New York Consolidated Laws, Vehicle and Traffic Law - VAT § 2104. Certificate of title required

(a) Every owner of a vehicle which is in this state and is not excluded from provisions of this title by section two thousand one hundred two of this article, and for which no certificate of title has been issued by the commissioner shall make application to the commissioner for a certificate of title of the vehicle within thirty days after transfer to him of the vehicle;  provided, however, that a person may, but need not, make application to the commissioner for a certificate of title for a fire truck designed, used and maintained for fire service purposes and the transportation of property in connection therewith owned and identified as being owned by the state, a public authority, a county, town, city, village or fire district, or a fire corporation subject to the provisions of paragraph (e) of section fourteen hundred two of the not-for-profit corporation law, or a fire company as defined in section one hundred of the general municipal law.

(b) The commissioner shall not register or renew the registration of a vehicle unless a certificate of title has been issued by the commissioner to the owner or an application therefor has been made by the owner and delivered to the commissioner.