New York State Franchise Law for New Car Dealers

Dear GNYADA Member: At the end of the 2014 Legislative Session, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association’s key legislative agenda item—a revised Dealer Franchise Protection Law. The new Franchise Law adds nearly 20 new sections to the existing Law. These additions strengthen the rights of dealers with manufacturers. The amendments were necessary to address the ever- changing requirements that manufactures often put on dealers— requirements that can make your businesses less profitable and threaten its operation. We are pleased to provide you with this updated and revised guide to the New York State Motor Vehicle Dealer Franchise Act. This edition, created and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association for its members, includes and reflects the entire Franchise Law. What’s more, we’ve highlighted the most recent changes that became effective on June 16, 2014. GNYADA’s Franchise Law Guide includes the actual language of the law and is designed to help you understand the various provisions of the law. The Highlights section identifies relevant and noteworthy passages. Key Terms have been updated in the front of this guide, and the Detailed Index provides another way to access the statute’s provisions and can be found in the back of this brochure. We would like to thank several individuals who have assisted in preparing and updating this important resource for our members— franchise law expert Richard Sox of Bass Sox & Myers; members of our Albany lobbying firm of Wilson Elser, including Cindy Shenker, Douglas Clark, and Ryan Horstmyer; Stuart Rosenthal, GNYADA General Counsel and VP of Government Affairs; and Susan Bieber, GNYADA’s Director of Dealer Services. These and many other people were instrumental in helping us attain passage of these amendments. We hope that this publication provides all the important information you need regarding your rights under New York State Law to keep your business thriving for many years.

If you have questions or comments, we would be pleased to hear from you. Call us at 718.746.5900.

Mark Schienberg, President

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