Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-3-6.1.1 § 31-3-6.1.1. Denial of registration--Denial of transfer of registration--Failure to file tax returns and/or pay taxes

(a) On or before October 31 in each year and at least quarterly thereafter, the tax administrator shall furnish the division of motor vehicles, with a list of the names, addresses and social security numbers of persons who have neglected or refused to file a tax return(s) and/or to pay any tax administered by the tax administrator and that there is no administrative or appellate review pending regarding such tax matter.

(b) Thereafter, the tax administrator, at the times and in the manner mutually agreed to by the tax administrator and the administrator of the division of motor vehicles, shall furnish to the division of motor vehicles the names, addresses and social security numbers of those persons whose names appear on that list but who have subsequently filed all required returns and paid all required taxes, interest and attendant penalties in full or entered into a time payment agreement satisfactory to the tax administrator. Upon receipt of said information, said names, addresses and social security numbers of said persons shall be removed from the list.

(c) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall not register any motor vehicle or transfer the registration of any motor vehicle for any person whose name appears on a list provided by the tax administrator pursuant to subsection (a) above until all state taxes, interest and attendant penalties have been paid in full and the payment has been certified to the division of motor vehicles by the tax administrator.

(d) If the person thereafter files an overdue return and/or remits past taxes due or enters into a satisfactory time payment agreement with respect to any and all returns due and taxes payable, the tax administrator shall, within five (5) business days of the person's request, provide the division of motor vehicles with a certificate of good standing specified in § 5-76-5. Within five (5) business days of receiving such a certificate, the division of motor vehicles shall register or transfer the person's registration.

(e) If a person files an overdue return and/or remits past due taxes in order to register a motor vehicle or transfer the registration of a motor vehicle, said late filing and/or payment shall not be an admission of a violation of any criminal tax statute regarding late filing and/or late payment. The tax administrator shall not refer such person to the attorney general for prosecution based solely upon said late filing and/or payment of past due taxes.