Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-3-6.1. List of vehicles and licenses on which taxes delinquent--Denial of renewal of registration and licenses

(a) The administrator/division of motor vehicles shall furnish to the Tax Administrator a listing showing the names, addresses and social security numbers of persons whose operator's license and/or motor vehicle registration is subject to renewal within ninety (90) days. If within ninety (90) days prior to the renewal date the tax administrator determines that any person seeking to renew his/her operator's license and/or registration has neglected or refused to file any tax returns or to pay any tax administered by the tax administrator and that such tax matter is not pending administrative or appellate review, the tax administrator shall send a written notice to such person informing him/her of the tax administrator's intention to inform the division of motor vehicles not to renew the person's operator license and/or motor vehicle registration and of the procedures available to the person to contest that determination.

(b) Within twenty-one (21) days from the date of such notice, the licensee or registrant may request, in writing, a conference with the tax administrator or his/her designee, in order to show proof of payment of all taxes or for the purpose of entering into a time payment agreement for the delinquent taxes satisfactory to the tax administrator.

(c) If upon the expiration of twenty-one (21) days from the date of the notice to the licensee or registrant or, if a conference has been requested, after a conference has been held, the licensee or registrant has not demonstrated to the satisfaction of the tax administrator that he/she has filed all required returns and paid all required taxes, or that the licensee or registrant has not entered into time payment arrangement satisfactory to the tax administrator, the tax administrator shall notify the administrator/division of motor vehicles that the licensee or registrant is delinquent in filing tax returns and/or remitting taxes due. The tax administrator shall send a copy of the notification to the licensee or registrant.

(d) The administrator/division of motor vehicles shall not renew any operator's license or registration upon expiration thereof until all state taxes, interest and attendant penalties have been paid in full or the licensee or registrant has entered into a time payment agreement satisfactory to the tax administrator.

(e) If the licensee 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 a licensee's request, provide the appropriate agency or authority the certificate of good standing specified in § 5-76-5. Within five (5) business days of receiving such a certificate, the agency or authority shall reinstate, reissue, renew or otherwise extend the licensee's license.

(f) Payment of tax not an admission. If the licensee or registrant files an overdue return and/or remits past due taxes in order to apply for or renew a license or registration, 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.