§ 2104. Certificate of title required. (a) Every owner of a vehicle
which is in this state and is not excluded from provisions of this title
by section two thousand one hundred two of this article, and for which
no certificate of title has been issued by the commissioner shall make
application to the commissioner for a certificate of title of the
vehicle within thirty days after transfer to him of the vehicle;
provided, however, that a person may, but need not, make application to
the commissioner for a certificate of title for a fire truck designed,
used and maintained for fire service purposes and the transportation of
property in connection therewith owned and identified as being owned by
the state, a public authority, a county, town, city, village or fire
district, or a fire corporation subject to the provisions of paragraph
(e) of section fourteen hundred two of the not-for-profit corporation
law, or a fire company as defined in section one hundred of the general
municipal law.

(b) The commissioner shall not register or renew the registration of a
vehicle unless a certificate of title has been issued by the
commissioner to the owner or an application therefor has been made by
the owner and delivered to the commissioner.