Published on New York DMV (https://dmv.ny.gov)

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After you sell or give away a vehicle, you can transfer the registration and vehicle plates to another vehicle you own.

 

Bring these items to a DMV office

Click to check/uncheck the box.original title (or other proof of ownership) This title or other proof of ownership must either already be in your name or signed over to you from the previous owner1

Click to check/uncheck the box.current NY State Insurance ID card (auto liability insurance) 2  

Click to check/uncheck the box.NY State driver license, permit, non-driver ID or other proof of identity 3 

Click to check/uncheck the box.a completed Application for Registration / Title (PDF) [1] (MV-82)

Click to check/uncheck the box.payment for fees 4

Click to check/uncheck the box.A DTF802 (If this is a vehicle you have just purchased and do not currently have the title or transferable registration in your name)

Click to check/uncheck the box.A $50 title fee, if the title is not currently in your name.


Print this checklist [2] 

 

If you don’t want to transfer the registration, you must surrender the vehicle plates to the DMV [5].  You may be eligible to receive a refund [6] if you surrender the plates before the registration expires.

 

Transfer the ownership of a vehicle (buy, sell, or give away)

See Buy or sell a vehicle (transfer ownership) [7]

 

  1. 1. Cars, trucks, trailers & motorcycles 


    Model year 1973 or newer, either 

    • NY State Certificate of Title (original or certified copy, not a photocopy) with the transfer ownership section completed by the seller, or
    • acceptable proof of ownership from another state (original or certified copy, not a photocopy)

    Model year 1972 or older, either

    • a NY State Transferable Registration (original or certified copy, not a photocopy) and bill of sale [8], or
    • acceptable proof of ownership from another state (original or certified copy, not a photocopy)

    See acceptable proofs [9] for other vehicles (manufactured homes, boats, ATVs, snowmobiles, gifted vehicles, vehicles with deceased owners).

  2. 2.  

    Your insurance company will:

    1) give you 2 barcoded original NY State Insurance ID cards (see a sample [10]) or provide you with access to your digital electronic NY State Insurance ID Card

    2) send an electronic notice of insurance coverage to the DMV (your insurance agent or broker cannot file this notice)

    Your NY State Insurance ID cards and the electronic notice together verify your coverage. We need both.

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

    Learn more about NY State Insurance Requirements [11].

     

  3. 3.

    You must provide proof of identity and date of birth. You must be at least 16 years old (except for ATV and boat registrations). 

    You can use a NY State

    • driver license
    • learner permit, or
    • non-driver ID card

    that is current or expired less than 2 years as proof of identity and age.

    If you don’t have one of these, see other kinds of proof [12] you can use.

  4. 4. You can estimate the registration fees [13] online if the registration is one of these classes
    • PAS - Passenger
    • COM - Commercial
    • RGL - Passenger
    • MOT - Motorcycle
    • ORM - Motorcycle
    • CSP -  Commercial
    • ORC - Commercial
    • RGC - Commercial
    • ORG - Passenger
    • SPO - Passenger
    • SRF - Passenger

    The two vehicles must have the same registration type (passenger, commercial, motorcycle).