Rhode Island
Vehicle Resource Center
Rhode Island is a small state but includes more than 750,000 licensed drivers within its borders. With so many different drivers traveling its limited roadways, the state relies on strict laws and regulations to maintain order. Drivers and vehicle owners in Rhode Island must understand the state rules to be successful.
Ownership and Maintenance
Keeping up with ownership and maintenance requirements as a vehicle owner in Rhode Island means renewing the registration, maintaining proper insurance coverage, and more.
In Rhode Island, both safety and emissions inspections are required at least once every other year. These inspections are completed at service stations and are handled by licensed mechanics at private shops rather than at government-run facilities.
Owners can opt to have one-year or two-year inspections completed, and they will pay different fees depending on what they decide. Inspections must be completed before the old inspection expires, or there may be issues renewing the vehicle's registration.
Rhode Island is an at-fault state when it comes to automobile accidents. This means drivers who are at fault for an accident are responsible for paying for all the damages caused. For this reason, all vehicle owners are required to maintain liability car insurance, as well as uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance.
Minimum Insurance Requirements
All owners who meet the following insurance minimum requirements can avoid fines and trouble from law enforcement:
Vehicle owners who maintain at least the insurance figures mentioned above are legally insured. There is always a risk that an accident will do more damage than what's covered by insurance. If this happens, the driver can be sued and face major additional costs. This is why many drivers opt to purchase higher coverage amounts.
Get more vehicle insurance specifics on this legal informational page.
Rhode Island residents must renew their vehicle's registration each year. Most residents choose to renew online via the renewal portal to streamline the renewal process.
To successfully renew a Rhode Island registration, owners need the following:
Any vehicle owners with the above information should have no issues renewing their registration as long as they have the required fees. The registration cost is determined based on the vehicle's weight, age, and fixed DOT surcharges. Owners can use their renewal notice to determine the renewal cost or contact the DMV to learn more.
Renew Online
Online renewals only take a few minutes and begin on this home page. The process is completed by providing a Driver's license number, name, and birth date and paying using a credit card. The process is simpler online than in person, but it's not possible to update any license information, upgrade to a REAL ID, or update the photo when using this option.
Renew In-Person
Drivers can renew their Rhode Island license at one of the many DMV locations throughout the state. When renewing in person, the driver will be asked to take a vision test, update their license photo, and supply identification documentation.
Drivers must bring a completed Application for License form with the necessary renewal sections complete.
Driver's License Renewal
The standard renewal fee is $62.50 for a 5-year renewal. There are lower fees for different types and lengths of licenses.
Get more details about all the different license fees with the Rhode Island DMV License Fee Schedule.
Registration Renewal
Rhode Island has fixed administration fees of $2.50 and $15.00 and variable registration fees that are based on the model year and weight of the vehicle.
Inspection Costs
A standard 2-year inspection costs $55.00 with both safety and emissions checks. More inspection fees are listed on this government fee page.
Buying & Selling
When buying or selling vehicles in Rhode Island, it's essential to follow the state's procedures closely. Doing so helps buyers and sellers avoid legal issues and stay protected.
Obtain a Clean Title
The seller must have a clean title to trade the buyer when selling the vehicle. If the title is lost or damaged, it is possible to obtain a duplicate by submitting form TR-2 to the DMV. There is a $52.50 fee to obtain a duplicate title, but having one will make selling the vehicle far easier.
Take Off the License Plates
Vehicles should never be sold with their license plates on in Rhode Island. Only the seller is allowed to use those plates, and leaving them on the vehicle will cause issues. That's why it's essential to remove the plates before the buyer leaves with the vehicle. Ideally, the seller should remove the plates before the buyer arrives. The plates must be returned to the DMV to show that the vehicle is no longer in use.
Research the Vehicle
No purchase should be completed without researching the vehicle carefully. The Rhode Island buyer should start by using a powerful Vehicle History Search or Vehicle VIN Check from GoodCar to learn all about the vehicle. These searches offer in-depth reports on ownership history, open recalls, title brands, odometer values, accident history, specifications and features, and more.
Get a Bill of Sale
While the seller should provide the Bill of Sale, all buyers should ensure they have the official form from the state and that it's filled out by the seller to verify the vehicle sale, purchase price, and date.
Obtain a Completed Certificate of Title
It's the buyer's responsibility to obtain a valid Certificate of Title from the seller. That means checking the title's VIN and comparing it to the vehicle’s to verify they match. The title must be fully filled out by the seller, or it cannot be used when titling and registering the vehicle later.
Acquire Insurance Coverage
Work with an insurance agent in Rhode Island to obtain liability coverage on the purchased vehicle before going to a local DMV and registering and titling the vehicle. Proof of insurance may be required when attempting to register the vehicle, so it is better to have this step completed.
Title and Register the Vehicle
Acquire the Application for Registration and fill in both the registration and title sections. This is the form that is used to title and register the vehicle. Bring the form, the Bill of Sale, proof of insurance, the original Certificate of Title to the DMV to title and register the purchased vehicle.
When titling and registering a purchased vehicle in Rhode Island, there are title fees, registration fees, and taxes to be paid. All buyers must pay a 7% sales tax on the purchase price of the vehicle, making Rhode Island one of the most expensive locations to purchase used vehicles in the country. There is a new title fee of $52.50, and registration fees are based on the weight and age of the vehicle, which will be determined by the official.
Laws and Regulations
Rhode Island maintains order by having strict automobile laws. All residents, as well as any drivers who travel through the state, must understand the laws well.
Rhode Island has a highly structured set of DUI (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol) laws. Drivers found to be driving with too much alcohol in their system or controlled substances are charged with a DUI and face jail time, fines, community service, license suspension, and drug counseling programs. A DUI conviction can be a criminal conviction, and repeat offenders or drivers with higher levels of alcohol in their system face more significant charges.
The DUI Limits
Drivers are found guilty by way of a breathalyzer test for most suspects. They breathe into a specialized device that is calibrated to determine how much alcohol is in the individual's system. If the person's BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is too high, they are charged with a DUI and face a long list of penalties3
Charges Divided By Severity
In Rhode Island, DUI charges are divided based on the BAC of the individual. Drivers who are just barely over the minimum BAC limit are given less harsh punishments, while drivers who far exceed the minimum limit are given more serious punishments.
Get more details about Rhode Island DWI laws from this informational page provided by the National College for DUI Defense.
In Rhode Island, all passengers in a vehicle must be buckled with an appropriate safety harness. The seat belt laws in the state are primary, and drivers can be pulled over if there are any seatbelt violations in the vehicle. The driver is held responsible for seatbelt violations within the vehicle and is ticketed more heavily if there is a child in the vehicle of age eight or younger who isn't buckled properly.
Child Safety Laws
All children age eight and younger must be restrained using a proper child safety seat based on their age and size.
Rear-Facing Car Seats
Children age two or younger and less than 30 pounds should be restrained using a rear-facing car seat. They should only be graduated to a front-facing car seat when they exceed the weight and height limits of the seat.
Forward-Facing Car Seats
For children older than two and above 30 pounds, it may be time to switch to a front-facing car seat with a five-point harness system. These seats clearly list their weight restrictions and often height limits as well. Children should remain in these seats until they are older than four and they exceed the limits listed on the seat.
Booster Seats
A booster seat is meant for children older than four who are under 57 inches tall and typically less than 80 pounds. Children must remain in a booster seat until they are at least eight years old, and it's recommended they remain in the seat until they reach 57 inches in height, even if they must wait until they are older.
Not following the seat belt laws result in fines of $40 for adults and $85 for minors.
Tinting windows is an excellent way to make vehicles more private, but there are major limitations when tinting vehicles in Rhode Island. The state allows drivers to add any non-reflective tint over the AS-1 line on the windshield, but all other windows must always allow at least 70% of visible light to pass through. This means the windows may only have a light tint applied. Failure to follow this law may result in fines and trouble from law enforcement. See the Rhode Island tint page for more info.
In Rhode Island, there is a Lemon Law protecting new car owners with vehicles that have fewer than 15,000 miles while also being less than 12 months old. Vehicles that fall into this category are protected by the Lemon Law, providing consumers with legal options if the vehicle has significant manufacturer defects.
What is a Lemon?
A vehicle can be classified as a lemon if it's new enough, it is used for personal purposes, it has major safety defects, and the manufacturer makes multiple efforts to repair the vehicle without success.
The minute major defects are detected, the buyer is responsible for informing the manufacturer of the problems via certified mail. This is the start of communication with the company and serves as the starting point for resolving the issue. From that initial communication point, the manufacturer can attempt to repair the same issue up to four times before the vehicle is said to be a lemon. If the same repair fails four or more times, or the vehicle is in garages for repairs by the manufacturer for 30 days or longer, it is a lemon.
Refund or Replacement
Once a Rhode Island vehicle is designated as a lemon, it's possible to sue the manufacturer and get the company to refund the purchase price of the vehicle or to replace it. The legal process can be daunting, but a good attorney can guide consumers through the process successfully.
Learn more about the Rhode Island Lemon Law via this government legal page.
Useful Things to Know
In addition to effective maintenance and legal advice, this guide has extras that make being a driver a bit easier. Get access to EV charging stations, the driving guide, DMV locations, and more with these extras.
Find EV Charge Points
All Rhode Island vehicle owners with electric vehicles should learn where the nearest charging stations are located. Drivers should spend time using this search tool to locate the closest charging points to recharge if the battery becomes low during an extended drive: EV Charge Station Locator
Rhode Island Operator's Manuals
New drivers and experienced veterans can both get updated information from the different operator's manuals available on this government web page: Rhode Island Driver Operator Manuals
DMV Locations
Find the nearest DMV locations and get help for most vehicle services in person: Rhode Island DMV Locations
Rhode Island Crash Statistics
Rhode Island is a relatively safe state that only had 63 car accident fatalities in 2021 despite having more than 761.000 active drivers throughout the state. Even though the state is among the top 5 safest states in the US, there are still many avoidable accidents each year. Drivers should learn more specific accident data to prepare. Get a complete look using Rhode Island accident data from GoodCar.
Get the Latest Rhode Island Vehicle Information with GoodCar
Rhode Island vehicle owners owe it to themselves to have the most up-to-date information about state laws, maintenance requirements, recalls, and more. Refer to this useful resource for residents looking for help and GoodCar's VIN and license plate lookup tools for help getting additional information about specific vehicles.