You must have New York State-issued automobile liability insurance coverage to register a vehicle in New York State. If you do not maintain coverage, DMV can suspend your vehicle registration and your driver license. 

The DMV does not provide information about the rates or premiums for New York automobile insurance. You can contact insurance agents, brokers, or companies for this information. The New York State Department of Financial Services has information about insurance premiums and regulations of the insurance industry.

Liability Coverage

The minimum amount of liability coverage for most vehicles is

• $10,000 for property damage for a single accident
• $25,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 for death for a person involved in an accident
• $50,000 for bodily injury and $100,000 for death for two or more people in an accident

Your liability insurance coverage must

• remain in effect while the registration is valid, even if you do not use the vehicle
• be New York State insurance coverage, issued by a company licensed by the New York State Department of Financial Services and certified by New York State DMV. The New York State DMV does not accept out-of-state insurance.
• be issued in the name of the vehicle registrant and remain in the name of the registrant at all times. Your vehicle's insurance and registration must always show the exact same name. If the name on your insurance does not match the name on your registration, DMV may suspend your driver license and vehicle registration. When you are in your vehicle, be sure you have your paper New York State Insurance ID Card or can generate your electronic Insurance ID card.

Motorcycle Coverage

Your motorcycle must have insurance coverage any time it is operated on a public road or highway. Unlike most other motor vehicles, motorcycles are registered for 1 year and all motorcycle registrations expire April 30. You are not required to surrender your plate if you terminate your motorcycle liability insurance. This makes it easier to put the motorcycle back on the road after winter storage. However, under no circumstances may your motorcycle operate on public highways without liability coverage in effect. 

A vehicle registration can have only 1 or 2 names (registrants) listed on it. Both the primary registrant (the first person listed on the registration) and the co-registrant must sign the Vehicle Registration/Title Application (PDF) (MV-82) and provide their proofs of identity and date of birth. Both names must appear on the Insurance ID Card.

You must have automobile liability insurance coverage on your vehicle before you can register the vehicle in New York. When you get insurance, your insurance company will issue proof of insurance in two ways. It will

• give you two original New York State Insurance ID Cards (see Sample ID Cards) or give you access to your electronic New York State Insurance ID Card. Electronic New York State Insurance ID Cards may not be used for:
  • All Owned Vehicles (AOV)
  • All Owned & Non-Owned – Comprehensive Auto Liability Policy (AON)
  • Dealer – Garage Auto Liability Policy (DGP)
  • Auto Liability Policy (ALP)
  • Self Insured Vehicles
• send an electronic notice of insurance coverage to the DMV. Your insurance agent or broker cannot file this notice.  

Your New York State Insurance Identification Cards and the electronic notice of insurance together verify your insurance coverage. DMV needs both. 

You must register your vehicle at the DMV within 180 days of the effective date on your Insurance ID Card. Bring one copy or form of your Insurance Identification Cards with you. The DMV office will keep the paper card. Keep the other paper card with the vehicle as your proof of insurance. Anyone who operates your vehicle must be able to provide proof of insurance.

• The name on your vehicle registration application and Insurance Identification Card must match.
• DMV accepts copies or faxes of the Insurance ID Card. However, DMV will not accept an Insurance ID card if the DMV barcode reader cannot read the barcode.
• DMV does not accept out-of-state vehicle insurance coverage of any kind. If your vehicle is registered in New York, it must have New York State auto liability insurance coverage.