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Article 15 - NY Vehicle and Traffic Law

• NY Laws ›
• Vehicle and Traffic Law ›
• Title IV ›
• Article 15

 S 410. Registration of motorcycles; fees; renewals. 1. Registration by
  owners.  No  motorcycles  shall  be  operated  or driven upon the public
  highways of this state without first being registered in accordance with
  the provisions of this article, except as otherwise  expressly  provided
  in this chapter.
    Every owner of a motorcycle which shall be operated or driven upon the
  public  highways  of  this  state  shall,  except as otherwise expressly
  provided, cause to be filed, by mail or otherwise, in the  office  or  a
  branch office of the commissioner, or with an agent of the commissioner,
  constituted   as   provided   in   this   chapter,  an  application  for
  registration, addressed to the  commissioner,  and  on  a  blank  to  be
  prepared  under  the  direction of and furnished by the commissioner for
  that purpose, containing: (a) A brief description of the  motorcycle  to
  be registered, including the name of the manufacturer and factory number
  of  such vehicle; (b) the name, residence, including county and business
  address of the owner of such motorcycle.
    2. Registration record. Upon the receipt of a  sufficient  application
  for registration, as provided in this article, the commissioner or agent
  receiving  it  shall  register such motorcycle, and maintain a record of
  the  registration  of  such  motorcycle  under  the  distinctive  number
  assigned  to  such  motorcycle,  as  provided  in  this section, and the
  information in such record may be obtained  upon  payment  of  the  fees
  specified in section two hundred two of this chapter.
    3.  Certificate  of  registration. Upon the filing of such application
  and the payment of the fee hereinafter provided, the commissioner  shall
  assign  to  such motorcycle a distinctive number and, without expense to
  the applicant, issue and deliver in such manner as the commissioner  may
  select  to  the owner a certificate of registration, in such form as the
  commissioner may prescribe, and a number plate at  a  place  within  the
  state  of  New  York  named  by the applicant in his application. In the
  event of the loss, mutilation  or  destruction  of  any  certificate  of
  registration or number plate, the owner of a registered vehicle may file
  such statement and proof of the facts as the commissioner shall require,
  with  a  fee  of  three  dollars, in the office of the commissioner, or,
  unless and until the commissioner shall otherwise direct, in the  office
  of the agent who issued the certificate or plate and the commissioner or
  his agent, as the case may be, shall issue a duplicate or substitute. No
  application  for  registration shall be accepted unless the applicant is
  at least sixteen years of age.
    4. Times for registration and reregistration. Registration applied for
  and certificates issued under any application shall  expire  on  a  date
  determined   by   the   commissioner.   Registration  shall  be  renewed
  periodically in the same manner and upon payment of the same annual  fee
  as  provided  in  this  section  for registration, to take effect and to
  expire on dates to be determined by the commissioner. Provided, however,
  that the commissioner shall have authority to fix the length of time for
  which any  such  vehicle  which  is  registered  without  fee  shall  be
  registered.  Provided  further,  however, that renewal of a registration
  may be used preceding the expiration date of such registration including
  such expiration date.
    5.  Registration  fees.  a.  The  annual  fee  for   registration   or
  reregistration  of a motorcycle shall be eleven dollars and fifty cents.
  Beginning April first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight the annual fee  for
  registration  or  reregistration  of  a  motorcycle  shall  be seventeen
  dollars and fifty cents, of which two dollars and fifty cents  shall  be
  deposited  into  the  motorcycle  safety  fund  established  pursuant to
  section ninety-two-g of the state finance law.
    b. Where a registration is made for a period of more or less than  one
  calendar   year,  the  registration  fee  shall  not  be  prorated.  The
  provisions hereof with respect to the payment of registration fees shall
  not apply to motorcycles owned or  controlled  by  the  state,  a  city,
  county, village or town or any of the departments thereof, or any school
  district  or county extension service association, but in other respects
  shall be applicable.
    6. Fees in lieu of  taxes.  The  registration  fees  imposed  by  this
  article  upon  such  vehicles  shall be in lieu of all taxes, general or
  local, to which motorcycles may be subject.
    7. "Motorcycle" as used in this section shall  mean  a  motorcycle  as
  defined by section one hundred twenty-three of this chapter.

   S  410-a. Motorcycle  safety  program.  1.  The  commissioner  shall
  establish and administer a motorcycle safety program which shall consist
  of  approved  motorcycle  rider  training  courses,  motorcycle   course
  instructor  training,  program promotion, and public awareness. Approved
  rider training courses shall meet nationally  recognized  standards  for
  motorcycle  rider  training  courses,  or standards for motorcycle rider
  safety programs which are approved by the department and are  comparable
  to  the standards of the motorcycle safety foundation's motorcycle rider
  safety program. Approved courses shall include at least eight  hours  of
  instruction  in  the  actual  operation of a motorcycle. Monies from the
  motorcycle safety fund established pursuant to section  ninety-two-g  of
  the   state  finance  law  shall  be  used  for  the  establishment  and
  implementation of this program.
    2. The commissioner shall  issue  a  request  for  proposals  for  the
  coordination of a motorcycle safety program which shall set requirements
  for  the  preparation  of  bids.  The  commissioner  shall  enter into a
  contract, for a period of five years, with a motorcycle  rider  training
  coordinating   organization  selected  pursuant  to  such  process.  The
  contract shall be awarded following the consideration of  factors  which
  shall  include,  but  not  be  limited  to, the most favorable financial
  advantage for the state, the greatest utility to the  motorcyclist,  the
  comprehensiveness   and  effectiveness  of  such  organization  and  its
  compatibility with the existing rider education programs. The motorcycle
  rider training coordination organization shall be  subject  to  periodic
  reporting  requirements  established  by  the  department  outlining the
  administration and effectiveness of its program and  an  itemization  of
  all  motorcycle  safety fund allocations. Such motorcycle rider training
  coordinating organization shall have at least three years experience  in
  the  administration  of  a statewide motorcycle rider education program,
  and have as its administrator an individual  who  has  no  financial  or
  proprietary interest in a motorcycle training school or facility.
    3.  The  motorcycle  rider  training  coordinating  organization shall
  submit to the commissioner for approval requests for  advances  pursuant
  to  a  contract  and  reimbursements from the motorcycle safety fund for
  equipment,  operating  and  administrative  costs  and  other   expenses
  necessary  to carry out the provisions of this section. The commissioner
  shall approve all such requests for expenditures that are in  accordance
  with the provisions of this section.
    4.  The commissioner shall annually file a report on expenditures from
  the motorcycle safety fund, established pursuant to section ninety-two-g
  of the state finance  law,  with  the  legislature.  Such  report  shall
  include  the  name  of the funded motorcycle rider training coordinating
  organization and the amount of funds distributed to it and shall provide
  an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the  funded  programs  and
  any recommendations for programmatic changes.

   S 411. Distinctive  number;  form of number plates. 1. No person shall
  operate or drive a motorcycle on  the  public  highways  of  this  state
  unless such motorcycle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by
  the  commissioner  and  a number plate issued by the commissioner with a
  number  corresponding  to  that  of  the  certificate  of   registration
  conspicuously  displayed  on  the  rear  of  such  motorcycle,  securely
  fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging.
    2. Such number plates shall be of  such  material,  form,  design  and
  dimensions  and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other
  identification marks as  the  commissioner  shall  prescribe,  provided,
  however,  that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the
  color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters  thereon,
  and  provided further that no motorcycle shall display the number plates
  of more than one state at a time, nor shall any plate be used other than
  those issued by the commissioner.
    3. No person shall operate or  drive  a  motorcycle  upon  the  public
  highways  of  this  state  having  displayed  thereon a number plate not
  proper for such motorcycle under the provisions  of  this  chapter  and,
  upon  conviction for this offense, the number plate shall be surrendered
  to the court for delivery to the commissioner.
    4. No person shall knowingly authorize or permit a number plate issued
  for a motorcycle owned and registered by him  to  be  displayed  on  any
  motorcycle  other  than a motorcycle to which such number plate has been
  assigned by the commissioner,  or  upon  which  such  number  plate  may
  legally  be  displayed  under  a  temporary  certificate of registration
  issued by a dealer under the provisions of section four  hundred  twenty
  of this chapter.

   S 411-a. Issuance  of  special  number plates. 1. The commissioner may
  issue special number plates to applicants therefor in the same manner as
  other number plates are issued pursuant to this  article.  Such  special
  number  plates  shall  be  issued only upon payment of an annual service
  charge of eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents  in  addition  to  the
  regular  fee  prescribed  by  section  four hundred ten of this article.
  Application for special number plates shall be made in  accordance  with
  regulations  promulgated by the commissioner with respect to issuance of
  such number plates. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision  of  this
  section,  the  difference collected between the service charge set forth
  in this subdivision in effect on and after September first, two thousand
  nine and the service charge set forth  in  this  subdivision  in  effect
  prior  to  such  date  shall be deposited to the credit of the dedicated
  highway and bridge trust fund.
    2. For purposes of this section, a special number  plate  shall  be  a
  plate  which  contains  not  more  than  six  letters,  numerals  or any
  combination thereof and  which  is  reserved  by  the  commissioner  for
  issuance  in  accordance with the provisions of this section, or a plate
  reserved for issuance in  a  series  for  motorcycles  owned  by  public
  officers,  physicians,  accredited representatives of the press or other
  groups. In issuing special number plates  the  commissioner  shall  give
  those  applicants  who  held  a  special number plate at the time of the
  enactment of this section the right to retain such special number  plate
  upon  the  payment  of  the  annual  service  charge of fifteen dollars.
  Provided, however, that such right of retention shall apply only to  the
  first renewal of the registration of such special number plate following
  the enactment of this section.
    3.  This section shall not apply to any plates in a series reserved in
  the public interest for purposes of facilitating identification of state
  and municipal motorcycles and those owned by  members  of  international
  governmental  organizations  or any other vehicles which are exempt from
  the payment of registration fees, nor to  plates  or  series  of  plates
  assigned by the commissioner for issuance by county clerks.
    4. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to require the
  commissioner to issue a special number plate or plates.

  S 411-b. Registration  fee  schedule  for  historical motorcycles. For
  each motorcycle which is owned and operated as an  exhibition  piece  or
  collectors  item,  and  is  used  for  participation in club activities,
  exhibit, tours, parades, occasional transportation and similar uses, but
  not used for general daily transportation, an annual fee of  twenty-five
  dollars.  For  purposes  of  this section, a historical motorcycle shall
  mean any motorcycle manufactured more than twenty-five  years  prior  to
  the current calendar year, and any other model, year and type motorcycle
  which  has  unique  characteristics  and  which  is  determined  by  the
  commissioner  to  be  of  historical,  classic  or   exhibition   value.
  Registration  plates  for such motorcycles shall be of a type and design
  approved by the commissioner, but shall  be  of  a  distinctive  nature,
  except that, with the approval of the commissioner, an owner of any such
  motorcycle  may  utilize registration plates of this state with the date
  of year corresponding to the  model  year  date  when  the  vehicle  was
  manufactured,  if  the model year date registration plate is legible and
  serviceable,  as  determined  by  the  department,  in   lieu   of   the
  registration  plates  otherwise  required  by  this chapter. Such plates
  shall be used only for the operation of the  motorcycle  listed  on  the
  registration  application  and  on other motorcycles which would qualify
  for registration under this schedule owned by  persons  other  than  the
  registrant  for  the  purpose  of  test driving by the registrant or his
  agent in anticipation of possible purchase. No such registration will be
  issued unless evidence of financial security, in a  form  prescribed  by
  the   commissioner,   is  submitted  which  provides  coverage  for  the
  motorcycle listed on the  registration  application  and  for  non-owned
  motorcycles   being  operated  with  such  plates.  Notwithstanding  any
  inconsistent provision of this section, the difference collected between
  the fees set forth in this section in  effect  on  and  after  September
  first,  two  thousand  nine  and  the  fees set forth in this section in
  effect prior to such date shall  be  deposited  to  the  credit  of  the
  dedicated highway and bridge trust fund.

  S 412. Punishment   for   violation.  The  violation  of  any  of  the
  provisions of  section  four  hundred  ten  of  this  chapter  shall  be
  punishable  by  a  fine of not less than fifty nor more than two hundred
  dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than fifteen days, or  by  both
  such  fine and imprisonment except, if the violation consists of failure
  to renew a registration which was valid  within  sixty  days,  the  fine
  shall  be  not  less than twenty-five dollars. A violation of any of the
  provisions of section four hundred  eleven  of  this  chapter  shall  be
  punishable  by  a  fine  of  not less than twenty-five nor more than two
  hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than fifteen days, or by
  both such fine and imprisonment.

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