Rhode Island

Rhode Island General Laws — Title 31, Motor and Other Vehicles

1,125 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.

• § 31-3-10 — Issuance of registration plates
• § 31-3-100 — General Magistrate Emeritus — John J
• § 31-3-101 — Special electric and hybrid electric vehicle registration plate designation
• § 31-3-102 — Special plate for the Boston Bruins Foundation
• § 31-3-103 — Olympic medal winners
• § 31-3-104 — Special plate in honor of César E
• § 31-3-105 — Special plate for Rhode Island private colleges and universities
• § 31-3-106 — Special plate for the Dorian J
• § 31-3-107 — Police chief emeritus — Ernest Spaziano
• § 31-3-108 — Special plate for The Rocky Point Foundation, Inc
• § 31-3-109 — Special plate for Rhode Island public colleges and universities
• § 31-3-11 — Contents of registration plate
• § 31-3-11.1 — Permanent registration and plates
• § 31-3-110 — Special plate for the Lupus Foundation New England
• § 31-3-111 — Gold Star Families
• § 31-3-112 — Special plate for Gaspee Days Committee
• § 31-3-113 — Special plate for Operation Stand Down RI
• § 31-3-114 — Special plate for the Rhode Island Agricultural Council
• § 31-3-115 — Special plate for the Rhode Island Salt Water Anglers Foundation
• § 31-3-116 — Special plate for the Ocean State Animal Coalition
• § 31-3-117 — Minimum prepaid special motor vehicle registration plate orders
• § 31-3-118 — Special plate for Day of Portugal and Portuguese Heritage in RI, Inc
• § 31-3-119 — Special plate for Narragansett Council, Boy Scouts of America
• § 31-3-12 — Visibility of plates
• § 31-3-120 — Police chief emeritus — Gary Malikowski
• § 31-3-121 — Judge emeritus — Stephen J
• § 31-3-122 — Special plate for Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
• § 31-3-123 — Special plate for Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• § 31-3-124 — Special plate for The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, Inc
• § 31-3-125 — Special plate for the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association
• § 31-3-126 — Special plate for Atlantic Shark Institute
• § 31-3-127 — Special plate for Dyslexia Advocacy Rhode Island
• § 31-3-128 — Special plate for the Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc
• § 31-3-129 — Special plate for the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation
• § 31-3-13 — Plates for rental or leased vehicles
• § 31-3-130 — Special plate for the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association
• § 31-3-131 — Special plate for the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Inc
• § 31-3-14 — Bailee and in transit plates
• § 31-3-15 — Special plates for state officers and mayors
• § 31-3-16 — General assembly plates
• § 31-3-17 — Volunteer fire company plates
• § 31-3-17.1 — Courtesy plates
• § 31-3-17.2 — Civil defense plates
• § 31-3-17.3 — Temporary plates
• § 31-3-17.4 — Firefighter plates
• § 31-3-18 — Display of plates — Penalties
• § 31-3-19 — Registration of race cars
• § 31-3-2 — Vehicles subject to registration
• § 31-3-2.1 — Out-of-state motorized bicycles
• § 31-3-2.2 — Registration of motorcycles, motorized bicycles, and motorized tricycles
• § 31-3-20 — Operation with manufacturer’s or dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-20.1 — Operation with auto body repair shop plates
• § 31-3-21 — Use of bailee, transporter, and in transit plates
• § 31-3-22 — Service vehicles owned by dealer
• § 31-3-23 — Application for dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-23.1 — Limitation on number of plates
• § 31-3-24 — Dealer’s certificate
• § 31-3-25 — Issuance of dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-25.1 — Cost of dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-25.2 — Issuance of motorcycle dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-25.3 — Issuance of boat dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-26 — Expiration of dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-27 — Responsibility for use of dealer’s plates
• § 31-3-28 — Rules and regulations as to plates
• § 31-3-29 — Licensing of tow cars and tow trucks
• § 31-3-3 — Application for registration
• § 31-3-3.1 — Notice to division of motor vehicles of vehicle lease agreement
• § 31-3-30 — Accident chasing by tow trucks
• § 31-3-31 — Registration of farm vehicles
• § 31-3-31.1 — Registration of street rods
• § 31-3-31.2 — Custom vehicles — Definition — Registration and fees
• § 31-3-31.3 — Registration of specially constructed vehicles
• § 31-3-31.4 — Registration of forestry vehicles — Use of farm plates
• § 31-3-32 — Expiration of registration
• § 31-3-33 — Renewal of registration
• § 31-3-34 — Notice of change of address
• § 31-3-35 — Notice of change of name
• § 31-3-36 — Replacement of lost or mutilated registration card or plates
• § 31-3-37 — Assignment of new identifying numbers
• § 31-3-38 — Change of engines
• § 31-3-39 — Amateur radio operator plates
• § 31-3-4 — Proof of payment of sales or use tax
• § 31-3-40 — Special use identification tags
• § 31-3-41 — Return of registration card and plates — Receipt
• § 31-3-42 — Camper plates
• § 31-3-43 — Sheriffs’ department plates
• § 31-3-44 — Ambulance or rescue vehicles
• § 31-3-45 — Police motorcycle plates
• § 31-3-45.1 — Police registration plates
• § 31-3-46 — P.O.W
• § 31-3-47 — Judiciary plates
• § 31-3-48 — Plates for recipients of Purple Heart
• § 31-3-48.1 — Plates for recipients of Distinguished Service Cross
• § 31-3-48.2 — Plates for recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
• § 31-3-49 — Chief Judge Emeritus — Charles F
• § 31-3-5 — Grounds for refusal of registration
• § 31-3-50 — Chief Judge Emeritus 8 — William R
• § 31-3-51 — Police Chief Emeritus — Matthew Lynch
• § 31-3-52 — Certificate of prior use
• § 31-3-53 — Veterans’ plates
• § 31-3-54 — Police Chief Emeritus — John C
• § 31-3-56 — Congressman Emeritus — Fernand J
• § 31-3-57 — Police Chief Emeritus — John T
• § 31-3-58 — Judge Emeritus — Edward J
• § 31-3-59 — House Emeritus — Irving Levin
• § 31-3-59.1 — Congressman Emeritus — Edward Beard
• § 31-3-6 — List of vehicles on which taxes delinquent — Denial of registration
• § 31-3-6.1 — List of vehicles and licenses on which taxes delinquent — Denial of renewal of registration and licenses
• § 31-3-6.1.1 — Denial of registration — Denial of transfer of registration — Failure to file tax returns and/or pay taxes
• § 31-3-6.2 — List of vehicles and licenses on which court costs owed delinquent — Denial of renewal of registration and licenses
• § 31-3-6.3 — Unpaid out-of-state toll amounts, administrative fees, and fines — Denial of registration — Denial of transfer of registration — Denial of renewal of registration and licenses
• § 31-3-60 — Alternative design plates
• § 31-3-61 — Fire Chief Emeritus — Gerald Landry
• § 31-3-61.1 — Fire Chief Emeritus — Frank M
• § 31-3-62 — National Guard plates
• § 31-3-63 — High Sheriff Emeritus — Anthony A
• § 31-3-64 — Combination plates
• § 31-3-65 — Judge Emeritus — Paul DelNero
• § 31-3-67 — Judge Emeritus — Carmine R
• § 31-3-68 — Police Chief Emeritus — Vincent A
• § 31-3-69 — Registration suspension based on federal determination
• § 31-3-7 — Registration — Indexing of records
• § 31-3-70 — Police Lieutenant Emeritus — John J
• § 31-3-71 — Chief Justice Emeritus — Joseph R
• § 31-3-72 — Special plate for Mr
• § 31-3-73 — Police Major Emeritus, City of East Providence
• § 31-3-74 — Police chief emeritus
• § 31-3-75 — Senator Emeritus — William Zuccarelli
• § 31-3-76 — Special license plate decal
• § 31-3-77 — Adjutant General Emeritus — Reginald A
• § 31-3-78 — Special plate for Rotary International
• § 31-3-79 — Special plate for Audubon Society of Rhode Island/Save the Bay
• § 31-3-8 — Registration card — Contents
• § 31-3-80 — Reserve Forces plates
• § 31-3-81 — General state officers emeritus
• § 31-3-82 — Special plate for WaterFire Providence
• § 31-3-83 — Judge Emeritus — Vincent A
• § 31-3-84 — Special plate in honor of Dr
• § 31-3-85 — Special plate for the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation
• § 31-3-86 — Special plate for Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse, Inc
• § 31-3-87 — Special plate for breast cancer support
• § 31-3-88 — Special plate in support of public education
• § 31-3-89 — Rhode Island law enforcement memorial benefit fund license plates
• § 31-3-9 — Registration card carried in vehicle
• § 31-3-90 — Special plate for the Red Sox Foundation
• § 31-3-91 — Special plate for the Bristol Fourth of July Committee
• § 31-3-92 — Judge Emeritus — Raymond E
• § 31-3-93 — Special plate for the Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer Resource Foundation
• § 31-3-94 — Expiration of authorization of issuance of special motor vehicle plates
• § 31-3-95 — Special plate for Woonsocket high school arts and athletics
• § 31-3-96 — Emergency medical technician plates
• § 31-3-97 — Special plate for home and hospice care of Rhode Island
• § 31-3-98 — Special plate for the Autism Project of Rhode Island
• § 31-3-99 — Special plate for the wildlife rehabilitators association of Rhode Island (WRARI)
• § 31-31-1 — Administration — Rules and regulations
• § 31-31-2 — Appeals from division of motor vehicles
• § 31-31-22 — Matters not to be evidenced in civil suits
• § 31-31-3 — Abstracts of operating records
• § 31-32-1 — Applicability
• § 31-32-10 — Suspension for nonpayment of judgment
• § 31-32-11 — Exception in relation to certain vehicles
• § 31-32-12 — Exception when consent granted by judgment creditor
• § 31-32-13 — Exception when insurer liable
• § 31-32-14 — Duration of suspension for unsatisfied judgment
• § 31-32-15 — Discharge in bankruptcy
• § 31-32-16 — Payment sufficient to satisfy requirements
• § 31-32-17 — Installment payment of judgments
• § 31-32-18 — Action on default
• § 31-32-19 — Proof required for each registered vehicle
• § 31-32-2 — “Proof of financial responsibility for the future” defined
• § 31-32-20 — Alternate methods of giving proof
• § 31-32-21 — Certificate of insurance as proof
• § 31-32-22 — Certificate furnished by nonresident as proof
• § 31-32-23 — Default by nonresident insurer
• § 31-32-24 — “Motor vehicle liability policy” defined
• § 31-32-25 — Notice of cancellation or termination of certified policy
• § 31-32-26 — Chapter not to affect other policies
• § 31-32-27 — Bond as proof
• § 31-32-28 — Recorded bond constitutes a lien
• § 31-32-29 — Action on bond
• § 31-32-3 — Definitions
• § 31-32-30 — Money or securities as proof
• § 31-32-31 — Application of deposit
• § 31-32-32 — Owner may give proof for others
• § 31-32-33 — Substitution of proof
• § 31-32-34 — Requiring additional proof
• § 31-32-35 — Duration of proof — Cancellation or return
• § 31-32-36 — Three-year requirement construed
• § 31-32-4 — Proof required under certain circumstances
• § 31-32-5 — Suspension until proof furnished
• § 31-32-6 — Action in respect to unlicensed person
• § 31-32-7 — Action in respect to nonresidents
• § 31-32-8 — Courts to report nonpayment of judgments
• § 31-32-9 — Division of motor vehicles to notify licensing state
• § 31-33-1 — Accident reports
• § 31-33-10 — Statement as to liability insurance not included in sale of vehicle
• § 31-33-11 — Proof of responsibility for registration of vehicles owned by minors
• § 31-33-12 — Proof of responsibility for registration of vehicles for hire
• § 31-33-13 — Proof of responsibility to obtain dealers’ plates
• § 31-33-14 — Return of registration plates on disposing of vehicle