New York Laws
Article 16 - Registration of Dealers and Transporters
416 - Limited Use of Dealer's, Manufacturer's, and Transporter's Number Plates by Vendee or Lessee.

§ 416. Limited use of dealer's, manufacturer's, and transporter's
number plates by vendee or lessee. Upon the sale or lease of a motor
vehicle or motorcycle the vendee or lessee shall be allowed to operate
the same upon the public highways for the period of five days after
taking possession thereof, without carrying number plates issued upon a
registration under section four hundred one, if a motor vehicle, or
under section four hundred ten, if a motorcycle, provided the motor
vehicle or motorcycle shall have attached thereto and displayed thereon,
in the manner therein provided, a set of dealer's, manufacturer's, or
transporter's number plates issued to the vendor or lessor under section
four hundred fifteen, and if a proper application for registration and
number plates for such vehicle, under the provisions of section four
hundred one or four hundred ten of this title, as the case may be, shall
have been mailed or presented to the commissioner, or agent, accompanied
with the payment of the required fee within twenty-four hours after he
or she has taken possession thereof. If the motor vehicle or motorcycle
is to be registered in a jurisdiction other than the state of New York,
the requirement for filing or presenting such application shall not
apply.

No person shall operate or drive upon the public highways any motor
vehicle or motorcycle on which is fastened or displayed any such
dealer's, manufacturer's, or transporter's number plates after a sale or
lease of such vehicle by the dealer or lessor, except in compliance with
the foregoing provisions.

A vendee or lessee to whom number plates are delivered or by whom they
are held under the provisions of this section shall return the same, and
the accompanying registration certificate, to the dealer or lessor
before the expiration of six days after he or she took possession of the
motor vehicle or motorcycle purchased or leased. If number plates so
delivered or held, or such certificate, are not returned within the time
above limited, the dealer or lessor shall immediately notify the
commissioner of that fact by mail, describing the plates according to
the general and distinctive numbers and characters thereon.

The provisions of this section shall apply also to the sale or lease
of a trailer and to the use by the vendee or lessee of dealer's,
manufacturer's, or transporter's number plates on the trailer sold or
leased, and for the purpose of applying such provisions a trailer shall
be deemed to be a motor vehicle.