Check a car dealer's licence before you buy
New York and Connecticut require car dealers to be licensed by the state DMV. We list every new and used car dealer the DMV files show as unexpired, with the licence or facility number, dealer type, expiry date and, in New York, when the dealer was first registered.
- Licensed status from the official record, with the date we checked
- Dealer type (NY DMV)
- NY DMV facility number
- Registration status
- Registration expires
- Address and phone from the public record
No ratings for sale. Featured spots are labelled and never change the order.
How it works
Compiled from New York DMV: Facilities Licensed by the DMV (data.ny.gov nhjr-rpi2), Connecticut DMV: Licensed Automobile Dealers, Repairers, Leasing Companies and Manufacturers (data.ct.gov apne-w8c6), NY Attorney General: used car lemon law, Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 743f: used automobile warranties, FTC Used Car Rule (16 CFR Part 455).
Search your area
Every dealer in the public record for your city — not just the ones that paid to be listed.
Check the record
Licensed status, key facts and the date we last refreshed the data, on every profile.
Contact them directly
Call from the profile or send a message. We never sell your details.
Browse by state
Guides
Plain-English answers, with links to the official sources.
Our promise
What we will never do — for the people searching and for the businesses listed.
Are you a dealer?
Your listing already exists — it was built from public records. Claim it free to correct your details, or get featured in your city for $79/month. No per-lead fees.
Common questions
Do car dealers need a licence in New York and Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut's CGS §14-52 bars anyone from buying, selling or brokering motor vehicles as a business without a new or used car dealer's licence. New York regulates dealers under Vehicle and Traffic Law §415, and a person who sells more than five vehicles in a calendar year may be treated as a dealer and must register with the DMV.
Does a licence mean the dealer is reputable?
No. A licence shows the state has registered the business. It is not a rating of the dealer, its cars or its prices, and neither DMV file includes complaints.
Do I get a warranty on a used car?
Often, by law. New York's used car lemon law covers many used cars bought from a dealer with more than 18,000 and less than 100,000 miles and a price of at least $1,500. Connecticut requires a written warranty of at least 30 days or 1,500 miles ($3,000 to $4,999) or 60 days or 3,000 miles ($5,000 or more), except for cars seven or more years old.
Can I return a car within three days?
Not by federal law. The FTC says federal law doesn't require dealers to give buyers three days to cancel. A dealer may offer a return policy; get it in writing.
Why are some names abbreviated?
New York's DMV file stores facility names in two 20-character fields, so names are often shortened as the DMV records them. Dealers who claim their listing can correct how their name appears.
Is this site run by the state?
No. Car Dealer Check is an independent directory compiled from the New York and Connecticut DMVs' published open data.