Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-9. Penalties
(a) Any owner of a motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in this state who shall knowingly operate the motor vehicle or knowingly permit it to be operated in this state without having in full force and effect the financial security required by the provisions of this chapter, and any other person who shall operate in this state any motor vehicle registered or required to be registered in this state with the knowledge that the owner of it does not have in full force and effect financial security, except a person who, at the time of operation of the motor vehicle, had in effect an operator’s policy of liability insurance with respect to his or her operation of the vehicle, may be subject to a mandatory suspension of license and registration as follows:
(1) For a first offense, a suspension of up to three (3) months and may be fined one hundred dollars ($100) up to five hundred dollars ($500);
(2) For a second offense, a suspension of six (6) months and may be fined five hundred dollars ($500); and
(3) For a third and subsequent offense, a suspension of up to one year. Additionally, any person violating this section a third or subsequent time shall be punished as a civil violation and may be fined one thousand dollars ($1,000).
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-9
- Administrator: means the administrator of the division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- License: includes any license, permit, or privilege to operate a motor vehicle issued under the laws of this state including:
(i) Any temporary instruction permit or examiner's driving permit;
(ii) The privilege of any person to drive a motor vehicle whether or not the person holds a valid license; or
(iii) Any nonresident's operating privilege. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Motor vehicle: means every vehicle required to display registration plates for operation upon public highways of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Nonresident: means every person who is not a resident of this state. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Owner: means a person who holds the legal title of a motor vehicle. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Person: includes every natural person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Proof of financial security: means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle as evidenced by an owner's policy of liability insurance, a financial security bond, a financial security deposit, or qualification as a self-insurer under this title, or in the case of a nonresident, under self-insurance provisions of the laws of the jurisdiction of that nonresident. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- Registration: means registration certificates and registration plates issued under the laws of this state pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
- State: when used in this chapter, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, means any state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of Canada. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-47-2
(b) An order of suspension and impoundment of a license or registration, or both, shall state that date on or before which the person is required to surrender the person’s license or certificate of registration and registration plates. The person is deemed to have surrendered the license or certificate of registration and registration plates, in compliance with the order, if the person does either of the following:
(1) On or before the date specified in the order, personally delivers the license or certificate of registration and registration plates, or causes the delivery of those items, to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles or court, whichever issued the order; or
(2) Mails the license or certificate of registration and registration plates to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, in an envelope or container bearing a postmark showing a date no later than the date specified in the order.
(c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall not restore any operating privileges or registration rights suspended under this section or return any license, certificate of registration, or registration plates impounded under this section unless the rights are not subject to suspension or revocation under any other law and unless the person, in addition to complying with all other conditions required by law for reinstatement of operating privileges or registration rights, complies with all of the following:
(1) Pays a reinstatement fee of thirty dollars ($30.00). The reinstatement fee may be increased, upon approval of the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, up to an amount not exceeding fifty dollars ($50.00); and
(2) Files and maintains proof of financial security. To facilitate the administration of this chapter the clerk of the courts shall notify the administrator of the division of motor vehicles of all persons against whom judgments have been entered arising out of a motor vehicle collision.
(d) For the purpose of this section, an “operator’s policy of liability insurance” means a policy issued by an insurance carrier duly authorized to transact business in this state that shall insure the person named in it as insured, against loss from the liability imposed upon him or her by law for damages, including damages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or death of any person and injury to or destruction of property arising out of the use by him or her of any motor vehicle not owned by him or her, subject to the same minimum provisions and approval required by this chapter with respect to an owner’s policy of liability insurance. With respect to a nonresident, the policy may also be issued by a nonadmitted insurance carrier provided the requirements of this chapter, with respect to issuance of an owner’s policy of liability insurance by the carrier, have been met.
History of Section.
P.L. 1991, ch. 167, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 142, § 2; P.L. 1998, ch. 229, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 440, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 476, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 97, § 1; P.L. 2021, ch. 105, § 1, effective July 1, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 106, § 1, effective July 1, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 398, § 7, effective July 14, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 399, § 7, effective July 14, 2021.