Requires any motorized recreational vehicle operated, sold or transferred within New York state to be titled with the department of motor vehicles; provides that no person shall sell, transfer or purchase a motorized recreational vehicle without a valid title; directs the department of motor vehicles to maintain a digital database of titled motorized recreational vehicles; provides penalties for noncompliance.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10954
IN ASSEMBLY
April 14, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GRAY -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
titling of all motorized recreational vehicles in New York state
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. A lack of a uniform titling system
2 exists for motorized recreational items, including all-terrain vehicles
3 (ATVs), snowmobiles, dirt bikes, personal watercraft, and other similar
4 vehicles, which creates ownership transfer challenges, facilitates
5 unlawful transactions, and increases the risk of theft and fraudulent
6 sales. Establishing a requirement for titling such vehicles will
7 improve accountability, enhance public safety, and protect consumer
8 rights.
9 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
10 397-d to read as follows:
11 § 397-d. Motorized recreational vehicle title requirement. 1. For the
12 purposes of this section, the term "motorized recreational vehicle"
13 shall include the following:
14 (a) all terrain vehicles defined by section twenty-two hundred eight-
15 y-one of this chapter;
16 (b) snowmobiles as defined by section twenty-two hundred twenty-one of
17 this chapter;
18 (c) dirt bikes and off-road motorcycles;
19 (d) personal watercraft, such as jet skis; and
20 (e) any other similar motorized recreational vehicle as determined by
21 the commissioner.
22 2. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, or of any
23 other law, any motorized recreational vehicle operated, sold or trans-
24 ferred within New York state shall be titled with the department. The
25 department shall issue a certificate of title to the owner of any such
26 motorized recreational vehicle upon application and payment of applica-
27 ble fees as determined by the department.
28 3. The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14376-01-6
A. 10954 2
1 (a) motorized recreational vehicles owned and operated solely for
2 agricultural or commercial use on private property, unless such vehicles
3 are sold or transferred; or
4 (b) motorized recreational vehicles registered and titled in another
5 state, provided that such vehicles are not sold or transferred within
6 the state of New York.
7 4. (a) No person shall sell, transfer or purchase a motorized recre-
8 ational vehicle without a valid title.
9 (b) Dealers and private sellers of motorized recreational vehicles
10 shall ensure that such title is properly endorsed and transferred upon
11 the sale of such motorized recreational vehicle.
12 5. The department shall maintain a digital database of titled motor-
13 ized recreational vehicles to assist in tracking ownership of motorized
14 recreational vehicles and preventing fraudulent transactions involving
15 motorized recreational vehicles.
16 6. (a) Failure to comply with the titling requirements of this section
17 shall result in a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for individ-
18 uals and two thousand five hundred dollars for businesses or dealers.
19 (b) Knowingly falsifying a title or selling an untitled motorized
20 recreational vehicle shall constitute a misdemeanor offense and shall be
21 punishable by up to one year imprisonment and/or a fine not to exceed
22 five thousand dollars.
23 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
24 ing the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediate-
25 ly, the department of motor vehicles is authorized to promulgate, amend,
26 and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
27 this act on or before such effective date.
