What's happening
This bill requires bicycles advertised for sale or resale in New York to display a serial number and photo, with penalties for noncompliance.
Why it matters
Enhances traceability and theft prevention. By requiring both a visible serial number and a photo with at least the last four digits displayed in all resale advertisements, the bill makes it easier for buyers, law enforcement, and victims of theft to identify and track stolen bicycles.
Holds individual sellers accountable, not online platforms. The law specifically targets sellers (including those using online marketplaces) but exempts marketplace operators themselves, focusing enforcement and penalties on the people actually listing the bikes, not the platforms hosting the ads.
Implements a warning-before-penalty system. Sellers who fail to comply first receive a warning with compliance information, giving them a chance to correct mistakes before facing fines—balancing enforcement with education.
Potentially impacts the secondhand bike market. By introducing new compliance steps and potential penalties, the bill could affect how easily and frequently bikes are resold, possibly reducing the flow of stolen bikes but also increasing the administrative burden for legitimate resellers.
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Who cares
Bicycle shops and individual resellers
Resale ads for bicycles manufactured or assembled on or after January 1, 1989, would need a bicycle photograph and at least the last four digits of its identifying serial number clearly displayed.
Third-party online sellers
Sellers using online marketplaces would be covered by the bicycle sale and resale requirements, while marketplace owners and operators would be exempt.
New York secretary of state
The bill would require compliance warnings and authorize civil penalties of up to $250 per noncompliant point of sale for continued violations after a warning.
Headline styles
List Bike Serial Numbers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A852B
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.539
- Referred to consumer protection
- Committed to rules
- Amended on third reading 1541a
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.941
- Referred to consumer protection
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Serial Numbers in Ads
Passed Senate · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1541--A Cal. No. 941
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2025
Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer Protection -reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first and second report, ordered to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring bicycles advertised for sale or resale in New York state to have an identifying serial number
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 1-a of section 391-c of the general business law, as added by chapter 6 of the laws of 1986, is amended and three new paragraphs (d), (e) and (f) are added to read as follows:
(a) No bicycle manufactured or assembled on or after January first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine shall be sold [or], offered for sale, or offered and advertised for resale in this state unless it has an identifying serial number that distinguishes that bicycle from all other bicycles of that same make and model permanently and visibly engraved or stamped in readily legible boldfaced figures at least one-eighth [inches] of an inch in height on the top surface of the top crossbar or of the uppermost cross support of the bicycle frame or on the head tube or on the toeplate not obstructed by the derailleur or gear wheels or on the crank hanger; or, on a label, shield or plate permanently affixed in any of the foregoing locations in such a manner that the serial number will be readily visible and that such label, plate or shield cannot be removed without being defaced or destroyed.
(d) No bicycle manufactured or assembled on or after January first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine shall be advertised for resale in this state unless a photograph of the bicycle and at least the last four
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03270-04-5
digits of its identifying serial number are clearly and conspicuously posted in such advertisement for sale.
(e) If any person or entity fails to comply with the requirements of this subdivision, the secretary of state shall issue such person or entity a warning, that includes but is not limited to, information on compliance with this subdivision. If the person or entity continues to fail to comply with the requirements of this subdivision subsequent to receiving such warning, the secretary of state may assess a civil penalty not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars per point of sale which fails to comply with the requirements of this subdivision.
(f) A third party seller using an online marketplace shall be considered a person or entity who offers for sale or offers and advertises for resale a bicycle covered by this section, provided however, the owner or operator of such online marketplace shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the general business law, in relation to requiring bicy- cles advertised for sale or resale in New York state to have an identi- fying serial number
PURPOSE::
To require that bicycles be advertised for resale with their identifying serial number.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section one amends section 391-c of the general business law to require that no bicycles may be advertised for resale unless the last four digits of the bicycle's identifying serial number and a clear photo of the bicycle is included and posted in the advertisement.
*The A-print of this legislation clarifies the requirement for partial serial numbers.*
JUSTIFICATION::
Current law prohibits the sale of any bicycle in New York that does not have an identifying serial number. It is estimated that every thirty seconds, a bicycle is stolen in the United States, amounting to about two million annual thefts. The NYPD has reported a 30% increase in bicy- cle thefts during the pandemic. Bicycle owners may register their bike's serial numbers into national databases such as Bikelndex.org. However, there exists a gap in the law for protecting prospective buyers from inadvertently purchasing a stolen bike. This legislation would require bicycles to be advertised for resale with their serial numbers, thereby allowing potential buyers to search the serial number prior to making a purchase. This requirement will give buyers peace of mind and would also aid law enforcement in identifying stolen bicycles.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
2023-2024 - S.6479-A (May) / A.4076-B (Paulin)
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE::
On, the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.