BILL NUMBER: S1612
SPONSOR: BORRELLO
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to providing a
space on a certificate of title for an owner to designate a beneficiary
to whom the vehicle shall be transferred upon the death of the owner
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill is intended to simplify the process of transferring ownership
of a motor vehicle to a person designated by the owner prior to that
individual's death.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill amends Section 2108 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law
(vTL) by replacing the current subdivision (c) with a new subdivision
(c) and relettering the existing subdivisions (c), (d), and (e) accord-
ingly. The new subdivision (c) would require a certificate of title to
provide space for an owner to designate a beneficiary to whom a vehicle
could be transferred upon the death of the owner.
Section 2 of the bill amends subdivision (a) of Section 2113 of the VTL
by instituting a conforming change and providing for a statement by the
transferor that he or she is unaware of any lien or other encumbrance on
the vehicle being transferred.
Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Currently, the primary mechanisms for an owner of a motor vehicle to
have a vehicle transferred to a specific beneficiary upon the death of
that owner is by a duly probated will or through a trust. Many vehicle
owners do not have wills or trusts and for those who do the process of
transferring a vehicle through such a mechanism can often be cumbersome.
This bill seeks to simplify the process for transferring a motor vehicle
upon the death of the owner by establishing a mechanism to do so direct-
ly on the vehicle title document.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
06580 - Referred to transportation 01/08/20
A5898 - 04/25/22 held for consideration in transportation 2023:
S5929/A2009 Referred to transportation
2024: S5929/A2009 Referred to transportation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Unknown.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date upon which it shall have become a law.

Statutes affected:
S1612: 2113 vehicle and traffic law