Rhode Island General Laws Title 31. Motor and Other Vehicles § 31-4-3. Temporary registration--Invoice voucher issued by dealer

(a) Any person who purchases a motor vehicle from a bona fide licensed dealer and who presently has a motor vehicle registered in this state, may operate the newly acquired motor vehicle for a period of thirty (30) days following the date of the original dated voucher.  During this period any operator of the newly acquired vehicle shall carry the original dated bill of sale or invoice voucher which shall be accompanied by a numbered state sales tax form.  The voucher or bill of sale shall recite the registration number to be transferred from the former vehicle to the newly acquired vehicle.

(b) The bill of sale or invoice voucher shall be sequentially and numerically identified, dated on the day of sale, and shall be valid for not more than thirty (30) days following the date of the original dated voucher.  No dealer or any other person shall extend or alter the date nor shall a new bill of sale be issued to the purchaser as a means to circumvent this section.

(c) Every dealer shall keep a sequential record of each temporary certificate issued and those records shall be available during business hours for examination by any police officer or inspector of the division of motor vehicles as designated by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles.

(d) Violations of this section are subject to fines enumerated in § 31-41.1-4.