Upon the death of an owner of a vehicle subject to registration, its registration shall continue in force as a valid registration until the end of the registration period for which the license plate or sticker was issued, or until the ownership of the vehicle is transferred before the end of such registration period by the executor or administrator of the estate of the deceased owner or by a legatee or distributee of the estate, or until the ownership thereof is transferred to a new owner before the end of such registration period by the survivor of two joint owners thereof.