Title 31
Motor and Other Vehicles

Chapter 38
Inspection of Motor Vehicles

R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-38-1

§ 31-38-1. Vehicles without required equipment or in unsafe condition — Inspection sticker for used cars for sale required.

(a) No person shall sell at retail, drive, or move on any highway any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or pole trailer or any combination of them unless the equipment upon the vehicle is in good working order and adjustment as required in this title, and the vehicle is in such safe mechanical condition as not to endanger the driver or other occupant or any person upon the highway.

(b) No dealer of used vehicles, as defined by § 31-1-19(b), shall sell at retail a used motor vehicle unless a new inspection of the vehicle conforming to the standards set pursuant to this chapter and chapter 47.1 of this title has been conducted and the vehicle has a new certificate of inspection affixed to the windshield at the time of sale, except used cars:

(1) Sold “for parts only” and clearly identified accordingly on the bill of sale: or

(2) Purchased at the end of the lease term by the current lessee with a valid certificate of inspection affixed to the windshield at the time of sale that is issued by the state of Rhode Island.

History of Section.
P.L. 1977, ch. 14, § 2; P.L. 1984, ch. 71, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 222, § 2; P.L. 1987, ch. 341, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 542, § 96; P.L. 1990, ch. 239, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 327, § 2; P.L. 2024, ch. 142, § 1, effective December 17, 2024; P.L. 2024, ch. 144, § 1, effective December 17, 2024.