Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about the Requirements and the Restrictions for this Transaction:

• What is the insurance lapse civil penalty option and how much is the penalty?
• What information and documents do I need to do this transaction on-line?
• Can I pay more than one civil penalty on-line?
• Can I make a partial payment? Can I pay for part of the lapse and surrender my plates for the remainder of the suspension?
• I received an inquiry letter or indefinite suspension and I know I have a lapse of insurance of 90 days or less. How can I establish a definite suspension so that I can pay the civil penalty on-line?
• Can I pay a civil penalty and keep my plates if my vehicle is registered as For-Hire?
• How can I check the status of my registration?

FAQs about Hours, Payment, and Other General Information for this Transaction:

• Is this transaction always available? What are the hours for this transaction?
• What is the cost to do this transaction on-line? Does the DMV charge a higher fee to do this transaction on-line?
• How do I pay for this on-line transaction?
• How is the civil penalty calculated?
• Does the DMV protect my credit card information and my personal information on the Internet?
• How will I know the amount that the DMV charged to my credit card?
• Why do I need a confirmation number?
• How will I know if the DMV processed my transaction?
• Will I receive a receipt or other proof that the DMV processed my transaction?
• Can I cancel this transaction?

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FAQs About the Requirements, Restrictions, and Eligibility for this Transaction

What is the insurance lapse civil penalty option and how much is the penalty?

Under NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, you have an option to pay a civil penalty when your registration is suspended for a lapse of insurance of 90 days or less and you have new insurance. If your insurance lapse is 90 days or less, you can:

• surrender your plates until the suspension period ends, or
• you can pay a civil penalty

If you pay the civil penalty, you are not required to surrender your plates and serve the suspension period. This option can be used only once in 36 months. You cannot pay the civil penalty if the lapse of insurance is 91 days or more, a definite registration suspension has not been established, or if there is more than one suspension on your registration record.

How much is the civil penalty?

Count each day your vehicle was registered and uninsured to determine the civil penalty. The rates are listed on the DMV FAQ Page.

What information and documents do I need to do this transaction on-line?

To pay the civil penalty on-line, your web browser must permit cookies.

You must have these items or this information:

From the bottom portion (see sample) of the registration suspension order you need:

• The plate number & three letter registration type (e.g. PAS or COM)
• The first 3 letters of the registrant name (e.g. SMI for Smith or ABC for ABC Corporation)
• The ten-digit document number that is located on the bottom left of the suspension order.

AND

• A credit card or a debit card that the DMV accepts.
• An e-mail address that is able to receive email from addresses that include the domain dmv.state.ny.us.  The DMV will send your payment confirmation to you.
• A pen or a pencil and a piece of paper, or a printer, to record your confirmation number.

Sample bottom portion of registration suspension order.

Can I pay more than one civil penalty on-line?

Yes, if the suspensions are on different plate numbers and are separate registration records. You cannot pay the civil penalty on-line if the suspensions are on the same plate number or on the same registration record.

Can I make a partial payment?  Can I pay for part of the lapse and surrender my plates for the remainder of the suspension?

No, you cannot make a partial payment. You must pay the entire amount of the civil penalty or surrender your plates for the entire lapse period.

I received an inquiry letter or indefinite suspension and I know I have a lapse of insurance of 90 days or less. How can I establish a definite suspension so that I can pay the civil penalty on-line?

You can use DMV's "Post Proof of Insurance" on-line transaction to provide insurance information. You will then be able to pay the civil penalty on-line the next business day. Post Proof of Insurance transaction

Can I pay a civil penalty and keep my plates if my vehicle is registered as For-Hire?

No, you cannot use this option on a For-Hire vehicle. You must surrender your plates.

How can I check the status of my registration?

The payment of this civil penalty does not guarantee that your registration is valid. There may be other open suspensions or revocations or the registration may be expired. To drive a vehicle with a suspended or revoked or expired registration is a violation of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. To check the status of your registration, you can request a registration abstract. See instructions at the DMV Records page.

If you have other questions about auto liability insurance, read the Insurance Section of the DMV FAQ page.

FAQs about Hours, Payment, and Other General Information for this Transaction

Is this transaction always available?  What are the hours for this transaction?

This transaction is normally available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

What is the cost to do this transaction on-line? Does the DMV charge a higher fee to do this transaction on-line?

There is no additional cost to do this transaction on-line. The fee you pay on-line is the same fee that you pay when you do this transaction by mail or at a DMV office.

The transaction page will show the amount of your payment before you complete the transaction.

How do I pay for this on-line transaction?

You must use a credit card or a debit card to pay for this transaction on-line. The DMV accepts these credit cards:

• American Express® Card
• Discover Card®/Novus®
• MasterCard®
• VISA® Card

You can use a debit card if the debit card was issued by MasterCard® or VISA® and the card does not require a personal identification number (PIN).

Does the DMV protect my credit card information and my personal information on the Internet?

The DMV uses secure socket layering (SSL) to protect your information. The DMV encrypts your credit card information and your personal information so other Internet users cannot read the information. Read the DMV Privacy and Security Statement.

How will I know the amount that the DMV charged to my credit card?

When you verify the information about your civil penalty fee payment, you will see the amount that the DMV will charge to your credit card. You will see the amount before you submit your payment. If you do not submit your payment, the DMV will not charge the fee to your credit card. The amount of the payment is also displayed on the confirmation page, the confirmation e-mail message, and your credit card statement.

The amount of the payment is also displayed on the confirmation page, the confirmation e-mail message, and your credit card statement.

Why do I need a confirmation number?
How will I know if the DMV processed my transaction?
Will I receive a receipt or other proof that the DMV processed my transaction?

You need your confirmation number if you contact the DMV about your on-line transaction. After you select the button that displays the words, "Submit My Payment," you will see a confirmation page in your browser window. The confirmation page displays your confirmation number and other information about your transaction.

When the confirmation page appears in your browser window, write your confirmation number on a piece of paper. Do not try to print or to reload the confirmation page.  Some browsers can erase your transaction information from the page if you try to print or to reload this page.

The confirmation page can take several seconds to appear. If the confirmation page does not appear immediately, do not select the button to submit your payment again.  If you select the button more than one time, you can receive an error message. Wait for the confirmation page to appear.

Your confirmation number also appears in the e-mail confirmation message that you will receive after you submit your payment.

Can I cancel this on-line transaction?

No. After you select the button that displays the words "Submit My Payment", your payment is submitted. You cannot cancel this on-line transaction after you submit your payment.