Sec. 78.20. Issuance of temporary certificates of registration—Vehicle and Traffic Law, section 420

(a) A retail dealer must issue a temporary certificate of registration, form MV-TCR, to a customer who has another vehicle registered or who had another vehicle previously registered, who purchases a vehicle from the dealer, provided that the registration of such vehicle is eligible for transfer to the purchased vehicle and the number plates are appropriate. Form MV-TCR is valid for a period of 45 days from the date of issuance, or until the last day on which the registration may be used, whichever occurs first. A wholesale dealer may not issue or obtain from the department a temporary certificate of registration.

(b) A retail dealer must enter on the temporary certificate the registration number of the plate to be transferred, a description of the newly acquired vehicle, and the certificate must be appropriately completed by the dealer and purchaser. The original certificate shall be affixed to the windshield in the position designated for the windshield sticker if the motor vehicle has a windshield; if not, the certificate shall be delivered to the registrant who must carry it while operating the vehicle. Such temporary certificate must be issued at the time of the delivery of the vehicle.

(c) Under no circumstances may dealers issue temporary certificates:

(1) when lending a dealer plate to a customer;

(2) where the customer has plates of another state;

(3) when a vehicle is required to be inspected before it can be operated on the public highway and the vehicle does not bear a valid inspection sticker;

(4) if a bona fide sale has not been made; or

(5) where the certificate of sale has been checked “salvage.”

(d) A dealer may not issue more than one temporary certificate of registration (form MV- TCR) to the same person for the same vehicle. If it becomes necessary to issue a duplicate MV-50, a new MV-TCR may be issued with the same expiration date as the original.

(e) No dealer shall transfer a temporary certificate of registration (form MV-TCR) to another dealer or in blank to any person, except that unused certificates still attached to their MV-50 forms must be returned to the Department of Motor Vehicles.