Skip to main content
Find a Lawyer

Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-3.1-37. Passage of title upon death of owner

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

Unless otherwise provided in the last will and testament of a decedent, any motor vehicle(s) owned by the decedent shall belong, and title to them shall pass, to the surviving spouse.

(1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall register the motor vehicle(s) in the name of the surviving spouse upon presentation to the division of motor vehicles of:

(i) A certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse;

(ii) Registration(s) of the motor vehicle(s) of the deceased spouse.

(2) No fee shall be charged to the surviving spouse for issuance of a new certificate of title.

(3) A surviving spouse shall not be charged a registration fee during the year he or she is registering the vehicle(s) in his or her name and having a new certificate of title issued,

(i) Where the deceased spouse registered that motor vehicle(s) with the division of motor vehicles; and

(ii) Paid the registration fees provided in § 31-6-1 for the motor vehicle(s) for the year.

(4) Where the deceased spouse did not register the motor vehicle(s) or failed to pay a registration fee pursuant to § 31-6-1 for the year in which the surviving spouse appears to register the motor vehicle(s) and have a new title certificate issued in his or her name, then the surviving spouse shall pay a pro rata amount of the annual registration fee for the remaining months of the year.

Previous Part of Code Next Part of Code
Back to Chapter List

Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-3.1-37. Passage of title upon death of owner - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ri/title-31-motor-and-other-vehicles/ri-gen-laws-sect-31-3-1-37/

FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.

Was this helpful?

Welcome to FindLaw's Cases & Codes

A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.

Go to Learn About the Law

Latest Blog Posts

For Legal Professionals

Learn About The Law

Get help with your legal needs

FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.

Go to Learn About the Law

Need to Find an Attorney?

Search our directory by legal issue

Enter information in one or both fields (Required)

Copied to clipboard