2006 New York Code - Distinctive Number; Form Of Number Plates; Trailers.

 
    § 402. Distinctive number; form of number plates; trailers.  1. (a) No
  person  shall  operate,  drive  or  park  a  motor vehicle on the public
  highways of this state unless such  vehicle  shall  have  a  distinctive
  number  assigned  to  it  by the commissioner and a set of number plates
  issued by the commissioner with a number and other identification matter
  if any,  corresponding  to  that  of  the  certificate  of  registration
  conspicuously  displayed,  one  on the front and one on the rear of such
  vehicle, each securely fastened so as to prevent the same from  swinging
  and  placed,  whenever  reasonably possible, not higher than forty-eight
  inches and not lower than  twelve  inches  from  the  ground;  provided,
  however,  that  in any registration year for which only one number plate
  is issued, such number plate shall constitute a set of number plates for
  the time in which such use is authorized, shall be displayed on the rear
  of the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its front, except in  case
  of  a tractor, when such number plate shall be displayed on the front of
  the vehicle and none shall be displayed on its rear.
    (b) Number plates shall be kept clean and in a condition so as  to  be
  easily  readable  and  shall  not  be  covered  by  glass or any plastic
  material, and  shall  not  be  knowingly  covered  or  coated  with  any
  artificial  or synthetic material or substance that conceals or obscures
  such number plates or that distorts a recorded or photographic image  of
  such  number  plates,  and  the  view of such number plates shall not be
  obstructed by any part of the vehicle or by  anything  carried  thereon,
  except  for  a  receiver-transmitter  issued by a publicly owned tolling
  facility  in  connection  with  electronic  toll  collection  when  such
  receiver-transmitter  is  affixed  to  the  exterior  of  a  vehicle  in
  accordance with mounting instructions provided by the tolling facility.
    2. Such number plates shall be of  such  material,  form,  design  and
  dimensions  and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other
  identification marks as  the  commissioner  shall  prescribe,  provided,
  however,  that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the
  color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters  thereon,
  and  provided further that no vehicle shall display the number plates of
  more than one state at a time except where the vehicle is required to be
  registered in more than one state, and provided further that the  number
  plates  of  a  rental  vehicle  shall  not display any indication of the
  rental status of such vehicle nor shall any plate  be  used  other  than
  those issued by the commissioner.
    3.  No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle drawing a trailer
  on the public highways of the state, unless such trailer  shall  have  a
  distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a number plate
  issued  by  such commissioner with a number corresponding to that of the
  certificate of registration displayed and fastened on the  rear  in  the
  manner  provided  for  number plates on the rear of a motor vehicle. The
  provisions of subdivision two of this section relating to number  plates
  for  motor  vehicles  shall apply to number plates for any such trailer.
  The provisions  of  this  subdivision  shall  not  apply  when  a  newly
  constructed  trailer is being drawn to or from a weighing station solely
  for the purpose of determining the weight thereof.
    4. No person shall operate or drive a motor vehicle  upon  the  public
  highways of this state having displayed thereon number plates not proper
  for  such  vehicle  under  the  provisions  of  this chapter and, upon a
  conviction for this offense, the number plates shall be  surrendered  to
  the  court  for delivery to the commissioner. The failure to produce the
  certificate of registration or registration renewal stub  of  a  vehicle
  shall be presumptive evidence of displaying number plates not proper for
  the  vehicle. Every annual number plate issued shall remain the property
  of the state until the correct registration fee is  paid.  Every  number
  plate  of  a  permanent  nature  for use with a removable date tag which
  shall be issued shall remain the property of the state unless and  until
  the  commissioner  finds that the state no longer has use for it. Number
  plates  belonging  to  the  state  shall  be  under  the  control of the
  commissioner.
    5. No person shall knowingly authorize or permit a number plate issued
  for a motor vehicle or  trailer  owned  and  registered  by  him  to  be
  displayed  on any motor vehicle or trailer other than a motor vehicle or
  trailer  to  which  such  number  plate  has  been   assigned   by   the
  commissioner,  or  upon which such number plate may legally be displayed
  under a temporary certificate of registration issued by a  dealer  under
  the provisions of section four hundred twenty of this chapter.
    6.  No owner shall knowingly cause or permit a vehicle owned by him to
  be operated, driven or parked upon the public highways of this state  in
  violation  of  this  section.  Any violation of this section that occurs
  while a motor vehicle is parked on the public  highways  of  this  state
  shall constitute a parking violation.
    7.  The violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not
  less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.