Stolen vehicles 
If your vehicle is stolen , report it to the police and your auto insurance company as soon as possible. The police will enter the information into national and state auto theft computer records. The theft will be noted on your vehicle title record to help prevent someone from selling the vehicle or applying for a title. 

How can I report stolen plates? 
Ask the police to complete a' Report of Lost or Stolen Motor Vehicle Items' form MV-78B for your stolen plates. The form is different from the stolen vehicle report , and it's available only from police agencies, not from DMV. Make a copy of the MV-78B report for your records, and bring the original form to a DMV office to surrender your registration. For further information , see Report or Replace Lost or Stolen Plates [1]. 

Do I need a duplicate (replacement) title? 
If your vehicle is not recovered , you may have to transfer ownership to your insurance company using your title certificate. If you have lost your title certificate , you must apply for a duplicate title. See Replace a Title Certificate [2] for more information. A duplicate title issued when a vehicle is stolen is marked to show the vehicle is stolen and that the duplicate title is valid for insurance transfer only. If your vehicle is recovered before you transfer the " insurance transfer only " title to your insurance company , make sure the police have cancelled the stolen vehicle alarm. Then send the title to the Title Bureau along with a letter explaining that your vehicle was recovered, and DMV will issue a regular title. The address for the Title Bureau is Title BureauNYS DMVPO Box 2750Albany , NY 12220 - 0750 

What if my title was not yet issued? 
If the vehicle was stolen before you were able to apply for registration and title in your name , you must first apply for a title in your name in order to transfer ownership to your insurance company. Obtain a letter from the insurance company on their letterhead stating that p

user: My vehicle was stolen. What should i do?

assistant: You should first lodge a report to the police and your insurance company.

user: What should i do after that?

assistant: After you lodge the report, you should wait for the police to take action. The report will also prevent your vehicle from being sold.

user: Does stolen plates follow the same procedure?

assistant: Stolen plates have a different form and it is only available at police agencies and not at DMV. 

user: Okay. So after i lodge the report, i should just wait for any news from the police?

assistant: Yes. The police will input your vehicle information into national and state auto theft computer records. Other than tracking the vehicle, this will also prevent someone from selling or applying for a title using your vehicle.

user: But my vehicle was stolen before i was able to apply for registration. What should i do?

assistant: Quickly apply for a title in your name with proof of ownership to the vehicle.

user: If i am able to recover my vehicle, could i directly apply for plates?

assistant: No. The first thing you need to do is inform the police so that the stolen vehicle alarm would be cancelled. After you confirmed that it has already cancelled, you can then proceed to apply for plates or registration.

user: Would i need a duplicate title?

assistant: A duplicate title will be issued for stolen vehicle to mark the stolen vehicle. Remember to send your title to the Title Bureau along with a letter to explain that the vehicle have been recovered. After that, the DMV will issue a regular vehicle title. 

user: Is there anything else that i need to do after i recover the vehicle?

assistant: No. That is all the thing. However, if the vehicle was damaged after you recover it, please contact your insurance company and settle it with them first before applying for plates or registration.