§ 31-3.1-37. Passage of title upon death of owner.
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.
History of Section.P.L. 1972, ch. 98, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 285, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 239, § 27.
Structure Rhode Island General Laws
Title 31 - Motor and Other Vehicles
Chapter 31-3.1 - Certificates of Title and Security Interests
Section 31-3.1-1. - Certificate of title required.
Section 31-3.1-2. - Exclusions.
Section 31-3.1-3. - Optional certificate of title.
Section 31-3.1-4. - Application for first certificate of title.
Section 31-3.1-5. - Examination of records.
Section 31-3.1-6. - Issuance and records.
Section 31-3.1-7. - Contents and effect of certificate.
Section 31-3.1-9. - Registration without certificate of title — Bond.
Section 31-3.1-10. - Refusing certificate of title.
Section 31-3.1-11. - Lost, stolen or mutilated certificates.
Section 31-3.1-12. - Transfer.
Section 31-3.1-13. - Transfer to or from dealer — Records.
Section 31-3.1-14. - Transfer by operation of law.
Section 31-3.1-15. - Fees — Registration cards.
Section 31-3.1-16. - Issuance of new certificate.
Section 31-3.1-16.1. - Electronic recording of security interests.
Section 31-3.1-17. - Scrapping, dismantling or destroying vehicle.
Section 31-3.1-18. - Excepted liens and security interests.
Section 31-3.1-19. - Perfection of security interests.
Section 31-3.1-20. - Security interest — Change of certificate.
Section 31-3.1-21. - Assignment by lienholder.
Section 31-3.1-22. - Release of security interest.
Section 31-3.1-23. - Duty of lienholder.
Section 31-3.1-24. - Exclusiveness of procedure.
Section 31-3.1-25. - Suspension or revocation of certificates.
Section 31-3.1-26. - Powers of division of motor vehicles.
Section 31-3.1-27. - Vehicle leases that are not sales or security interests.
Section 31-3.1-28 - — 31-3.1-35. [Obsolete.]
Section 31-3.1-36. - Court review.