You need legal paperwork showing you were given the car such as a will or letter of testamentary OR the next of kin/surviving spouse can sign the title over to you. You always need a dtf802 form and a mv82 form. You can download the dmv forms from the dmv.ny.gov website.
You probably need a power of attorney to fill out the title deed to your name, then you need to go the DMV and fill out the form bill of sale, and state it was a gift. I'm guessing that's probably what you have to do.
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