How to Renew Your Vehicle Registration in New York

Residents need to get a car registration renewal in New York once every two years, with some exceptions made for service members. This is because New York DMV car registration renewal allows the state to keep track of the vehicle’s ownership. There are several application methods available for residents, each of which is designed to make the process as simple as possible.

Before choosing any of these methods, you should make sure you are following all of New York’s vehicle regulations. This includes making sure you have the necessary amount of liability insurance, as well as making sure your safety inspection is up to date. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about getting your vehicle registered: how to get a New York DMV registration renewal online, how to get one via the mail and how to get one in person. This article will cover the fees, required documentation and more.

Requirements for Car Registration Renewal in New York

Once you get notice that your registration is set to expire, you are able to renew it. You must be a resident of New York, and you will need to get your yearly safety inspection.

What do you need to renew your car registration in New York?

In order to get your registration renewed, you need either a renewal notice or an Application for Duplicate/Renewal Registration. As well, you need to have the required levels of auto insurance, including bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. You will need to pay the DMV registration renewal fee, but acceptable payment methods vary based on how you choose to renew. Payment methods for online, in-person and mail registration renewals are discussed below.

What you need to get a leased car registration renewal is the same as what you need to get a regular renewal, unless your name is not on the registration. If someone else’s name is on the registration, that person will need to sign power of attorney over to you.

New York Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice

Your New York DMV registration renewal status is indicated on a notice sent to you when your registration is set to expire. The notice lets you know when you need to renew your car registration by, as well as letting you know what your registration number and class are.

The notice allows you to renew via the mail or in person, but it is not required to do so. An Application for Duplicate/Renewal Registration can be used in its place, but you will need to determine what your registration number and class are.

New York Car Registration Renewal Notice Lost or Not Received

If you are having trouble receiving your renewal notice via mail, the New York DMV also allows you to receive renewal notifications via text and email. The lost car registration renewal form can be used in place of your renewal notice, but you will still need to determine your registration class and number. Your registration number can be found on your license plate.

The standard registration class codes are PAS, which indicates the regular registration given to cars, and SRF, which indicates that you got a vanity license plate. If you got a specialized license plate, such as those given out to military or certain professions, you will need to determine your class code before you can register. This can be done by contacting the DMV.

New York Car Registration Renewal Options

There are several ways to renew a car registration in New York, and each method provides its own advantages. If you have any questions about your car registration, for instance, you may choose to renew in-person.

Online renewal is great for individuals who have a computer and want to renew from the comfort of their home, while mail renewal is a convenient option for individuals who do not have access to a computer. Below you will learn how to renew a car registration in New York, whether you choose to renew online, in person or via the mail.

How to Renew Your Car Registration Online

You cannot renew a car registration online in New York if you are eligible for reduced fees, you are renting the car or if you are required to show insurance or tax identification during the renewal. If none of the above applies to you, you will be able to use this method.

The first step to getting a vehicle registration renewal online in New York is making sure you have all of the information you need. The New York DMV will require you to provide the vehicle’s registration number and class, both of which can be found on your renewal notice.

You will need to have either a debit or credit card that you can use as payment. If your debit card requires you to input a PIN, it cannot be used.

How to Renew Your Car Registration by Mail

Once you receive a New York vehicle registration renewal notice in the mail, you will be able to renew your registration by sending the notice back with payment. The sending address will be listed on your notice. Money orders and checks are both acceptable forms of payment. You will need to make the payment to “Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.”

Some people wonder where to renew a car registration if they did not get a notice. You are still able to renew via the mail, but you must pay using a check. You will need to fill out the lost car registration renewal notice form, otherwise known as the Application for Duplicate/Renewal Registration. This form requires you to submit basic information about yourself, such as your name and contact information, and it gives you the option of changing the address you have on file with the DMV.

You can send the New York DMV registration renewal application to:

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Utica Processing Center P.O. Box 359 Utica, NY 13503

How to Renew Your Car Registration in Person

The process of getting a motor vehicle registration renewal in New York at a DMV office is similar to the process of getting it via the mail, because you need to bring either the renewal notice or an Application for Duplicate/Renewal Registration to the office. When going to the office, you can pay for the car registration renewal with cash, a debit card, a credit card, a money order or a check.

Military & Out of State Vehicle Registration Renewal in New York

Service members need to renew their vehicle registration, but those who are serving overseas are given accommodation as thank you for their service.

If you have an expired vehicle registration in New York while serving overseas, this registration deadline will automatically be extended. You will need to renew the expired car registration no more than 60 days after you return to the state.

You are expected to maintain your vehicle registration or submit your plates to the DMV when you go overseas. If you do not, you can avoid the penalty by bringing military identification, as well as documentation showing the dates you left and returned to New York during the course of your service. If you have insurance, you will need to provide proof. If you do not, you will need to give the DMV your license plates.

New York Vehicle Registration Renewal Fees

Car registration renewal cost in New York varies based on the weight of the vehicle. The registration will last for two years. The fees are as follows:

Related Forms

Note: DMV forms change regularly. The forms provided above are current based on the date of writing.

Last updated on Monday, March 9 2020.

Sources

  1. Renew a Registration from dmv.ny.gov
  2. Registration Class Codes from dmv.ny.gov
  3. Where is My Registration? from dmv.ny.gov
  4. Automatic License and Registration Renewals for Military Personnel from dmv.ny.gov