NY Insurance ID Card (FS-20), Registration, and Lapse Penalties
Need a New York liability policy?
Get Your Quote or call. We are an insurance quote site, not the DMV, and we do not register vehicles.
This guide, and who we are
NY Car Insurance Quotes is an insurance quote website. We are not the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and we do not perform DMV services, take DMV payments, file DMV forms, or register vehicles. Official rules and transactions are on dmv.ny.gov.
This page only restates public DMV pages about the New York insurance ID card, registration, and a coverage lapse. When a sentence states a rule, it links to the DMV page it comes from.
New York liability insurance requirements
To register a vehicle in New York State you must have New York State-issued automobile liability insurance. The DMV does not accept out-of-state insurance of any kind. If the vehicle is registered in New York, it must have New York auto liability coverage. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
If you do not maintain coverage, the DMV can suspend your vehicle registration and your driver license. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
The minimum liability coverage for most vehicles is: (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
| Coverage | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Property damage for a single crash | $10,000 |
| Bodily injury for one person in a crash | $25,000 |
| Death for one person in a crash | $50,000 |
| Bodily injury for two or more people in a crash | $50,000 |
| Death for two or more people in a crash | $100,000 |
The New York driver's manual states the same limits for any one incident: $10,000 against property damage, $25,000 against injury to one person, $50,000 against injury to two or more people, $50,000 against the death of one person, and $100,000 against the death of two or more people. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
That liability coverage must: (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
- remain in effect while the registration is valid, even if you do not use the vehicle
- be New York State coverage, issued by a company licensed by the New York State Department of Financial Services and certified by the New York State DMV
- be issued in the name of the registrant and remain in that name. The insurance and the registration must always show the exact same name. If the names do not match, the DMV may suspend your driver license and vehicle registration.
When you are in the vehicle, have your paper New York State Insurance ID card, or be able to generate the electronic Insurance ID card. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
The DMV does not provide insurance rates or premiums. It directs people to insurance companies, agents, or brokers, and to the New York State Department of Financial Services for premium and industry information. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
For a shopping overview on our site, see NY car insurance requirements. The dollar amounts in this section are the ones printed on the DMV pages linked above.
The New York insurance ID card (FS-20)
The New York State Insurance ID Card is form FS-20. The DMV sample ID card page lists the FS-20 by that name. (NY DMV: Sample ID cards)
When you get insurance, your insurance company issues proof in two ways. It gives you two original New York State Insurance ID cards, or access to an electronic New York State Insurance ID card, and it sends an electronic notice of insurance coverage to the DMV. Your insurance agent or broker cannot file that electronic notice. The ID card and the electronic notice together verify coverage, and the DMV needs both. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
Electronic New York Insurance ID cards may not be used for All Owned Vehicles (AOV), All Owned and Non-Owned comprehensive auto liability (AON), a Dealer garage auto liability policy (DGP), an Auto Liability Policy (ALP), or self-insured vehicles. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
The name on the vehicle registration application and the Insurance ID card must match. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements) The driver's manual also says the name or names and the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the cards must exactly match the registration application. You present one card when you register and keep the second card with the vehicle. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
The DMV accepts copies or faxes of the Insurance ID card. It will not accept a card if the DMV barcode reader cannot read the barcode. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
A registration can list one or two names. If there are two, both names must appear on the Insurance ID card. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
Bring one copy or form of the Insurance ID card to register. The DMV office keeps the paper card. Keep the other paper card with the vehicle as your proof of insurance. Anyone who operates the vehicle must be able to provide proof of insurance. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
Registering the vehicle
You must have automobile liability insurance before you can register the vehicle in New York. Register at the DMV within 180 days of the effective date on your Insurance ID card, and bring an Insurance ID card with you. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements) (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle)
A registration allows a vehicle to be driven on public roads and highways. A title certificate proves who owns the vehicle. You must be at least 16 to register a vehicle. A new resident must get a New York registration within 30 days of establishing residence. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
If you buy a new vehicle through an auto dealer, you do not have to register it yourself at a DMV office. The dealer can register and title the vehicle, issue plates, and charge a fee for that service. (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle) When you buy a new or used vehicle from a dealer registered with the DMV, that dealer can register it, give you a temporary registration, and issue new plates if you need them. The dealer can charge a processing fee plus registration, plate, and title fees. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
Dealer registration does not replace the insurance step. The names and VIN on the insurance ID cards must exactly match the registration application. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
After a private sale, you or your business must register and title the vehicle. The title must be in the owner's name, but the vehicle can be registered to another person or people. (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle)
When you register, the DMV gives you or mails, within 1 to 2 weeks, one or two plates unless you transfer a New York registration, a registration window sticker, a registration document, and a 10-day inspection extension sticker. If a title applies, the DMV sends the title certificate within 90 days. (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle)
The inspection extension lasts 10 days from the registration date. An inspection issued to the previous registrant is not valid. (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle) If you did not buy from a New York State registered dealer, you must have the vehicle inspected within 10 days of registration. A New York State registered dealer must have the vehicle inspected within 30 days before the sale, and the vehicle should already have a valid inspection sticker. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
Before a vehicle operates on a public roadway it must be registered, insured, and inspected. Liability insurance has to stay in force for as long as the vehicle is registered, even if you do not drive it. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
Insurance lapse penalties
An insurance lapse means there is no liability insurance coverage for a vehicle registered in New York for a period of time. If a vehicle registered to you has a lapse, the DMV can suspend your registration and your driver license. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
Any time the vehicle is registered but not insured can cause a lapse. A lapse can fall between the date insurance is canceled and the date a new policy begins, plates are surrendered, the registration expires, other accepted proof is valid, or the insurer reinstates coverage. It can also fall between the date you register and the date the new coverage begins. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
If you do not have valid auto liability coverage, surrender the registration and plates immediately. Motorcycle plates do not have to be surrendered when liability insurance lapses, but it is illegal to operate a motorcycle without that coverage. For other vehicles the DMV states the rule as: no insurance, no plates. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
Civil penalty for a lapse of 90 days or less
You can pay a civil penalty, and remove a suspension, if the insurance lapse is 90 days or less. You cannot pay if you already paid a civil penalty in the past 36 months, or if the lapse is 91 days or more. (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
Your suspension order shows the amount. The DMV calculates it from this table: (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
| Insurance lapse | Civil penalty |
|---|---|
| 1-30 days | $8 per day |
| 31-60 days | $10 per day |
| 61-90 days | $12 per day |
The DMV's 90-day example is a $900 total: $8 per day for the first 30 days ($240), plus $10 per day for day 31 through day 60 ($300), plus $12 per day for days 61-90 ($360). You may pay that amount and not turn in the plates, or surrender the plates and serve a 90-day registration suspension. (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
The payment does not guarantee that the DMV will restore the registration or close other suspensions or revocations. It is your responsibility to know whether the registration was restored before you drive. The DMV will not automatically mail a new registration document. If you do not want to pay, you can surrender the registration and plates until the suspension period ends. (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
What changes at 91 days
If the registration suspension period is more than 90 days, you must surrender the vehicle registration and plates. The DMV will also suspend your driver license for the same number of days as the registration suspension. To reinstate the driver license, you must pay a $50 license suspension termination fee. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
A driver license becomes suspended when the lapse is 91 days or more, or if the length of the lapse has not yet been determined. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses) The civil-penalty payment option is not available when the lapse is 91 days or more. (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
Driving without insurance
If you operate a vehicle without insurance, you could be arrested or ticketed, a law enforcement officer could impound the vehicle, and the DMV will revoke your registration and your driver license. Your license and registration will be suspended, and you will need to pay fines and penalties. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
The traffic court fine could be as much as $1,500 for driving without insurance or for allowing another person to drive your uninsured vehicle. If the driver license is revoked, you will also need to pay the DMV a $750 civil penalty to restore it. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
If you, or someone else driving your uninsured vehicle, are involved in a traffic crash, the DMV will revoke your driver license and vehicle registration for at least one year. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses) The driver's manual states the same revocation of at least one year for a conviction of driving an uninsured vehicle, for allowing another person to drive your uninsured vehicle, and if the DMV receives evidence of a traffic crash without insurance. That rule includes people who are not New York residents. (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
While a registration is suspended, no one else can register that vehicle for you to avoid the suspension. The DMV will not issue a registration unless the applicant makes a sworn statement on form FS-2, which is available only at a local DMV office. The office decides whether to accept the application. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
Getting back on track
If your driver license or vehicle registration is suspended because of a lapse in automobile liability coverage, you can provide proof that you now have insurance online or by mail. You cannot provide that proof by phone or at a DMV office. (NY DMV: Provide proof of insurance)
To submit proof online, your name and address on DMV records must be correct. You need the inquiry or suspension order, which includes the vehicle plate number and a 10-digit document number, and the New York Insurance ID card, which shows the effective date, the policy number, and the insurance company's 3-digit code. It can take 48 hours for the DMV to update the record. (NY DMV: Provide proof of insurance)
To submit proof by mail, send the bottom tear strip of the insurance letter and the New York Insurance ID card. Legible photocopies are acceptable. The name and vehicle information on the card must match the registration. Mail them to Financial Security Bureau, New York State DMV, P.O. Box 2725, ESP, Albany, NY 12220-0725. (NY DMV: Provide proof of insurance)
After you provide proof, the DMV verifies coverage with your insurance company. If the company does not verify the information or denies it, the driver license and/or registration will be, or will remain, suspended or revoked. (NY DMV: Provide proof of insurance)
If you are getting coverage so you can register, the New York policy has to be in place first. Then register within 180 days of the effective date on the Insurance ID card. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
If you are changing insurers, do not leave the registered vehicle uninsured between policies. Our site has a separate shopping article, how to switch car insurance in New York. Related reading on our site, not DMV instructions: SR-22 insurance in New York and car accident insurance claims in New York.
If you need a New York liability policy so an insurance company can issue an ID card, call (718) 801-2720 or get your quote. We compare insurance quotes. We do not issue insurance ID cards, and we do not register vehicles.
Official pages used for this guide
Frequently asked questions
Does New York accept out-of-state car insurance?
No. To register a vehicle in New York you must have New York State-issued automobile liability insurance. The DMV does not accept out-of-state insurance. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
What liability minimums does the DMV list?
For most vehicles the minimums are $10,000 property damage for a single crash, $25,000 bodily injury and $50,000 death for one person, and $50,000 bodily injury and $100,000 death for two or more people. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
What is an FS-20?
FS-20 is the New York State Insurance ID Card. The DMV lists it on the sample insurance ID card page. (NY DMV: Sample ID cards)
Who sends proof of a new policy to the DMV?
Your insurance company gives you two original New York Insurance ID cards, or access to an electronic card, and sends an electronic notice of coverage to the DMV. An insurance agent or broker cannot file that electronic notice. The DMV needs both the card and the electronic notice. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements)
How soon do I have to register after the ID card effective date?
Register at the DMV within 180 days of the effective date on the Insurance ID card. The name on the card and the registration application must match, and the driver's manual says the names and VIN on the cards must exactly match the registration application. (NY DMV: Insurance requirements) (NY DMV driver's manual, Chapter 3)
How is the lapse civil penalty calculated for 90 days or less?
The DMV charges $8 per day for days 1-30, $10 per day for days 31-60, and $12 per day for days 61-90. Its 90-day example totals $900. You cannot use this payment if the lapse is 91 days or more, or if you already paid a civil penalty in the past 36 months. (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
What happens when a lapse reaches 91 days?
If the registration suspension is more than 90 days, you must surrender the registration and plates, and the DMV also suspends your driver license for the same number of days. Reinstating the license requires a $50 license suspension termination fee. A license becomes suspended when the lapse is 91 days or more. The civil-penalty payment option is not available at 91 days or more. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses) (NY DMV: Pay an insurance lapse civil penalty)
What can the court and the DMV charge for driving uninsured?
The traffic court fine could be as much as $1,500 for driving without insurance or allowing someone else to drive your uninsured vehicle. If the license is revoked, the DMV civil penalty to restore it is $750. A crash while the vehicle is uninsured can bring a revocation of the license and registration for at least one year. (NY DMV: Insurance lapses)
How do I submit proof of insurance after a lapse?
You can submit proof online or by mail. You cannot submit it by phone or at a DMV office. Online you need the suspension or inquiry order and the New York Insurance ID card. By mail, send the letter's tear strip and the ID card to the DMV Financial Security Bureau. (NY DMV: Provide proof of insurance)
What is form FS-25?
FS-25 is the Request and Reply for New York Insurance Information. The DMV form says to use it when a person was in a crash and needs insurance information for a vehicle registered in New York State only. There is a $10 search fee required by law, and you must include a copy of the police or motorist crash report. Mail the form and fee to Document Services, 6 Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12228. The printed form is labeled FS-25 (2/26). It asks for insurance information after a crash. It is not the vehicle registration application described on the DMV register-and-title page. (NY DMV: Form FS-25 (PDF)) (NY DMV: Register and title a vehicle)
Ready for Your Free Quote?
Our licensed NY agents compare rates from top carriers. Average savings: $600+/year.