§ 44-34-2 - Assessment – Valuation – Proration – Abatement and cancellation – Exemptions from tax.
SECTION 44-34-2
§ 44-34-2 Assessment – Valuation– Proration – Abatement and cancellation – Exemptions from tax.– (a) Except as provided in this section, the tax assessors of each city and townshall assess and levy in each calendar year on every vehicle and trailerregistered under chapter 3 of title 31, for the privilege of the registration,an excise measured by its value, as subsequently defined and determined. Forthe purpose of this excise, the uniform value of each vehicle shall bedetermined in accordance with the regulations of the vehicle value commission.Any vehicle which is more than twenty-five (25) years old, whether or not thevehicle is an antique motor car as defined in § 31-1-3(a), shall be deemedto possess an average retail value of five hundred dollars ($500). Any vehiclemore than twenty-five (25) years old on June 16, 1987, whether or not thevehicle is an antique motor car as defined in § 31-1-3(a), shall be deemedto have an average retail value of five hundred dollars ($500) or its actualretail value whichever is less. The minimum excise tax on any vehicle, ifregistered to the same owner for a full year or portion of the year, shall notbe less than five dollars ($5.00) unless the registration is transferred to oneor more additional vehicles or trailers, in which case the minimum or combinedexcise taxes shall not be less than five dollars ($5.00). Beginning in fiscalyear 2001, the assessor may, but is not required to, issue minimum tax bills asauthorized by this section or any general or public law. Beginning in fiscalyear 2002 and thereafter, the assessor shall not issue minimum tax bills,notwithstanding any general or public law to the contrary. The assessor maywaive the excise tax on any vehicle where the annual levy would be less thanfive dollars ($5.00). The state shall not provide reimbursement for any waiver.
(b) Vehicle and trailer excises shall be prorated over thecalendar year prior to the year in which the excises are levied and billed,that year being referred to as the calendar year of proration.
(c) The excise levy on every vehicle and trailer registeredunder chapter 3 of title 31 shall be based on the ratio that the number of daysthe vehicle or trailer is registered is to the number of days in the calendaryear of proration.
(d) If during the calendar year of proration, the owner of avehicle or trailer subject to the excise moves permanently with his or hervehicle to another state and cancels his or her registration in this state andreturns the registration plates, the vehicle shall be exempt from excise forthe ensuing year.
(e) "Year of manufacture" as used in this section means theyear used by the manufacturer of the vehicle or trailer in connection with thedesignation by the manufacturer of the model of the vehicle or trailer. Wherethe presumptive price of a vehicle or trailer is not readily obtainable, orspecial equipment is installed on the vehicle or trailer, the tax assessorshall prescribe the retail price to be used or the manner in which the retailprice shall be determined.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent anycity or town council from granting an abatement, in whole or in part, whenthere is an error in the assessment of a tax, and the tax assessors havecertified to the fact, in writing, to the city or town council to cancel taxesstating the nature of the error, the valuation of the vehicle or trailer, theamount of the assessed tax and the name of the person to whom the vehicle ortrailer was taxed.
(g) The city or town council may cancel, in whole or in part,an excise tax assessed to a person who has died leaving no estate, or a personwho has moved from the state, and the tax collector or person acting in thecapacity of tax collector certifies to the city or town council the facts ofthe case.
(h) The excise imposed by this section shall not apply tovehicles or trailers owned by the state of Rhode Island or any of its politicalsubdivisions, or to vehicles or trailers owned by a corporation, association orother organization whose tangible personal property is exempt under §44-3-3(1) – (15), or to vehicles assessed and taxed under § 44-13-13,or those owned by the United States government. Farm vehicles shall be exemptto the extent prescribed in § 44-5-42.