2021 -- H 6274
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LC002704
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021
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AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- TRANSFER OF VEHICLES
Introduced By: Representatives McGaw, Cortvriend, Potter, Baginski, Biah, Cardillo,
Fenton-Fung, Messier, and Chippendale
Date Introduced: April 28, 2021
Referred To: House State Government & Elections
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Sections 31-4-3, 31-4-9 and 31-4-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-4
2 entitled "Transfer of Vehicles" are hereby amended to read as follows:
3 31-4-3. Temporary registration -- Invoice voucher issued by dealer.
4 (a) Any person who purchases a motor vehicle from a bona fide licensed dealer and who
5 presently has a motor vehicle registered in this state, may, when the vehicle purchased is of the
6 same type as the presently owned and registered vehicle, operate the newly acquired motor vehicle
7 for a period of twenty (20) thirty (30) days following the date of the original dated voucher. During
8 this period any operator of the newly acquired vehicle shall carry the original dated bill of sale or
9 invoice voucher which shall be accompanied by a numbered state sales tax form. The voucher or
10 bill of sale shall recite the registration number to be transferred from the former vehicle to the newly
11 acquired vehicle.
12 (b) The bill of sale or invoice voucher shall be sequentially and numerically identified,
13 dated on the day of sale, and shall be valid for not more than twenty (20) thirty (30) days following
14 the date of the original dated voucher. No dealer or any other person shall extend or alter the date
15 nor shall a new bill of sale be issued to the purchaser as a means to circumvent this section.
16 (c) Every dealer shall keep a sequential record of each temporary certificate issued and
17 those records shall be available during business hours for examination by any police officer or
18 inspector of the division of motor vehicles as designated by the administrator of the division of
19 motor vehicles.
 1 (d) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.
2 31-4-9. Out-of-state purchases.
3 Any person who purchases a motor vehicle outside the state of Rhode Island from a bona
4 fide licensed dealer and who presently has a motor vehicle registered in this state may, when the
5 new vehicle purchased is of the same type, and has the same number of wheels as the presently
6 owned and registered vehicle, operate the newly acquired motor vehicle for a period beginning at
7 the date of transfer until five o'clock (5:00) p.m. of the third division of motor vehicles business
8 day of thirty (30) days following the date of transfer provided that the number plates issued upon
9 registration of the transferred motor vehicle are attached to the newly acquired vehicle. During this
10 period any operator of the newly acquired vehicle shall carry an original dated copy of the bill of
11 sale reciting the registration number to be transferred from the former vehicle to the newly acquired
12 vehicle.
13 31-4-10. Temporary transfer of registration.
14 (a) A person who transfers the ownership of a registered motor vehicle or trailer owned by
15 him or her to another or who loses possession of it and who intends to transfer the registration of
16 the motor vehicle or trailer to a newly acquired vehicle may, subject to other provisions of the this
17 title, operate the newly acquired motor vehicle or trailer for a period beginning from the date of
18 transfer until five o'clock (5:00) p.m. of the second division of motor vehicles business day of thirty
19 (30) days following the date of transfer within the period of which the transferred vehicle was
20 registered, provided that the number plates issued upon registration of the transferred motor vehicle
21 are attached to the newly acquired vehicle, and a true copy of the bill of sale is sent to the division
22 of motor vehicles within twenty-four (24) hours of the transfer.
23 (b) During these periods, any operator of a newly acquired vehicle shall carry an original
24 copy of the bill of sale reciting the registration number to be transferred from the former vehicle to
25 the newly acquired vehicle, the date of the sale or transfer, the make and identification number of
26 the vehicle, and the signature and address of the seller.
27 (c) This section shall apply only to transfer of registration between vehicles of the same
28 type and with the same number of wheels.
29 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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 EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
AN ACT
RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- TRANSFER OF VEHICLES
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1 This act would extend from twenty (20) days to thirty (30) days, the period of time that a
2 newly purchased motor vehicle may be temporarily operated, using the purchaser's current license
3 plates. The extension of the obligation to register the newly purchased automobile to thirty (30)
4 days, also applies to the out-of-state vehicle purchases and the temporary transfer of registrations.
5 This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC002704
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