subject: The Paperwork A Car Needs [print this page] The Paperwork A Car Needs The Paperwork A Car Needs
If you have just purchased a new car, there is a bit of paperwork that you will want to be aware of. You will need to have some of it to make the car legal and some of it, such as the New York Car insurance, to be allowed to drive. You want to make sure that all of this paperwork is in order before you go out on the street. If you get into an accident, the police will need to see some of it. You can be fined and ticketed if you do not have everything that you need. It is not smart even to drive carefully for a small distance since you can never know when someone else will make a mistake and hit you; if this happens and you do not have all of the right paperwork, you will be in trouble.
First, you need to have a driver's license. This seems quite obvious, but many people are fined every year for driving without one. If your license is suspended, you are not allowed to drive. The same is true if you do not have one yet. You also do not want to forget your license at home since you will have to go to court and prove that you have it if the police catch you -- and you can get fined.
Next, you need New York car insurance. This is mandatory so that other people are protected if you crash into them. You must have a policy that will at least pay for the repairs to their vehicle or their property. Larger plans provide more peace of mind because they will also pay to fix or replace your car. However, you must at least have this low level of insurance and have the papers with you in the car.
Beyond that, your car must be registered and have a license plate. You cannot drive an unregistered car under New York law. This is to cut back on crime. It is also to make it easy to figure out whose car is whose in the case of an accident. You will need to have the registration papers in the glove compartment in case you are pulled over, and you will need to have the license plate in its proper position on the back or front of the car. If you do not, the police will pull you over quickly.
Once you have all of the right paperwork, from your registration to your proof of legitimate New York car insurance, you can take your car out onto the road. You will have to show some or all of the paperwork to a police officer if you are ever pulled over.
