I’m very worried because i took my car off the road over a month ago, cancelled the insurance and (being sick with asthma much of the time) never surrendered the plates.
What are the penalties if I turn them in now? A big fine? Could I pay it in installments or would the DMV demand it in full?
This is in New York State. I haven’t received any threatening notices but I am filled with anxiety. Dopers with experience, please advise.
When I was given my first car, I had the plates changed (it was originally registered in another state). I forgot to turn the original plates in, and found them in the trunk years later when I was getting rid of that car. There was no fine or legal troubles in giving them back.
Just give your local DMV a call and explain the situation. You should be fine. This was in New Jersey, so it may be different in your state, but I doubt you’ll have a problem.
Well, that makes me feel better. For all I know, New York may have different procedures but at least right now, I’ve calmed down. Thanks!
When I sold my previous car, I forgot to take off the plates before the new owner drove away with the car. I went to the DMV and told them what happened, and they said that they’d cancel the plates for me. They said that it would take a day or two to process the cancellation, and if the guy got into an accident or something in the mean time, I would be held responsible. Fortunately, nothing bad happened, and I got a new set of plates for my new car.
It has been my experience that in NY your insurance company will NOT cancell your policy unless you show proof that you have turned your plates in or you don’t pay them or your policy just expires.
If your policy has expired and you haven’t cancelled your registration, NYS will charge you a penalty per day that you have had a registration but not insurance.
If you go over their limit of days (and I don’t know what that is) they will suspend your license possibly without notice.
To get it back involves money, lawyers, judges and time.
NYS will also suspend your license possibly without notice if you insurance company makes an error involving your billing or coverage.
Not fun (see money,lawyers, judges time).
Wow, which other states have this odd (to me) law?
Michigan has no such nonsense. Yeah, a lot of useless people who have no business being on the road buy cut-rate insurance to get their proof of insurance to get thier registration, then immediately cancel their insurance. But we don’t have to turn in plates! Maybe the fact that we’re a no-fault state has a bearing on that?
In Texas, the plates went with the vehicle when it was sold. Then, they were only renewable during the original month they were registered! Ach! It was a pain having two vehicles. (In Michigan, tag renewal is always done during your birth month). So, I never had to turn plates in in Texas, either.
In Georgia, nobody ever told me I had to turn my plates in. Hope not; I left there 10 years ago with my Georgia plates, and I’d hate to see the fine I racked up!
I’m an insurance agent in New York State. NY DMV does not take kindly to your having plates without insurance. The fine is $8.00 per day for each vehicle.
Note: You are only allowed to pay this fine once every 36 months, if you have already used this option in the past 36 months then you need to surrender the registration to the car for the same time period of time as you were without insurance.
Example: Your insurance cancelled on October 1st, you turn the plates in on October 15th. you will either pay a fine of $112.00 or turn in your registration for 14 days.
If you have the plates on the car without insurance for longer that 90 days then your driver’s license is suspended.
Well, it turned out okay. I had to pay $1 for returning the plates, but because I was under the 90-day limit and had not been driving the car, my license was not suspended and I did not have to pay the staggering fine.
I understand the purpose of the policy, certainly. Without it, we would have many more people driving blithely around without insurance. So I have learned my lesson and when I take a car off the road, I will **not** throw the plates in the trunk 'for a day or so'.