We don’t do automatic payment with our insurance so sometimes we don’t have enough to pay and twice we’d lapsed in three years. First time we paid the civil penalty on all three vehicles. This time? There’s a three year limit; we had to turn in the plates for eight days (the amount of lapsing) and wait while using a rental car.
My mother found out by getting pulled over and getting a ticket. We just got the new plates, new stickers, and are fine now. But she said when you pay the civil penalty you are cleared immediately in the system; if you get new plates and registration, is it the same? She said it can take up to three months until cops read that your registration is valid. I’m having an anxiety attack over this as I’ve never gotten pulled over and am terrified of cops and travel populated, cop traveled streets to my job.
Thanks.
And don’t say anything rude about lapsing. A cop who is our neighbour (but I’d feel funny asking) completely understood when we said we lapsed, and said he has before.
I’m by the Hudson river, like Upstate…ish. So yeah. It costs a fortune so it’s no wonder we keep running over. Thanks. 
not sure which part of NY you reside in, but as long as you have your registration inside your car, you should be fine.
cops can check all dmv records the moment it was put in.
also just a head up, do you have any relatives in upstate NY, if you do, put the location of your car at their address to get reduced rate. or just consider paying the insurance all at once.
also i’m from the tristate area, i know insurance around here costs a fortune.