What is the insurance lapse civil penalty option and how much is the penalty?
Under NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law, you have an option to pay a civil penalty when your registration is suspended for a lapse of insurance of 90 days or less and you have new insurance. If your insurance lapse is 90 days or less, you can: • surrender your plates until the suspension period ends, or • you can pay a civil penalty If you pay the civil penalty, you are not required to surrender your plates and serve the suspension period. This option can be used only once in 36 months. You cannot pay the civil penalty if the lapse of insurance is 91 days or more, a definite registration suspension has not been established, or if there is more than one suspension on your registration record.
