Any person who purchases a motor vehicle outside the state of Rhode Island from a bona fide licensed dealer and who presently has a motor vehicle registered in this state may, when the new vehicle purchased has the same number of wheels as the presently owned and registered vehicle, operate the newly acquired motor vehicle for a period of thirty (30) days following the date of transfer provided that the number plates issued upon registration of the transferred motor vehicle are attached to the newly acquired vehicle. During this period any operator of the newly acquired vehicle shall carry an original dated copy of the bill of sale reciting the registration number to be transferred from the former vehicle to the newly acquired vehicle.