(a)  Any person operating a motor vehicle repair shop and/or motor vehicle body and frame repair shop shall display in a conspicuous place in the shop a sign in boldfaced type in letters at least two (2) inches high reading substantially as follows:

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-38.3-8

  • Motor vehicle: means every vehicle operated or driven upon a public highway that is propelled by any power other than muscular power, except:

    (A)  Electrically-driven mobility assistance devices operated or driven by a person with a disability;

    (B)  Vehicles that run only upon rails or tracks;

    (C)  Snowmobiles;

    (D)  Farm-type tractors and all-terrain vehicles used exclusively for agricultural purposes; and

    (E)  Towed vehicles designed and primarily used for some purpose other than transporting people or property. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-38.3-2

  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Repair: means any alteration or adjustment to a motor vehicle, or diagnoses of a malfunction. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-38.3-2
  • repair shop: means any person who, for compensation, is wholly or partially engaged in the business of repairing or diagnosing motor vehicle malfunctions, except that these terms do not include:

    (i)  Any employee of a motor vehicle repair shop who engages in the business of repairing motor vehicles solely by reason of his or her employment;

    (ii)  Any person who is solely engaged in the business of repairing the motor vehicles of a single commercial or industrial establishment, or of the federal, state, or local government or any agency thereof;

    (iii)  Any person whose activities consist solely of fueling, changing oil, water, batteries, or tires, replacing fan belts, air filters, or oil filters, installing windshield wiper blades or light bulbs, or other minor repair and servicing functions that the director by rule prescribes;

    (iv)  Any person solely engaged in the business of repairing farm- or road-building machines, or any other utility vehicles that the director may by regulation designate;

    (v)  Any person who is governed by the provisions of chapters 5 and 5. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-38.3-2

(a)  “PURSUANT TO RHODE ISLAND INSURANCE LAW, AN INSURANCE COMPANY MAY NOT REQUIRE THAT REPAIRS BE MADE TO A MOTOR VEHICLE BY A PARTICULAR PERSON OR REPAIR SHOP.”

(b)  The failure to display a sign as required by this section shall be deemed to be an unfair sales practice pursuant to the provisions of chapter 13 of Title 6, “Unfair Sales Practices,” and a deceptive trade practice pursuant to the provisions of chapter 13.1 of Title 6, “Deceptive Trade Practices.”

History of Section.
P.L. 2005, ch. 278, § 1.