Common questions about registrations, titles and plates

No. Long Island Express Tags is an independent DMV service business, licensed by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV). We are not a government agency or an official DMV office. We prepare, review and submit paperwork on our customers' behalf, and our service fee is separate from any government fee.

No. Walk-in customers are welcome during office hours. An appointment simply reserves time for larger transactions or for paperwork you would like reviewed before you come in. You can request one on our appointment page without creating an account.

For most registration and title transactions, no — the paperwork and identification are what we need. If a transaction requires the vehicle to be present we will tell you when we confirm your documents.

Our published services are the ones we are currently able to provide. If you need something that is not listed, call the office — availability varies and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.

Typically photo identification, proof of New York insurance for the vehicle, and the ownership documents (title, certificate of origin or dealer paperwork). Private purchases also need a bill of sale and sales tax information. Your service page lists the common items, and we confirm the exact list for your situation.

In most cases, yes. Bring your identification and proof of insurance and we will check the current status of the registration before processing the renewal.

New York requires the vehicle to be insured in New York in the registrant's name. Bring proof of that insurance — a policy for another state is not enough for a New York registration.

Possibly, depending on the relationship and the documentation. A parent, spouse or family member transaction is handled differently from an unrelated person's vehicle. Call us with the details and we will explain what is required.

Yes. A duplicate title request is one of our regular services. Bring identification and any registration or ownership information you have, and we will prepare the duplicate title application.

This is common, and it can stall a transfer. Bring the title in and we will tell you whether it can be corrected with a statement or whether the seller needs to request a replacement title.

Both involve specific supporting documents — a sales tax statement for a gift, or estate documents for an inheritance. We review what you have and prepare the transfer once the documentation lines up.

You will need the release from your lender. Bring the title and the release letter and we will prepare the documentation to clear the lien.

Yes. Tell us whether the plates were lost, stolen or damaged. If they were stolen, a police report number helps. We prepare the replacement request.

Yes — out-of-state vehicles are a core part of our business. Requirements differ by state and by transaction, so bring the out-of-state title or registration, the purchase documents and proof of New York insurance, and we will review what applies to your vehicle.

Yes. We process registrations and title work for dealerships, wholesalers and fleet operators, including multiple-vehicle batches and out-of-state dealer paperwork. Use the business inquiry form on our dealer services page.

Yes. Those are published services, along with specialty plate applications. Bring the ownership or certificate of origin documents and we will confirm what else is needed.

Our service fee depends on the transaction, and it is separate from the government fees owed to the DMV. Call the office with your transaction and we will explain both before anything is processed.

Some transactions are completed at our counter; others depend on state processing. Processing times are set by the DMV and vary by transaction, so we do not guarantee completion times, approvals or same-day service.

Online payment is not available yet. Call the office to confirm the payment methods accepted for your transaction.