The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) states that if the original title certificate is in your name but is held a lien holder to get NYS registration you must provide:

• A copy of the title certificate with your name on it from the lien holder.
• The lien holder must certify that the copy is a copy of the original title certificate.
• The copy of the title certificate and the certification of the lien holder must be on the same piece of paper.

You must also provide a statement by the lien holder on the letterhead of the lien holder:

• The statement must identify the owner, year, make and VIN of the vehicle.
• The statement must indicate that the lien holder holds the original title and knows that the owner will use the documents to register the vehicle in NYS.
• The statement cannot require the NYS DMV to notify the lien holder when the vehicle is registered in New York. The NYS DMV does not notify the lien holders when a vehicle is registered.

To get a NYS title certificate, you must send the original out of state title certificate to the NYS DMV when the lien has been satisfied and you receive the out of state title certificate from the lien holder.

The NYS DMV notes that if you cannot get any of these documents or there are special conditions to contact them directly. You can also read on the NYS DMV website the other instructions they have for registering a vehicle in New York which they note are the same requirements for those bringing in cars from out of state.

You are right to register cars in New York you must have New York auto insurance coverage on them. The NYS DMV states for vehicles registered in New York State 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 in New York.

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