2023 New York Laws › VAT - Vehicle and Traffic › Title 10 - Uniform Vehicle Certificate of Title Act › Article 46 - Uniform Vehicle Certificate of Title Act › 2105 - Application for First Certificate of Title.

§ 2105. Application   for   first   certificate   of  title.  (a)  The
application for the first certificate of title  of  a  vehicle  in  this
state  shall  be  made  by  the owner to the commissioner on the form he
prescribes and shall contain or be accompanied by:
(1) The name, residence and mail address and social security number of
the owner;
(2) A description of the vehicle including, so far  as  the  following
data exists: its make, year model, identifying number, type of body if a
motor vehicle or hull material if a vessel, and whether new or used, and
any other information required by the commissioner;
(3)  The  date  of  purchase by applicant, the name and address of the
person from whom the vehicle was acquired and the names and addresses of
any lienholders in the order of their apparent priority;
(4) A statement signed by the applicant, stating either, (i) any facts
or information known to him that could reasonably affect the validity of
the title of the vehicle or the existence or non-existence  of  security
interests  in it; or (ii) that no such facts or information are known to
him; and
(5) Any other information and documents  the  commissioner  reasonably
requires  to identify the vehicle and to enable him to determine whether
the owner is entitled to a certificate of title  and  the  existence  or
non-existence of security interests in the vehicle.
(b) If the application refers to a vehicle purchased from a dealer, it
shall  contain the name and address of any lienholder holding a security
interest created or reserved at the time of the sale and  be  signed  by
the  dealer  as well as the owner, and the dealer shall promptly mail or
deliver the application to the commissioner.
(c) If the application refers to a vehicle last previously  registered
or  licensed  in another state or country, the application shall contain
or be accompanied by:
(1) Any certificate of title issued by the other state or country;
(2) Any other information and documents  the  commissioner  reasonably
requires  to establish the ownership of the vehicle and the existence or
non-existence of security interests in it.
(d) If the commissioner is not satisfied as to the  ownership  of  the
vehicle  or  that there are no undisclosed security interests in it, the
commissioner may register the vehicle but  shall  either:  (1)  withhold
issuance  of  a  certificate  of  title  until  the  applicant  presents
documents reasonably sufficient to satisfy the commissioner  as  to  the
applicant's  ownership  of the vehicle and that there are no undisclosed
security interests in it; or (2) as a condition of issuing a certificate
of title, require the applicant to file with  the  commissioner  a  bond
prescribed  by  the commissioner and executed by the applicant, and by a
person authorized to conduct a surety business in this state.  The  bond
shall  be  in an amount equal to one and one-half times the value of the
vehicle as determined by the commissioner and conditioned  to  indemnify
any  prior  owner  and  lienholder  and  any subsequent purchaser of the
vehicle or person acquiring any  security  interest  in  it,  and  their
respective  successors  in interest, against any expense, loss or damage
by reason of the issuance of the certificate of title of the vehicle  or
on  account  of  any defect in or undisclosed security interest upon the
right, title and interest of the applicant in and to  the  vehicle.  Any
such  interested person has a right of action to recover on the bond for
any breach of its conditions, but the aggregate liability of the  surety
to  all  persons shall not exceed the amount of the bond. The bond shall
be returned at the end of three years or prior thereto if the  currently
valid  certificate  of  title is surrendered to the commissioner, but it
shall  not  be  returned  prior  to  the  end  of  three  years  if  the

commissioner  has  been notified of the pendency of an action to recover
on the  bond  or  if  the  currently  valid  certificate  of  title  was
surrendered  to  another  state  as  proof  of  ownership  to  obtain  a
certificate  of  title  from  that state. Nothing contained herein shall
require the commissioner of motor vehicles to  issue  a  certificate  of
title upon the presentation of a bond.