Acceptable Proofs of Ownership for Vehicles (2024)

Model Year 1973 or Newer

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• theoriginalNew York State Certificate of Title– must be the original (We will not accept certified copies. If the original title was lost or stolen, or if you have satisfied a lien on the title you mustorder a replacement title. )

or

• otheroriginalor certified copies of acceptable proofs of ownership from another state
  • if the state does not provide a title document because there is a lien on the vehicle, an electronic title printout from the DMV is acceptable

To transfer ownership

• the seller whose name appears on the proof of ownership must record the name of the buyer and sign the transfer section of the proof of ownership
  • the transfer section must be notarized if the proof of ownership is a Certificate of Title from Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Kentucky Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wyoming, or Puerto Rico
• the seller must sign aVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF)(MV-912)
  • if the vehicle was a gift, the seller must sign Section 6 on Page 2 of aStatement of Transaction- Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF)(DTF-802)
  • if the seller has a title certificate that was transferred to them by another person, the seller cannot use that title certificate to transfer the ownership
    • before the seller can transfer ownership they mustapply for a title certificate onlyand transfer the new title certificate

Additionally

• if the vehicle was manufactured in or after the 2011 model year and is 20 model years old or newer, the seller must complete theOdometer Disclosure Statementon the back of the title certificate
• theDamage DisclosureStatementon the back of the New York State Certificate of Title must be completed for all vehicles regardless of the vehicle's age
• make sure that the information listed on the title certificate is not altered, erased or changed (If any information is altered, erased or changed, the current owner must get a duplicate title certificate and use the duplicate to transfer the ownership to you.)

Model Year 1972 or Older

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• a NY State Transferable Registration– must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof from another state (Different states issue different documents for ownership and transfer of older vehicles. Make sure that is the acceptable proof of ownership in the state that issued the document.)

To transfer ownership

• the owner can use the transferable registration and a bill of sale
• make sure the registration document is marked "transferable" on the front
• the seller whose name appears on the transferable registration must sign the back

Model year 1995 and newerthe acceptable proof of ownership can be

• a Certificate of Title
• acceptable proof of ownership from any other state (Different states issue different documents for ownership. Make sure that an out-of-state document is acceptable proof in the DMV in the state that issued the document.)
• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)

If you purchase a new manufactured home from a dealer, the proof of ownership can be either

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO), transferred by the dealer to the purchaser

along with

• Vehicle Bill of Sale (PDF)(MV-912)
• anApplication for Title Only (PDF)(MV-82TON) with the “Manufactured Home Dealer Certification” section completed

To transfer ownership

• the seller whose name appears on the proof of ownership must sign the transfer section and provide a bill of sale
• if the seller has a title certificate that was transferred to them by another person, the seller cannot use that title certificate to transfer the ownership
  • the seller mustapply for a title certificate onlyand transfer the new title certificate
• the buyer's name must be on the title certificate
• make sure that the information listed on the title certificate is not altered, erased or changed (If any information is altered, erased or changed, the current owner must get a duplicate title certificate and use the duplicate to transfer the ownership.)

Model Year 1987 or Newer, and at Least 14 ft. Long

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• the New York State Certificate of Title – must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof of ownership from another state

To transfer ownership

• the seller whose name appears on the proof of ownership must sign the transfer section and provide a bill of sale
• if the seller has a title certificate that was transferred to them by another person, the seller cannot use that title certificate to transfer the ownership to you
  • the seller mustapply for a title certificate onlyand transfer the new title certificate
• the buyer's name must be on the title certificate
• make sure that the information listed on the title certificate is not altered, erased or changed
  

Model Year 1986 or Older or Any New York State-Registered Boat Less Than 14 ft. Long

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• the New York State Transferable Registration -must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof of ownership from another state

To transfer ownership

• the owner can use the transferable registration and aVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)
• make sure the registration document is marked "transferable" on the front
• the seller whose name appears on the transferable registration must sign the back

Model Year 1973 or Newer With an Unladen Weight of 1,000 lbs. or More

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• the New York State Certificate of Title– must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof of ownership from another state

To transfer ownership

• the seller whose name appears on the proof of ownership must sign the transfer section and provide aVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)
• if the seller has a title certificate that was transferred to them by another person, the seller cannot use that title certificate to transfer the ownership
  • the seller mustapply for a title certificate onlyand transfer the new title certificate
• your name must appear on the title certificate as the buyer
• make sure that the information listed on the title certificate is not altered, erased, or changed
  

Model Year 1972 or Older, or ANY Model Year Trailer With an Unladen Weight of 999 lbs. or Less

The acceptable proof of ownership is either

• the NY State Transferable Registration-must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof of ownership from another state

To transfer ownership

• the owner can use the transferable registration and a bill of sale
• make sure the registration document is marked "transferable" on the front
• the seller whose name appears on the transferable registration must sign the back

For anew ATV, the acceptable proof of ownership is either

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)

For aused ATVwhere the prior registration wasnot in New York State, acceptable proof is either

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO)

along with

• theVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)

For a used ATV where theprior registration was in New York State, acceptable proof is either

• a NY State transferable registration-must be the original or a certified copy,not a photocopy
• acceptable proof of ownership from another state

To transfer ownership

• the owner can use the transferable registration
• make sure the registration document is marked "transferable" on the front
• the seller whose name appears on the registration must sign the back and provide a bill of sale

Purchased from a registered dealer

You must get a dealer's bill of sale. An acceptable bill of sale includes all of this information

• the name, mailing address, and registration number of the dealer
• your name and your mailing address
• the vehicle identification number of the ATV
• the year and make of the ATV
• the model name and the number of wheels on the ATV
• the information that indicates if the ATV is new or used
• the information that proves that the dealer collected the correct amount of NY State sales tax

If the ATV was never registered or the proofs of ownership are not available, complete anAffidavit (Statement) of Ownership (PDF)(MV-51B), and get a bill of salefrom the current owner.

Purchased from a Dealer

The acceptable proof of ownership can be

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin
• the registration of the previous owner that is signed and transferred to the dealer
• a dealer'sVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)on company letterhead

Previously Registered in New York and Purchased From an Individual

The acceptable proof of ownership is a snowmobileVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)and a New York State registration. The person whose name appears on the proof of ownership must sign the transfer section.

An acceptable snowmobile bill of sale includes all of this information

• buyer and seller names and mailing addresses
• the year and make of the snowmobile
• the model name, model number, color, and CC/HP of the snowmobile
• the snowmobile identification number
• the purchase price
• the signature of the seller
  

Never Registered and Purchased from an Individual

The acceptable proof of ownership can be

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin or Manufacturer's Statement of Origin
• the dealer's bill of sale given to the original owner
• the sales tax receipts from all other transfers
• a snowmobileVehicle Bill of Sale (PDF) (MV-912)(as described above)

A DMV-licensed automobile dealer must have acceptable proof of ownership for a vehicle before they can sell that vehicle to you. Most New York State automobile dealers send the application for a vehicle registration and title certificate to the DMV. The dealer can charge a fee of $175 for this service.

The proof of ownership for anew vehicleis either

• the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
• the Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) and form MV-50 (Retail Certificate of Sale)

The proof of ownership for aused vehicleis both

• the title certificate that the previous owner signed to transfer the ownership to the dealer
• "Retail Certificate of Sale" (MV-50) that the dealer signs to transfer ownership to you (out-of-state dealers use a different bill of sale form)

If you cannot get acceptable proof of ownership from a NY State dealer, learn how tofile a complaint.

If you buy a vehicle, a boat, an ATV, or a snowmobile from another person who is not a DMV-licensed automobile dealer or receive it as a gift, make sure that you receive acceptable proof of ownership.

Proof of ownership normally includes a bill of sale. The DMV does not provide a form for a bill of sale. The seller and the buyer complete the bill of sale. If the vehicle is transferred as a gift, indicate this on the bill of sale and indicate that the purchase price is $0. You must also complete aStatement of Transaction- Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF)(DTF-802)and indicate on the formthat the vehicle is a gift.

An acceptable bill of sale includes all of this information

• the year and make of the vehicle, boat or ATV
• the vehicle identification number (VIN) or the hull identification number (HIN)
• the date of the sale
• the purchase price of the vehicle or the boat
• the names and signatures of the buyer and the seller

The buyer and seller can make photocopies of the bill of sale to keep for their records. The new owner must go to the DMV with the acceptable proof of ownership and a bill of sale. A bill of sale alone is not acceptable as proof of ownership without a title or transferable registration.

The person whocreatesa trust isthe settlor. The owner of the vehicle and the settlor of the trust can be the same person. The person or the persons whomanage the property of the trustarethe trustee(s). The settlor can be a trustee, but the settlor cannot be theonlytrustee.

The document that creates the trust isthe trust document.

When a person transfers a vehicle to arevocablelivingtrust, the settlor becomes the new owner of the vehicle.

Transfer the Vehicle to the Settlor (the Trust)

The owner and the settlor must completeStatement of Transaction- Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF)(DTF-802). If the owner and the settlor are the same person, complete Part II of form DTF-802 for a gift. Complete the donor section and the recipient section.

The person who is the owner of the vehicle must complete the seller sections on the back of the certificate. The owner must sign the title certificate as the seller.

The settlor must complete the odometer and damage disclosure statement on the back of the title certificate. The settlor must sign their full name in the buyer section of the title certificate and print the word "settlor" after their name.

The settlor must get new insurance identification cards from an insurance agent or insurance company. The insurance identification cards must identify thetrustwith the letters "TST" and identify the settlor with the letters "STL". For example:

"John Jones TST"
"John Jones STL"

How the Settlor Applies for a Registration and a Title Certificate

The settlor cannot use the registration or vehicle plates of the previous owner. The settlor must apply for a new title certificate and a new vehicle registration. The DMV issues new registration documents, new vehicle plates and a new title certificate to the settlor. The previous owner musttransfer or surrender the previous vehicle plates.

To apply for the new registration and title certificate, the settlor must provide to a DMV office:

• Statement of Transaction- Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle, Trailer, All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), Vessel (Boat), or Snowmobile (PDF)(DTF-802)
• the insurance identification card that identifies thetrustand the settlor
• Vehicle Registration/Title Application (PDF)(MV-82) completed and signed by the settlor
• thetrustdocument, which
  • describes thetrustas arevocablelivingtrust
  • shows the name of thetrust
  • shows the names of the settlor, the names of the trustees and the Social Security Number (SSN) of the settlor (if an SSN of the settlor is not available, the settlor can show a New York State driver license with the ID number of the settlors driver license, permitor Non-Driver ID).

Related Documents

• MV-912: Vehicle Bill of Sale (PDF)

  English

  Use this form to show proof of a vehicle ownership transfer through a private sale.

  Download

• MV-51B: Statement of Ownership for Non-Titled Vehicles, Boats, Snowmobiles and All-Terrain Vehicles (PDF)

  English

  Use to certify ownership of a non-titled vehicle, vessel, snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle and to certify why proof of ownership is not available. Must be accompanied by other documents listed on the form.

  Download

• MV-82: Vehicle Registration/Title Application (PDF)

  English

  Use this form to register a vehicle, renew a vehicle registration, change a registration, replace a lost or damaged item, transfer plates or get a title. See form MV-82.1 for instructions. You can renew your registration or order a replacement registration online.

  Download

• MV-82TON: Application for Title (PDF)

  English

  Application and instructions used when you wish to apply for a title only, and not a registration, for a 1973 or newer model vehicle. To apply for a registration and title, use form MV-82.

  Download

• English

  Use this form to certify sale price for sales tax calculation when vehicle, vessel, etc. is transferred in a casual sale or as a gift.

  Download