requires
Parking lot — you hit a parked, unattended car and left	§ 3745 (summary)	The classic parking-lot case. The duty is to leave a written notice with your name, address and registration in a conspicuous place on the struck vehicle, or notify police. Leaving nothing is the offense — the collision itself usually is not.
Parking lot — the other driver was in the car or nearby	§ 3743 (M3)	Once the vehicle is attended, the higher duty applies: stop, stay, and exchange information. Up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
Anyone was injured, on private property or not	§ 3742 (M1 to F2)	Injury changes everything. Section 3742 is not limited to public highways, and a conviction carries a mandatory 1-year PennDOT suspension on top of the criminal sentence.
You hit a fence, mailbox, garage or landscaping	§ 3745 (summary)	Unattended property is covered the same way as an unattended vehicle. Note-or-notify satisfies the duty.
Private driveway, no damage, no injury, nobody else involved	Usually no charge	With no damage to another person's vehicle or property and no injury, there is generally no leaving-the-scene duty to violate. Insurance consequences can still follow.

The note-or-notify duty in practice.

For an unattended vehicle or property, the law gives you two ways to comply: leave your name, address and registration information where the owner will find it, or report the accident to the nearest police department without unnecessary delay[4] . Either one satisfies the duty. Separately, § 3746 requires immediate police notice any time there is injury, death, or a vehicle that cannot be driven away[5] , and § 3744 covers the duty to identify yourself and render aid when someone is present[3] .

Frequently asked questions.

Parking-lot and private-property leaving-the-scene questions.

Yes, it can be. Pennsylvania's leaving-the-scene sections are not limited to public roads. Hitting an unattended vehicle or property in a parking lot and driving off without leaving a note or notifying police is a summary offense under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3745. If the struck vehicle was attended, § 3743 applies as a third-degree misdemeanor, and any injury brings § 3742 into play as a misdemeanor or felony.
You have to satisfy the note-or-notify duty. Leave your name, address and registration information in a conspicuous place on the vehicle you struck, or report the accident to the nearest police department without unnecessary delay. Section 3746 also requires immediate police notice whenever there is injury, death, or a vehicle that cannot be driven from the scene.
A § 3745 summary conviction carries a fine and costs and is reported to PennDOT, though it is not one of the higher-point moving violations. A § 3743 misdemeanor of the third degree carries up to 1 year in jail and a $2,500 fine. A § 3742 conviction involving injury carries jail exposure plus a mandatory 1-year license suspension.
They can charge from footage, a plate read, a witness tip, or paint transfer — but the Commonwealth still has to prove you were the driver and that you knew an accident occurred. Grainy footage that establishes the vehicle but not the operator is a common weak point in these prosecutions.
A summary § 3745 conviction is recorded on your driving history but is not a high-point moving violation. Section 3742 is the one that carries the serious license consequence — a mandatory 1-year suspension separate from any points.
Knowledge is an element of every leaving-the-scene charge. Low-speed contact in a tight lot, no visible damage, and no audible impact are exactly the facts that defeat this element. See our page on being charged when you did not know an accident happened.
Talk to a lawyer before you contact anyone. Coming forward can resolve a case favorably, but a statement made without advice is also the Commonwealth's easiest proof of both identity and knowledge. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this.

[1]75 Pa.C.S. § 3742 — Accidents involving death or personal injury — M1 base; F3 with SBI (90-day min); F2 with death (3-year min).
[2]75 Pa.C.S. § 3743 — Accidents involving damage to attended vehicle or property — M3.
[3]75 Pa.C.S. § 3744 — Duty to give information and render aid at the scene — summary offense.
[4]75 Pa.C.S. § 3745 — Accidents involving damage to unattended vehicle or property — summary offense; note-or-notify duty.
[5]75 Pa.C.S. § 3746 — Immediate notice of accident to police department.

Statutes are summarized for public reference. Confirm current text at palegis.us. This page is attorney advertising, not legal advice.

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