§ 1-4-6 - State registration of federal certificates.
SECTION 1-4-6
§ 1-4-6 State registration of federalcertificates. – (a) All owners and operators, or owners or operators, of all aircraft, anddealers in aircraft, based or primarily used in the state of Rhode Island shallregister the federal certificates of their aircraft and dealer registration asthe director may by regulation prescribe. An aircraft shall be deemed to bebased or primarily used in the state when in the normal course of its use,according to airport records, it leaves from and returns to or remains at oneor more points within the state more often or longer than at any other singlelocation outside of the state. Nonresidents may operate noncommercially withinthis state as an owner and operator, or owner or operator, or as a dealer,without that registration for not more than ninety (90) days in any calendaryear. To operate commercially intrastate, nonresidents shall register.
(b) Subject to the limitations of subsections (d) and (f),every person who operates an aircraft shall register the federal aircraftcertificate of that aircraft with the chief aeronautics inspector during eachperiod in which the aircraft is operated within this state in accordance withsubsection (a). The annual fee for each registration, and for each registrationrenewal, is as follows: Aircraft weighing less than two thousand (2,000)pounds, thirty dollars ($30.00); two thousand and one (2,001) to three thousand(3,000) pounds, sixty dollars ($60.00); three thousand and one (3,001) to fourthousand five hundred (4,500) pounds, one hundred ten dollars ($110); fourthousand five hundred and one (4,501) to twelve thousand five hundred (12,500)pounds, one hundred sixty dollars ($160); over twelve thousand five hundredpounds (12,500), two hundred fifty dollars ($250). For the purpose of theannual fee, the weight considered will be the gross weight as published by themanufacturer. Every person who is a dealer in aircraft shall register his orher federal dealer's aircraft registration certificate with the chiefaeronautics inspector. The annual fee for registration of each federal dealer'saircraft registration certificate is fifty dollars ($50.00) and for eachaircraft in the possession operated solely for the purpose of sale ordemonstration is twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Any person who engages in abusiness, a substantial portion of which consists of the manufacturing,selling, or exchanging of aircraft, and who does not have a federal dealer'scertificate shall register all aircraft owned by the person and operated withinthe state with the chief aeronautics inspector and pay the annual fee for thataircraft provided for in this subsection and is not eligible to pay the limitedfee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for all aircraft operated solely for thepurpose of sale or demonstration.
(c) All fees are in lieu of all personal property taxes onaircraft authorized by any law or ordinance. Registration certificates issuedafter expiration of the first six (6) months of the annual registration period,as prescribed by the director, are issued at the rate of fifty percent (50%) ofthe annual fee.
(d) All fees are paid to the tax administrator of this stateand delivery of the person's receipt to the chief aeronautics inspector is aprerequisite to registration under this section.
(e) Possession of the appropriate effective federalcertificate, permit, rating or license relating to ownership and airworthinessof the aircraft, and the payment of the appropriate fee as set forth in thissection are the only requisites for registration of an aircraft, or a dealer inaircraft.
(f) Aircraft registration fees shall be reimbursed to personswho surrender their certificates before the date of expiration in accordancewith the following schedule:
(1) Before the first six (6) months of the period, fiftypercent (50%) of the fee;
(2) Before the first nine (9) months of the period,twenty-five percent (25%).
(g) The provisions of this section shall not apply to:
(1) An aircraft owned by, and used exclusively in the serviceof, any government, including the government of the United States or of anystate of the United States, or political subdivision thereof, which is notengaged in carrying persons or property for commercial purposes;
(2) An aircraft registered under the laws of a foreigncountry;
(3) An aircraft owned by a nonresident and based in anotherstate; or
(4) An aircraft engaged principally in federally certifiedscheduled airline operation.