New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 15 - Department of Motor Vehicles
Chapter I - REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
Subchapter B - Registration, Certificate of Title, and Number Plates
Part 17 - Number Plates
Section 17.4 - Placement of number plates and validating sticker

(a) One number plate shall be issued for motorcycles, motorcycle dealers and trailers and it shall be placed on the rear of the vehicle. Validating stickers issued for use on motorcycle and motorcycle dealer number plates shall be placed on the right side of such plate in the location provided. Validating stickers issued for use on trailer number plates shall be placed in the lower right-hand corner of such plate.

(b) Validating stickers issued for use on number plates issued for tractors shall be placed in the lower right-hand corner of the number plate attached to the front of the tractor, except upon the renewal of any such registrations which expire after September 30, 1972, and upon the original issuance of any such registration for any registration period commencing on and after November 1, 1972, the validating sticker which will be issued shall be a windshield sticker which will be placed on the vehicle as prescribed in subdivision (d) of this section.

(c) Validating stickers issued for use on all other plates shall be placed in the lower right-hand corner of the number plate attached to the rear of the vehicle, unless otherwise provided by these regulations, upon the renewal of any such registration which expires after September 30, 1972 and upon the original issuance of any such registration for any registration period commencing on and after November 1, 1972, except those registrations which expire on December 31, 1972, the validating sticker which will be issued will be a windshield sticker which will be placed on the vehicle as prescribed in subdivision (d) of this section.

(d) Windshield stickers shall be placed on the left-hand side of the inside front windshield to the right of the inspection sticker as viewed from the driver's seat in a position that will not obscure the vehicle identification number, except that on vehicles bearing a Department of Transportation inspection sticker, the windshield sticker shall be placed on the right-hand side of the inside front windshield to the left of the inspection sticker as viewed from the driver's seat. Any old or expired windshield stickers shall be removed before placement of a current validating sticker on the windshield. However, if a vehicle has no windshield, the sticker should be kept with the registration certificate and must be carried in the vehicle.

(e) No windshield sticker shall be required on a motor vehicle which would qualify for historical registration and which is not registered, but which displays a set of registration number plates issued for a historical motor vehicle under section 401(7)(g) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, while such motor vehicle is being operated for the purpose of test driving by the registrant or his agent in anticipation of possible purchase.