You renew your registration and you are waiting for your new sticker to come when you get a ticket. “But I had it clearly displayed on the dashboard!” you think in indignation as you rush off to dispute it. And lo and behold, it comes back as guilty. What gives?

In New York, a registration sticker must be clearly displayed on your windshield at all times. Even if it’s a temporary registration sticker, it must be affixed to the windshield. So even though it may be clearly visible on your dashboard, it technically does not satisfy the law.

As per the NYS DMV, here is the proper way to display your dashboard stickers:

• You must remove all previous or expired stickers before you put the new sticker on your windshield or your vehicle plate.
• You must attach any windshield stickers to the lower left-hand corner of the inside of the windshield. When you see the windshield stickers from the driver seat, make sure that the registration sticker is located to the right side of the inspection sticker. Make sure that you put the sticker in a location that allows you to read the vehicle identification number (VIN) from the outside of the vehicle.
• If your vehicle does not have a windshield, you must keep the windshield sticker in the vehicle.

Keep these tips in mind to help keep both your vehicle and your wallet safe!