New York Car Dealer Forms
These are the NY DMV forms a licensed dealer needs to buy, sell, and title vehicles in New York. From the New York title and registration application to the bill of sale, odometer disclosure, title reassignment, and temporary tag paperwork, each links to the official source where available. Download the current version straight from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV), Office of Vehicle Safety and Clean Air or the federal agency, never a copy that's gone stale.
Which New York form goes with which deal
A form list on its own does not tell you what to grab on a Saturday afternoon. Here is the same set arranged by the deal in front of you.
- Retail sale to a customer in state
- Vehicle Registration/Title Application (Form MV-82), Retail Certificate of Sale (Form MV-50), the FTC Buyers Guide, and Retail Certificate of Sale (Form MV-50). This is the stack behind almost every deal jacket you build.
- Retail sale to an out-of-state buyer
- Same paperwork, but the buyer titles in their home state, so the New York title has to be assigned cleanly and the odometer reading has to match on every document. A correction later means a duplicate title and a delayed deal.
- Wholesale to another licensed dealer
- No Buyers Guide is required on a dealer-to-dealer sale, but the title assignment and odometer disclosure still are. Keep the invoice with the jacket, it is what proves the unit left your inventory.
- Taking a trade-in
- You need the customer's signed title assignment and odometer disclosure, plus a lien payoff quote in writing if the trade is financed. Take the trade in your books at actual cash value, not at the number you allowed on the deal.
- Title is not in hand at signing
- a power of attorney covers the assignment and mileage disclosure until the title arrives. Track the promise: an unresolved title is the single most common reason a deal unwinds.
- Customer pays more than $10,000 in cash
- IRS Form 8300 is federal and applies in New York like everywhere else. It covers cash and cash equivalents in one transaction or in related transactions, and it is due within 15 days.
New York state forms
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Original Facility Application (Form VS-1) ↗ | The core application to register a motor-vehicle dealer facility with NYS DMV. | Every deal |
| Dealer Bond, VTL §415(6-b) (Form VS-3) ↗ | The surety bond form filed with the dealer application. | Every deal |
| Vehicle Registration/Title Application (Form MV-82) ↗ | Registers and/or titles a vehicle in the buyer's name at point of sale. | Every deal |
| Retail Certificate of Sale (Form MV-50) | The numbered dealer bill of sale documenting each retail transaction and odometer notation. | Every deal |
| Statement of Transaction, Sale or Gift of Motor Vehicle (Form DTF-802) ↗ | Reports the sale for sales-tax purposes when tax is not collected by the dealer. | As needed |
| Claim for Sales and Use Tax Exemption (Form DTF-803) ↗ | Claims a sales-tax exemption (e.g., certain transfers or nonresident buyers). | As needed |
| In-Transit Permit / Title Application (Form MV-82ITP) ↗ | Issues a 30-day temporary in-transit registration to a buyer with no plate to transfer. | As needed |
Federal forms (every state)
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Odometer Disclosure Statement | Federal odometer disclosure on transfer, captured on the title/MV-50 for most vehicles. | Every deal |
| Buyers Guide (FTC) ↗ | The Used Car Rule window sticker disclosing warranty/as-is status; required on used-vehicle displays. | Every deal |
| IRS Form 8300 ↗ | Reports cash payments over $10,000 received in a single transaction. | As needed |
Temporary tags and dealer plates in New York
New York does not use paper temporary tags. A dealer transfers the buyer's existing plates, or, under the Dealer Plate Issuance Program, assigns a permanent registration plate or issues a 30-day In-Transit Permit ($12.50) to a buyer who has no plate to transfer. Program eligibility requires being registered at least one year with 25+ retail sales annually and good standing.
Where New York dealer forms come from
In New York the agency really is the DMV, so New York DMV forms and NY DMV forms mean the same thing. Everything below comes from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV), Office of Vehicle Safety and Clean Air.
- NY DMV, Open a Dealership ↗
- NY DMV, Dealers and Transporters ↗
- NY DMV, Dealer Bond form VS-3 (VTL §415(6-b)) ↗
Paperwork mistakes that cost dealers money
None of these are exotic. They are the four that turn up again and again in audits and in unwound deals.
- Assuming an older car is odometer exempt. The federal rule changed for model year 2011 and newer: those vehicles carry a 20 year disclosure window, not 10. Dealers who learned the old rule skip disclosures they still owe.
- A Buyers Guide that is not on the car. The Used Car Rule wants it displayed on the vehicle while it is offered for sale, not produced at signing. It also has to match what you actually agreed to sell, and the copy the buyer takes home governs over the contract if the two disagree.
- A title assigned in the wrong hand. Reassignments are limited, the signature has to match the name printed on the title, and a correction fluid fix voids it. That is a duplicate title application and weeks of delay.
- Paperwork that lives in a drawer. A form you filed but cannot find is a form you did not file, as far as an auditor is concerned. Store documents against the VIN, not in a filing cabinet by month.
New York dealer forms FAQ
What forms do car dealers need in New York?+
New York dealers use Original Facility Application (Form VS-1), Dealer Bond, VTL §415(6-b) (Form VS-3), Vehicle Registration/Title Application (Form MV-82), Retail Certificate of Sale (Form MV-50) and more, plus federal forms every dealer needs like the FTC Buyers Guide and the odometer disclosure. Each is listed below with its purpose and official link.
Where do I get official New York dealer forms?+
Download current forms directly from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV), Office of Vehicle Safety and Clean Air. Third-party copies go out of date, always pull the latest version from the official source linked on this page.
Is it the New York DMV that handles dealer forms?+
Yes. In New York the agency is the NY DMV, so "New York DMV forms" and "NY DMV forms" mean the same thing. The links on this page all point there.
Do I need an FTC Buyers Guide on every used car in New York?+
Yes. The federal Used Car Rule requires an as-is/warranty Buyers Guide displayed on every used vehicle offered for sale, in New York and every other state.
Does an old car still need an odometer disclosure?+
Usually, yes. The federal exemption changed for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, which now require disclosure for 20 model years instead of 10. A 2011 model still needs a disclosure through 2031, so treat "it's an old car" as a reason to check, not to skip.
How long should I keep New York deal paperwork?+
Keep the complete deal jacket, not just the forms you filed. State record-retention rules run for years and an audit or a customer dispute can land long after the sale. Loturn stores every document against the VIN so the jacket rebuilds itself.
Let the paperwork build itself
Loturn fills and stores your deal documents against each vehicle and customer, a complete, audit-ready deal jacket without the filing cabinet.
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