| Chapter 238 |
| 2023 -- S 0829 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/23/2023 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES |
Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Pearson, Lombardo, DiPalma, and Ciccone |
| Date Introduced: March 23, 2023 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Section 31-3-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of |
| Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 31-3-3. Application for registration. |
| (a) Every owner of a vehicle subject to registration under this chapter shall apply to the |
| division of motor vehicles for the registration of it using the appropriate form or forms furnished |
| by the division of motor vehicles. Every application shall bear the signature of the owner written |
| with pen and ink and the signature shall be acknowledged by the owner before a person authorized |
| to administer oaths or as authorized in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and the |
| application shall contain: |
| (1)(a) The name, city or town of bona fide residence, actual residence address, and mail |
| address of the owner as appearing on the owner’s motor vehicle operator’s license or state |
| identification card issued pursuant to the provisions of chapter 8 of title 3, or business address of |
| the owner if a firm, association, or if a corporation, the name of the city or town in which the vehicle |
| is physically and primarily housed. For purposes of this section, “physically and primarily housed” |
| is defined as that city or town in which the vehicle is housed for a period or periods of time greater |
| than in any other city or town in the state of Rhode Island. The division of motor vehicles may |
| substitute other indicators of residence when necessary. |
| (2)(b) A description of the vehicle, including, insofar as this specified data may exist with |
| respect to a given vehicle, the make, model, type of body, the number of cylinders, the serial number |
| of the vehicle, and the engine or other number of the vehicle. In the event a vehicle is designed, |
| constructed, converted, or rebuilt for the transportation of property, the application shall include a |
| statement of its capacity in terms of maximum gross vehicle weight rating as authorized by the |
| manufacturer of the chassis or the complete vehicle. |
| (3)(c) A statement whether liability insurance is carried on the vehicle, and, if there is |
| liability insurance, the name of the carrier, policy number, and effective dates of the policy. |
| (4)(d) Any further information as may reasonably be required by the division of motor |
| vehicles to enable it to determine whether the vehicle is lawfully entitled to registration. |
| (5)(e) The exact mileage reading from the motor vehicle on the date of application. |
| (b) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall prescribe and/or approve a |
| limited power-of-attorney form, which may be used in connection with applications for vehicle |
| registrations in satisfaction of the provision of subsection (a) of this section. |
| (c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall promulgate rules and |
| regulations in order to effectuate the purpose and requirements of using a limited power of attorney |
| form to register a vehicle. The rules and regulations shall require that the limited power of attorney |
| form includes an attestation of the owner of the vehicle granting another identified person |
| permission to register the vehicle on behalf of the owner. The limited power of attorney shall be |
| witnessed and executed before a notary public an and identify the information described in |
| subsections (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2024. |
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| LC002611/SUB A |
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