(a)  No registration fee is required for the registration of motor-driven equipment owned by the following:

(1)  American Legion bloodmobile;

(2)  American National Red Cross or any of its chapters within this state;

(3)  American Red Cross, Jamestown chapter ambulance;

(4)  American Red Cross, Tiverton chapter ambulance;

(5)  American Red Cross, Warwick chapter ambulances;

(6)  Animal Rescue League of Southern Rhode Island truck used for rescue work;

(7)  Burrillville Ambulance Corps ambulance;

(8)  Burrillville American Legion Post No. 17 ambulances;

(9)  Civil Air Patrol, Rhode Island wing motor vehicle equipment;

(10)  East Greenwich Ambulance Association ambulances;

(11)  East Greenwich American Legion Post No. 15 (incorporated February 20, 1933) ambulances;

(12)  East Tiverton Volunteer Fire Department Rescue Squad of Tiverton (a non-business corporation, incorporated February 16, 1955) equipment, that motor vehicle being a rescue truck equipped with resuscitators, underwater equipment, emergency lighting units with generators, and various other devices needed to effect rescue and save lives and property under any emergency and used for this purpose only;

(13)  Foster Ambulance Association ambulances;

(14)  Georgiaville Volunteer Fire Company, Smithfield town ambulance;

(15)  Glocester Ambulance Corps, Inc. ambulance;

(16)  Hianloland Farms Fire Engine Company of West Greenwich RI, (a non-business corporation, incorporated November 15, 1940) equipment;

(17)  Hope Valley Ambulance Squad, Inc., ambulances and rescue trucks;

(18)  Hope Valley volunteer fire company ambulances;

(19)  Hope Valley volunteer fire company crash-truck;

(20)  Hospital ambulances;

(21)  Johnston Hose Company No. 1 ambulance;

(22)  Johnston Hose Company No. 3 ambulance;

(23)  Lake Mishnock Volunteer Fire Company Rescue Squad, West Greenwich, Rhode Island;

(24)  Le Baron C. Colt Memorial Ambulance, Inc. (with plates designated “car 5,” providing ambulance service to any resident of the town of Bristol, incorporated October 17, 1923, as a charitable corporation) ambulance;

(25)  Narragansett Rescue Corps, Inc., ambulance;

(26)  North Kingstown Ambulance Association, Inc. (incorporated July 23, 1943, as a charitable corporation) ambulance;

(27)  North Providence Chamber of Commerce Ambulance Service, Inc. (incorporated March 15, 1947, as a charitable corporation) ambulance;

(28)  North Smithfield Ambulance Association ambulances;

(29)  North Smithfield Ambulance and Rescue Association rescue wagon and rescue boat trailer;

(30)  Northern Lincoln Volunteer Ambulance Corps ambulance;

(31)  Northern Rhode Island Radio Emergency Associated Citizens Teams (REACT) rescue truck and other emergency vehicles;

(32)  Public health league or district nursing association in any city or town in this state;

(33)  Rhode Island American Legion, (incorporated January 29, 1941) first district ambulance committee of the department ambulances;

(34)  Rhode Island Association of Retarded Citizens, Northern Rhode Island Chapter motor vehicles used for the transportation of retarded citizens;

(35)  Rhode Island Association of Retarded Citizens, South County Chapter motor vehicles used for the transportation of retarded children;

(36)  Rhode Island Association for Retarded Children, Westerly-Chariho Chapter motor vehicles to be used for the transportation of retarded children;

(37)  Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ motor vehicles;

(38)  Rhode Island Lions Sight Foundation, Inc., vehicle;

(39)  Rhode Island state departments’ or agencies’ motor vehicles, trailers, or semi-trailers;

(40)  Roy Carpenter’s beach volunteer fire department, Matunuck ambulance;

(41)  Salvation Army of Providence emergency canteen vehicle;

(42)  Scituate Ambulance and Rescue Corps ambulances;

(43)  South County Ambulance Corps, Inc. (incorporated October 28, 1939, as a charitable corporation) ambulance;

(44)  South Foster Volunteer Fire Department No. 1 ambulances;

(45)  United States government motor vehicles;

(46)  United States government-accredited motor vehicles owned by a representative of a foreign country;

(47)  United States mail rural free delivery driver-owned vehicles. This exemption applies to the particular motor vehicle used in carrying that mail, and not to persons or concerns contracting to carry the United States mail. The words “United States mail” must be plainly printed on two (2) sides of that vehicle;

(48)  Veterans of Foreign Wars bloodmobile;

(49)  Veterans of Foreign Wars, Harold F. Flynn Post No. 263, Woonsocket ambulance;

(50)  Volunteer ambulance or rescue corps ambulance or rescue vehicle of a city or town used in transporting sick or injured patients;

(51)  Westerly Ambulance Corps boat-trailer;

(52)  Westerly Ambulance Corps crash-truck; and

(53)  Westerly Ambulance Corps ambulances.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-6-6

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • 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

  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8

(b)  Each owner may be required to pay the cost price of the number plates or markers required to be displayed on its vehicle.

History of Section.
P.L. 1940, ch. 862, § 1; P.L. 1950, ch. 2447, § 1; P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 14, § 3; P.L. 1951, ch. 2668, § 1; P.L. 1951, ch. 2681, § 1; P.L. 1952, ch. 2883, § 1; P.L. 1952, ch. 2933, § 1; P.L. 1954, ch. 3243, § 1; P.L. 1954, ch. 3326, § 1; P.L. 1955, ch. 3455, § 1; P.L. 1956, ch. 3625, § 1; P.L. 1956, ch. 3646, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 31-6-6; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 9, § 1; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 11, § 1; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 13, § 1; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 24, § 1; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 25, § 1; P.L. 1958, ch. 13, § 1; P.L. 1958, ch. 43, § 1; P.L. 1958, ch. 94, § 1; P.L. 1959, ch. 3, § 1; P.L. 1959, ch. 11, § 1; P.L. 1959, ch. 43, § 1; P.L. 1961, ch. 126, § 1; P.L. 1962, ch. 15, § 1; P.L. 1962, ch. 31, § 1; P.L. 1963, ch. 5, § 1; P.L. 1963, ch. 26, § 1; P.L. 1963, ch. 143, § 1; P.L. 1964, ch. 181, § 1; P.L. 1965, ch. 15, § 1; P.L. 1965, ch. 18, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 153, § 1; P.L. 1966, ch. 231, § 1; P.L. 1967, ch. 82, § 1; P.L. 1971, ch. 32, § 1; P.L. 1971, ch. 52, § 1; P.L. 1976, ch. 218, § 2; P.L. 1981, ch. 327, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 253, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 478, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 308, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 323, § 1.