NY Veh & Traf L § 402 (2021)
2021 New York Laws VAT - Vehicle and Traffic Title 4 - Registration of Vehicles Article 14 - Registration of Motor Vehicles 402 - Distinctive Number; Form of Number Plates; Trailers.

§ 402. Distinctive  number; form of number plates; trailers. 1. (a) No person shall operate, drive or  park  a  motor  vehicle  on  the  public highways  of  this  state  unless  such vehicle shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a  set  of  number  plates issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter if  any,  corresponding  to  that  of  the  certificate  of registration conspicuously displayed, one on the front and one on the  rear  of  such vehicle,  each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swinging and placed, whenever reasonably possible, not  higher  than  forty-eight inches  and  not  lower  than  twelve  inches from the ground; provided, however, that in any registration year for which only one  number  plate is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear of  the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its front, except in case of a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front  of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear.  (b)  (i) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as to be easily readable and shall not be covered  by  glass  or  any  plastic material.  (ii)  Number  plates shall not be knowingly covered or coated with any artificial or synthetic material or substance that conceals or  obscures such  number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image of such number plates.  (iii) The view of such number plates shall not be  obstructed  by  any part  of  the  vehicle  or  by  anything  carried  thereon, except for a receiver-transmitter issued by a  publicly  owned  tolling  facility  in connection     with     electronic    toll    collection    when    such receiver-transmitter  is  affixed  to  the  exterior  of  a  vehicle  in accordance with mounting instructions provided by the tolling facility.   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 vehicle shall display the number plates  of more than one state at a time except where the vehicle is required to be registered  in more than one state, and provided further that the number plates of a rental vehicle shall  not  display  any  indication  of  the rental  status  of  such  vehicle nor shall any plate be used other than those issued by the commissioner.   3. No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle drawing a  trailer on  the  public  highways of the state, unless such trailer shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a number plate issued by such commissioner with a number corresponding to that  of  the certificate  of  registration  displayed and fastened on the rear in the manner provided for number plates on the rear of a  motor  vehicle.  The provisions  of subdivision two of this section relating to number plates for motor vehicles shall apply to number plates for  any  such  trailer. The  provisions  of  this  subdivision  shall  not  apply  when  a newly constructed trailer is being drawn to or from a weighing station  solely for the purpose of determining the weight thereof.   4.  No  person  shall operate or drive a motor vehicle upon the public highways of this state having displayed thereon number plates not proper for such vehicle under the  provisions  of  this  chapter  and,  upon  a conviction  for  this offense, the number plates shall be surrendered to the court for delivery to the commissioner. The failure to  produce  the certificate  of  registration  or registration renewal stub of a vehicle shall be presumptive evidence of displaying number plates not proper for  the vehicle. Every annual number plate issued shall remain the  property of  the  state  until the correct registration fee is paid. Every number plate of a permanent nature for use with  a  removable  date  tag  which shall  be issued shall remain the property of the state unless and until the commissioner finds that the state no longer has use for  it.  Number plates  belonging  to  the  state  shall  be  under  the  control of the commissioner.   5. No person shall knowingly authorize or permit a number plate issued for a motor vehicle or  trailer  owned  and  registered  by  him  to  be displayed  on any motor vehicle or trailer other than a motor vehicle or trailer  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.   6.  No owner shall knowingly cause or permit a vehicle owned by him to be operated, driven or parked upon the public highways of this state  in violation  of  this  section.  Any violation of this section that occurs while a motor vehicle is parked on the public  highways  of  this  state shall constitute a parking violation.   7.   It   shall   be  unlawful  for  any  person,  firm,  partnership, association, limited liability company or corporation to sell, offer for sale or distribute any artificial or synthetic material or substance for the purpose of application to a number plate that will, upon application to a number plate, distort a recorded  or  photographic  image  of  such number plate.   8.  A  violation  of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars, except  that  a violation of subparagraph (ii) or subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (b) of subdivision  one  of  this  section shall be punishable by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than three hundred dollars.