2026 -- H 8510

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LC006333

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

     Introduced By: Representatives J. Brien, Baginski, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: May 01, 2026

     Referred To: House State Government & Elections

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 31-3-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 entitled "Registration of

Vehicles" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     31-3-5. Grounds for refusal of registration.

     The division of motor vehicles shall refuse registration or any transfer of registration upon

any of the following grounds:

     (1) That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement, or that the applicant has

failed to furnish required information, or reasonable additional information requested by the

division of motor vehicles, or that the applicant is not entitled to the issuance of registration of the

vehicle under chapters 3 — 9 of this title;

     (2) That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated upon the highways;

     (3) That the division of motor vehicles has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle is

a stolen or embezzled vehicle, or that the granting of registration would constitute a fraud against

the rightful owner;

     (4) That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked for any reason as

provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state;

     (5) That the vehicle has been reported by any city or town to the division of motor vehicles

as having unpaid fines in the aggregate amount of two hundred dollars ($200) or more, including

any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary amount that may be imposed for failure to pay the

fines by a specified date; provided, the registration shall be issued upon presentation of proof of

payment of the outstanding fines, including any and all interest, penalties, or other monetary

amount owed to the cities or towns reporting the unpaid fines. When the division of motor vehicles

denies a registration to any person pursuant to this subsection, the city or town requesting the denial

of registration shall add a five-dollar ($5.00) fee to the aggregate value of the sum of the fines and,

upon payment, shall transmit the fee to the division of motor vehicles. The provisions of this

subsection shall not apply to any vehicle owned by a rental company, as defined in § 31-34.1-1;

     (6) That the vehicle does not comply with regulations promulgated pursuant to § 23-23-

5(18);

     (7) That the vehicle does not comply with the provisions of chapter 47.1 of this title and

any rules and regulations promulgated under that chapter;

     (8) That a commercial motor vehicle is being operated by a commercial motor carrier that

has been prohibited from operating in interstate commerce by a federal agency with authority to do

so under federal law;

     (9) That the registered owner of a vehicle failed to pay the required toll amounts,

administrative fees, and fines as prescribed in § 24-12-37; or

     (10) That the vehicle is a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” and is not in compliance with chapter

19.8 of title 31. Provided, however, that the registrant of any “Kei car” or “Kei truck” which was

validly registered prior to June 1, 2024, shall not be denied renewal of that registration based solely

on the vehicle type; and further, provided that, any such registrations shall not be permitted to be

transferred. Every person lawfully operating a “Kei car” or “Kei truck” shall have the right to use

the public highways in the state including any state highway, through highway, limited-access

highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35

m.p.h.) or less. Nothing in this subsection, however, shall be construed to prohibit a “Kei car” or

“Kei truck” from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be

crossed has a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles

per hour (45 m.p.h.); provided the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is traveling on and

the public highway the “Kei car” or “Kei truck” is crossing the intersection toward both have a

speed limit no higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled

by traffic signals or stop signs.

     SECTION 2. Title 31 of the General Laws entitled "MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES"

is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:

CHAPTER 19.8

KEI CAR OR KEI TRUCK

     31-19.8-1. Kei car or Kei truck.

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     (a) A Kei car or Kei truck as defined in § 31-1-3, may be operated upon any public way

provided such vehicle is registered in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, complies with

all operational requirements pursuant to this chapter, and displays the registration number as

provided in § 31-3-10. Kei cars and Kei trucks shall be subject to inspection as required by chapter

38 of this title. Every person lawfully operating a Kei car or Kei truck shall have the right to use

the public highways in the state, including any state highway, through highway, limited access

highway or public highway or roadway with a posted speed limit of thirty-five miles per hour (35

m.p.h.) or less. No Kei car or Kei truck shall operate on any state highway, through highway,

limited access highway or public highway or roadway with a speed limit greater than thirty-five

miles per hour (35 m.p.h.)

     (b) Kei cars or Kei trucks shall be subject to the traffic laws and regulations of the state

and the provisions of this section.

     (c) Nothing in subsection (a) of this section shall be construed to prohibit a Kei car or Kei

truck from crossing a public highway at an intersection where the public highway to be crossed has

a posted speed limit between thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and forty-five miles per hour

(45 m.p.h.), provided the public highway the Kei car or Kei truck is traveling on and the public

highway the Kei car or Kei truck is crossing the intersection toward both have a speed limit no

higher than thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) and the intersection is controlled by traffic signals

or stop signs.

     (d) A municipality may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of Kei cars and Kei trucks on

a laned roadway or local highway or a portion of a highway within its jurisdiction and under its

control, regardless of posted speeds, where it finds that use of the highway or a particular portion

of the highway by the Kei car or Kei truck would represent an unreasonable risk of death or serious

injury to occupants of the Kei car or Kei truck as a result of general traffic conditions which shall

include, but not be limited to, excessive speeds of other vehicles, traffic volumes, use of the

highway by heavy trucks or other large vehicles or if the established speed limit on the highway

increases above thirty-five miles per hour (35 m.p.h.) beyond the point where a Kei car or Kei truck

could safely exit the highway. The municipality shall post signs where necessary to provide notice

to the public of such prohibited access.

     (e) The director of the division of motor vehicles is authorized to promulgate rules and

regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.

     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES

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     This act would remove the vehicle registration restriction for Kei cars and Kei trucks. It

would also spell out the restrictions on the Kei vehicles in order to be operated on public highways

in the state.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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