New York key facts
- What New York calls it: Bond under VTL 2105(d); Bonded Vehicle
- Bond amount: 1.5× vehicle value, rounded up to the next $1,000
- Valuation source: The value of the vehicle as determined by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (DMV Title Services Bureau).
- Term: 3 years; released earlier if the current title is surrendered to the Commissioner; not released if an action on the bond is pending or the title was surrendered to another state.
- Authority: N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 2105(d)
- Bond form: MV-994 Bond Under Section 2105(d) of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law (completed by the insurance company, signed by the attorney-in-fact and the owner); MV-82TON Application for Title Only; MV-51 Affidavit of Sale
- Agency: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Title Services Bureau, Albany
- Premium: $20 per $1,000 of bond ($100 minimum) + $85 administrative fee, paid once for the full term
What a New York title bond does
When you hold a vehicle but cannot produce a properly assigned certificate of title, New York will not issue a new title on your word alone. Under N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 2105(d), the state accepts a surety bond in place of the missing proof of ownership. The bond, which New York calls a bond under vtl 2105(d), promises that anyone who later proves a better claim to the vehicle (a prior owner, a lienholder, a subsequent purchaser) will be paid their loss up to the bond amount. On the strength of that promise New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Title Services Bureau, Albany issues a title in your name. It is a real title: you can register, insure, drive and sell the vehicle. The only difference is a brand on the face of the title that lapses when the bond term runs without a claim.
Three parties sign on. You are the principal. New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and every potential claimant are the obligees. Surety One, Inc. is the surety that guarantees your claim. If the surety ever pays, it looks to you under the indemnity agreement in the application, which is why we ask for evidence of how you came to possess the vehicle before issuing.
How much bond do you need in New York?
New York fixes the penal sum at 1.5× vehicle value. We round up to the next $1,000 because sureties issue in whole thousands and the DMV never objects to a bond that exceeds the requirement.
At $20 per $1,000 that $13,000 bond carries a premium of $260.00, plus the $85 administrative fee, for a total of $345.00 covering the full 3-year term. Nothing renews and nothing is refunded; the premium is fully earned when the bond is executed.
Where the value comes from. The value of the vehicle as determined by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (DMV Title Services Bureau).
How to get a bonded title in New York
- The Commissioner may register the vehicle and withhold the title, or require a bond; posting a bond does not oblige the DMV to issue a title.
- Bonded vehicle applications must be mailed to Title Services and are not handled at DMV offices.
- Non-titled vehicles (cars, trucks and vans of model year 1972 and older; boats 1986 and older or under 14 ft; trailers 1972 and older or 999 lbs or less) use a transferable registration and MV-51B instead of a bonded title.
- The DMV also describes a certified-letter and notarized-affidavit route that yields a non-transferable registration.
Once the bond is in hand, file it with the title application at New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Title Services Bureau, Albany. The executed bond carries the surety's power of attorney, is signed and witnessed as the state requires, and matches the vehicle description on your application exactly. Any discrepancy between the bond and the application (a transposed VIN digit, a name that does not match your ID) is the most common reason a bonded title is rejected.
New York title bond FAQ
How much is a title bond in New York?
What does New York call the bond?
Who sets the vehicle value in New York?
How long does a New York bonded title bond last?
Which form does New York use?
Can I get a New York title bond with bad credit?
Primary sources
- N.Y. Veh. & Traf. Law § 2105(d)
- Official form: MV-994 Bond Under Section 2105(d) of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law (completed by the insurance company, signed by the attorney-in-fact and the owner)
- New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Title Services Bureau, Albany
- dmv.ny.gov
Statutes, rules and forms change. Content last reviewed November 5, 2026; confirm the current requirement with the agency before buying a bond when the DMV has not yet stated your amount. Confidence in this page's figures: medium-high.
Related state pages
Written and reviewed by C. Constantin Poindexter, MA, JD, CPCU, AFSB, ASLI, ARe, AINS, AIS, CPLP, founder of Surety One, Inc. and CEO of Janus Assurance Re, with more than thirty years of surety and reinsurance underwriting experience. Author of The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds. Reflects state law and DMV practice as of November 5, 2026. More about the author →
New York title bond quote
Pick the state, enter the vehicle's value, and the statutory multiplier does the rest. Rounded up to the next $1,000.
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Questions about an unusual file: an out-of-state record, a lien that will not release, a vehicle over $25,000 in bond?
Paper route
Prefer to print? Vehicle Title Bond Application (PDF), Bill of Sale template and, for bonds of $25,000 and greater, the Personal Financial Statement. Email the package to Underwriting@SuretyOne.com.