2010 New York Code
VAT - Vehicle & Traffic
Title 4 - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
Article 14 - (401 - 404-W*2) REGISTRATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES
402 - 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.   It   shall   be  unlawful  for  any  person,  firm,  partnership,
  association, limited liability company or corporation to sell, offer for
  sale or distribute any artificial or synthetic material or substance for
  the purpose of application to a number plate that will, upon application
  to a number plate, distort a recorded  or  photographic  image  of  such
  number plate.
    8.  The violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of not
  less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars.