(a)  If the comparison under § 31-47.4-2 shows that a motor vehicle is not insured for four (4) consecutive reporting periods as set forth in § 31-47.4-3(a), the division of motor vehicles shall direct that the designated agent provide notice to the owner of the motor vehicle that the owner has fifteen (15) days to provide to the designated agent:

(1)  Proof of owner’s or operator’s security; or

(2)  Proof of exemption from the owner’s or operator’s security requirements.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-47.4-4

  • Database: means the uninsured motorist identification database created in § 31-47. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47.4-1
  • Designated agent: means the third party the division of motor vehicles contracts with under § 31-47. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47.4-1
  • Division: means the division of motor vehicles. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47.4-1
  • Motor vehicle: means any vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power for use on the public streets, roads, and highways;

    (2)  "Odometer" means an instrument for measuring and recording the actual distance a motor vehicle travels while in operation;

    (3)  "Person" means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or business trust including, but not limited to, private individuals and motor vehicle dealers, both wholesale and retail, whether the private individual or dealer is a dealer in the ordinary course of business or not;

    (4)  "Repair and replacement" means to restore to a sound working condition by replacing the instrument or any part thereof or by correcting what is inoperative;

    (5)  "Transfer" means to acquire ownership by purchase, gift, bequest, or any other means. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-23.2-2

  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(b)  If an owner of a motor vehicle fails to provide satisfactory proof of owner’s or operator’s security to the designated agent, the designated agent shall:

(1)  Provide a second (2nd) notice to the owner of the motor vehicle that the owner now has fifteen (15) days to provide:

(i)  Proof of owner’s or operator’s security; or

(ii)  Proof of exemption from the owner’s or operator’s security requirements;

(c)  For each notice provided, the designated agent shall:

(i)  Indicate information relating to the owner’s failure to provide proof of owner’s or operator’s security in the database; and

(ii)  Provide this information to the division of motor vehicles;

(d)  If the designated agent notifies the department of motor vehicles that an owner of a motor vehicle failed to provide satisfactory proof of owner’s or operator’s security to the designated agent, the division of motor vehicles:

(1)  Shall revoke the registration; and

(2)  Shall provide appropriate notices of the revocation, the legal consequences of operating a vehicle with revoked registration and without owner’s or operator’s security and instructions on how to get the registration reinstated.

(e)  A registration that has been revoked under this section shall not be reinstated and a new license or registration shall not be issued to the holder of the revoked registration until the person:

(1)  Pays to the division of motor vehicles an administrative reinstatement fee of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), the fee imposed by the section is in addition to any other fines or penalties imposed by law;

(2)  Complies with the other requirements of this act. The fee imposed by this section is in addition to any other fees or penalties imposed by law.

(f)  The department of motor vehicles may direct the designated agent to provide the notices under subsection (d)(2).

(g)  Any action by the division of motor vehicles to revoke the registration of a motor vehicle under this section may be in addition to an action by a law enforcement agency to impose the penalties.

(h)(1)  A person may not provide a false or fraudulent statement to the division of motor vehicles or designated agent.

(2)  In addition to any other penalties, a person who violates subsection (h)(1) is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(i)  This section does not affect other actions or penalties that may be taken or imposed for violation of the owner’s and operator’s security requirements of this title.

History of Section.
P.L. 2013, ch. 316, § 1; P.L. 2013, ch. 372, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 160, § 1; P.L. 2018, ch. 245, § 1.