diff --git a/dart/dynamics/BallJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/BallJoint.h
index c40cb00ce2a79..f238903fe0bf2 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/BallJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/BallJoint.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class BallJoint : public MultiDofJoint<3>
   virtual ~BallJoint();
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/EulerJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/EulerJoint.h
index 3859a109fb78b..a9df7c704d5b1 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/EulerJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/EulerJoint.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class EulerJoint : public MultiDofJoint<3>
   EulerJoint& operator=(const EulerJoint& _otherJoint);
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/FreeJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/FreeJoint.h
index 0590edfc4c886..119e2d1946a53 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/FreeJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/FreeJoint.h
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class FreeJoint : public MultiDofJoint<6>
   Properties getFreeJointProperties() const;
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/Joint.h b/dart/dynamics/Joint.h
index 04fa197794a8f..26f4f8f59059d 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/Joint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/Joint.h
@@ -184,6 +184,9 @@ class Joint : public virtual common::Subject
   /// Get joint name
   const std::string& getName() const;
 
+  /// Gets a string representing the joint type
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const = 0;
+
   /// Set actuator type
   void setActuatorType(ActuatorType _actuatorType);
 
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/MultiDofJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/MultiDofJoint.h
index 56e5911614a0a..f5c1d9c1d7de2 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/MultiDofJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/MultiDofJoint.h
@@ -945,21 +945,6 @@ MultiDofJoint<DOF>& MultiDofJoint<DOF>::operator=(
   return *this;
 }
 
-//==============================================================================
-template <size_t DOF>
-const std::string& MultiDofJoint<DOF>::getType() const
-{
-    return getStaticType();
-}
-
-template <size_t DOF>
-const std::string& MultiDofJoint<DOF>::getStaticType()
-{
-  static const std::string name = "MultiDofJoint<" + std::to_string(DOF) + ">";
-
-  return name;
-}
-
 //==============================================================================
 template <size_t DOF>
 DegreeOfFreedom* MultiDofJoint<DOF>::getDof(size_t _index)
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/PlanarJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/PlanarJoint.h
index b11476c34d5fc..783b68f4aa69f 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/PlanarJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/PlanarJoint.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class PlanarJoint : public MultiDofJoint<3>
   PlanarJoint& operator=(const PlanarJoint& _otherJoint);
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/PrismaticJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/PrismaticJoint.h
index 6ea5cdb521945..67a6bb8aa01d3 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/PrismaticJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/PrismaticJoint.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class PrismaticJoint : public SingleDofJoint
   PrismaticJoint& operator=(const PrismaticJoint& _otherJoint);
   
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/RevoluteJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/RevoluteJoint.h
index 3245eec492ecf..3458cedb03829 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/RevoluteJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/RevoluteJoint.h
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ class RevoluteJoint : public SingleDofJoint
   RevoluteJoint& operator=(const RevoluteJoint& _otherJoint);
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/ScrewJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/ScrewJoint.h
index 929d2027392dc..f76736fe7a000 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/ScrewJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/ScrewJoint.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class ScrewJoint : public SingleDofJoint
   ScrewJoint& operator=(const ScrewJoint& _otherJoint);
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/TranslationalJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/TranslationalJoint.h
index 05a1f1d5dd7c0..55b30894c1c3f 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/TranslationalJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/TranslationalJoint.h
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class TranslationalJoint : public MultiDofJoint<3>
   Properties getTranslationalJointProperties() const;
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/UniversalJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/UniversalJoint.h
index 278381a31d3f4..f5a4993d802c4 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/UniversalJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/UniversalJoint.h
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class UniversalJoint : public MultiDofJoint<2>
   UniversalJoint& operator=(const UniversalJoint& _otherJoint);
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();
diff --git a/dart/dynamics/WeldJoint.h b/dart/dynamics/WeldJoint.h
index a43c6ba25a86e..168b1d1dd345b 100644
--- a/dart/dynamics/WeldJoint.h
+++ b/dart/dynamics/WeldJoint.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class WeldJoint : public ZeroDofJoint
   Properties getWeldJointProperties() const;
 
   // Documentation inherited
-  const std::string& getType() const override;
+  virtual const std::string& getType() const override;
 
   /// Get joint type for this class
   static const std::string& getStaticType();