2023 -- H 5607
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LC000389
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
Introduced By: Representatives Edwards, Shanley, Kennedy, Bennett, Casimiro, Casey,
and Potter
Date Introduced: February 15, 2023
Referred To: House State Government & Elections
(Dept. of Revenue)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Sections 31-3-31.1 and 31-3-31.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 31-3 1
entitled "Registration of Vehicles" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2
31-3-31.1. Registration of street rods and custom vehicles. 3
(a) Definition of terms: 4
(1) A “street rod” means a motor vehicle that: 5
(i) Is a 1948 or older vehicle; or the vehicle was manufactured after 1948 to resemble a 6
vehicle manufactured before 1949; and 7
(ii) Has been altered from the manufacturer’s original design; or has a body constructed 8
from nonoriginal materials. 9
(2) The model year and the year of manufacture that are listed on the registration certificate 10
of title of a street rod vehicle shall be the model year and year of manufacture that the body of such 11
vehicle resembles. 12
(b) Registration fee and application for street rods shall be as follows: 13
(1) For each such street rod, there shall be a one-time pre-registration surcharge of fifty 14
dollars ($50.00) which said sum(s) shall be accumulated by the division of motor vehicles until 15
such time as said sum reaches an aggregate of twenty-three thousand dollars ($23,000) whereupon 16
said division is authorized to proceed with the ordering/manufacturing of plates as required by 17
subsection (3) herein. In addition thereto, and from hence forth, there shall be paid regular 18
registration fees required for standard passenger vehicles as determined by the division of motor 19
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vehicles. 1
(2)(i) In applying for registration of a street rod under this section, the owner of the street 2
rod shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle for which the application is 3
made: 4
(A) Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, 5
tours, and similar uses; and 6
(B) Will not be used for general daily transportation. 7
(ii) In addition to the certification required under paragraph (i) of this subsection, when 8
applying for registration of a street rod, the new owner of the street rod shall provide proof 9
acceptable to the administration that the street rod passed a safety inspection that has been approved 10
by the administration in consultation with the street rod community in this state. 11
(3) On registration of a vehicle under this section, the administration shall issue a special 12
street rod vehicle registration plate of the size and design that the administration determines in 13
consultation with the street rod community in this state. 14
(4) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of this state 15
as a condition of sale in the year listed as the year of manufacture on the certificate of title, the 16
presence of any specific equipment is not required for the operation of a vehicle registered under 17
this section. 18
(5) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that requires periodic 19
vehicle inspections and from any statute that requires the use and inspection of emission controls. 20
31-3-31.2. Custom vehicles — Definition — Registration and fees. 21
(a) A custom vehicle means any motor vehicle that: 22
(1) Is at least twenty-five (25) or more years old and of a model year after 1948; or was 23
manufactured to resemble a vehicle twenty-five (25) years old and of a model year after 1948; and 24
(2) Has been altered from the manufacturer’s original design; or has a body constructed 25
from nonoriginal materials. 26
(3) The model year and the year of manufacture that are listed on the certificate of title or 27
registration certificate of a custom vehicle shall be the model year and year of manufacture that the 28
body of such vehicle resembles. 29
(b) For each such custom vehicle, there shall be a one-time pre-registration surcharge of 30
fifty dollars ($50.00) which said sum(s) shall be accumulated by the division of motor vehicles 31
until such time as said sum reaches an aggregate of twenty-three thousand dollars ($23,000) 32
whereupon said division is authorized to proceed with the ordering/manufacturing of plates as 33
required by subsection (d) herein. In addition thereto, and from hence forth, there shall be paid 34
LC000389 - Page 3 of 4
regular registration fees required for standard passenger vehicles as determined by the division of 1
motor vehicles. 2
(c)(1) In applying for registration of a custom vehicle under this section, the owner of the 3
custom vehicle shall submit with the application a certification that the vehicle for which the 4
application is made: 5
(i) Will be maintained for occasional transportation, exhibitions, club activities, parades, 6
tours, and similar uses; and 7
(ii) Will not be used for general daily transportation. 8
(2) In addition to the certification required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, when 9
applying for registration of a custom vehicle, the new owner of the custom vehicle shall provide 10
proof acceptable to the administration that the custom vehicle passed a safety inspection that has 11
been approved by the administration in consultation with the custom vehicle community in this 12
state. 13
(d) On registration of a vehicle under this section, the administration shall issue a special 14
custom vehicle registration plate of the size and design that the administration determines in 15
consultation with the custom vehicle community of this state. 16
(e) Unless the presence of the equipment was specifically required by a statute of this state 17
as a condition of sale in the year listed as the year of manufacture on the certificate of title, the 18
presence of any specific equipment is not required for the operation of a vehicle registered under 19
this section. 20
(f) A vehicle registered under this section is exempt from any statute that requires periodic 21
vehicle inspections and from any statute that requires the use and inspections of emission controls. 22
(g) Signal lamps and devices — Street rod vehicles and custom vehicles: 23
(1) “Blue dot tail light” means a red lamp installed in the rear of a motor vehicle containing 24
a blue or purple insert that is not more than one inch in diameter. 25
(2) A street rod or custom vehicle may use blue dot tail lights for stop lamps, rear turning 26
indicator lamps, rear hazard lamps, and rear reflectors. 27
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 28
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO MOTOR AN D OTHER VEHICLES - REGISTRATION OF VEHICLES
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This act would change the definition of "street rod" motor vehicle to include a reference to 1
its registration certificate and not its title. It would also change the meaning of "custom vehicle" by 2
adding a reference to its registration certificate. 3
This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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LC000389
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