If you are moving to New York and becoming a resident than you have a short period of time in which to change over your driver's license, car registration and title as well as the insurance policy on the vehicle.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) states that you must apply for a NYS driver license not more than 30 days after you become a NYS resident. You also have 30 days after you become a resident to register your vehicle in NYS as well. To register your car in New York it must have proof of auto insurance from a New York insurance provider.

Section 250 (5) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of NYS defines the term "resident." The law defines a resident as a person who lives in NYS with the intent to make NYS a "fixed and permanent" place to live. To live in a house, a home, an apartment, a room or other similar place in NYS for 90 days is considered "presumptive evidence" that you are a resident of NYS. A police officer can use this evidence as the reason to issue a traffic ticket if you drive in NYS without a driver license or vehicle registration issued by NYS.

When you apply for a New York title and registration you must have valid NYS liability insurance. You cannot use proof of insurance from another state under any circumstances according to the NYS DMV.

The NYS DMV is very specific on this point that the liability coverage must be NYS insurance coverage, issued by a company authorized to do business in NYS and licensed by the NYS Insurance Department. Out of state insurance coverage of any type is NEVER acceptable or valid they state emphatically.

Insurance coverage in New York State must be a minimum of $25,000/50,000 for injury, $50,000/100,000 for death, and $10,000 for property damage caused by any one accident. New York State is a no-fault state.

Mandatory "no-fault" coverage of $50,000 is also required. Many motorists carry higher Liability limits and additional Personal Injury Protection beyond these minimum benefits required by law. The liability coverage must remain in effect while the registration is valid, even if the vehicle is not used (except motorcycles).

So you have 30 days after becoming a New York resident to register and insure your vehicle. However you may need to go through the registration process and act of obtaining NYS auto insurance earlier if your current insurance company on the vehicle you are bringing in from out of state does not cover you that long. Once you move to another state most insurance providers will require you to obtain insurance in that new state as soon as possible. Exactly how long they will continue to cover you out of state will differ from insurance company to insurance company.

How long you have to put a car you used to drive to New York in your name depends upon the specific situation. If you bought the car or was given the car than the title needs to be signed over to you and then per NYS law you have the 30 days after being termed a New York resident to register and insure the car there.

If you are going to just use the care for a short period of time and then the owner is coming to pick up the car and drive it back to the state that it is registered in than normally you would not place the car in your name or obtain insurance on it. Of course the car owner would need to check with their insurance company before you drove the car to New York and make sure you were covered by their insurance to operate the car there and for how long they would cover you and the vehicle out of state.

Get started with New York affordable car insurance quotes here with us. And when changing over insurance from your former state that you moved from not to have a lapse in coverage that could cause you to be penalized by either state.