§ 39-18.1-4. Rhode Island highway maintenance account created.
(a) There is hereby created a special account in the intermodal surface transportation
fund as established in § 31-36-20 that is to be known as the Rhode Island highway maintenance account.
(b) The fund shall consist of all those moneys that the state may, from time to time,
direct to the fund, including, but not necessarily limited to, moneys derived from
the following sources:
(1) There is imposed a surcharge of forty dollars ($40.00) per vehicle or truck, other
than those with specific registrations set forth below in subsection (b)(1)(i). Such
surcharge shall be paid by each vehicle or truck owner in order to register that owner's
vehicle or truck and upon each subsequent biennial registration. This surcharge shall
be phased in at the rate of ten dollars ($10.00) each year through June 30, 2016.
The total surcharge will be ten dollars ($10.00) from July 1, 2013, through June 30,
2014, twenty dollars ($20.00) from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, thirty dollars
($30.00) from July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2025, and forty dollars ($40.00)
from January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter.
(i) For owners of vehicles or trucks with the following plate types, the surcharge shall
be as set forth below and shall be paid in full in order to register the vehicle or
truck and upon each subsequent renewal:
| Plate Type |
Surcharge |
| Antique |
$ 10.00 |
| Farm |
$ 15.00 |
| Motorcycle |
$ 18.00 |
(ii) For owners of trailers, the surcharge shall be one-half (½) of the biennial registration
amount and shall be paid in full in order to register the trailer and upon each subsequent
renewal;
(2) There is imposed a surcharge of twenty dollars ($20.00) per vehicle or truck, other
than those with specific registrations set forth in subsection (b)(2)(i) below, for
those vehicles or trucks subject to annual registration, to be paid annually by each
vehicle or truck owner in order to register that owner's vehicle or truck and upon
each subsequent annual registration. This surcharge will be phased in at the rate
of five dollars ($5.00) each year through June 30, 2016. The total surcharge will
be five dollars ($5.00) from July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, ten dollars ($10.00)
from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, fifteen dollars ($15.00) from July 1, 2015,
through December 31, 2025, and twenty dollars ($20.00) from January 1, 2026, and each
year thereafter.
(i) For registrations of the following plate types, the surcharge shall be as set forth
below and shall be paid in full in order to register the plate, and upon each subsequent
renewal:
| Plate Type |
Surcharge |
| Boat Dealer |
$ 11.25 |
| Cycle Dealer |
$ 11.25 |
| In-transit |
$ 10.00 |
| Manufacturer |
$ 10.00 |
| New Car Dealer |
$ 10.00 |
| Used Car Dealer |
$ 10.00 |
| Racer Tow |
$ 10.00 |
| Transporter |
$ 10.00 |
| Bailee |
$ 10.00 |
(ii) For owners of trailers, the surcharge shall be one-half (½) of the annual registration
amount and shall be paid in full in order to register the trailer and upon each subsequent
renewal;
(iii) For owners of school buses, the surcharge will be phased in at the rate of six dollars
and twenty-five cents ($6.25) each year through June 30, 2015. The total surcharge
will be six dollars and twenty-five cents ($6.25) from July 1, 2013, through June
30, 2014, twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) from July 1, 2014, through December
31, 2025, and seventeen dollars and fifty cents ($17.50) from January 1, 2026, and
each year thereafter;
(3) There is imposed a surcharge of forty dollars ($40.00) per license to operate a motor
vehicle to be paid every five (5) years by each licensed operator of a motor vehicle.
This surcharge will be phased in at the rate of ten dollars ($10.00) each year through
June 30, 2016. The total surcharge will be ten dollars ($10.00) from July 1, 2013,
through June 30, 2014, twenty dollars ($20.00) from July 1, 2014, through June 30,
2015, thirty dollars ($30.00) from July 1, 2015, through December 31, 2025, and forty
dollars ($40.00) from January 1, 2026, and each year thereafter. In the event that
a license is issued or renewed for a period of less than five (5) years, the surcharge
will be prorated according to the period of time the license will be valid;
(4) All fees assessed pursuant to §â€‚31-47.1-11, and chapters 3, 6, 10, and 10.1 of title 31, shall be deposited into the Rhode Island
highway maintenance account, provided that for fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018 these
fees be transferred as follows:
(i) From July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, twenty-five percent (25%) will be deposited;
(ii) From July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, fifty percent (50%) will be deposited;
(iii) From July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018, sixty percent (60%) will be deposited; and
(iv) From July 1, 2018, and each year thereafter, one hundred percent (100%) will be deposited;
(5) All remaining funds from previous general obligation bond issues that have not otherwise
been allocated.
(c) Effective July 1, 2019, ninety-five percent (95%) of all funds collected pursuant
to this section shall be deposited in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account
and shall be used only for the purposes set forth in this chapter. The remaining funds
shall be retained as general revenues to partially offset cost of collections.
(d) Unexpended balances and any earnings thereon shall not revert to the general fund
but shall remain in the Rhode Island highway maintenance account. There shall be no
requirement that monies received into the Rhode Island highway maintenance account
during any given calendar year or fiscal year be expended during the same calendar
year or fiscal year.
(e) The Rhode Island highway maintenance account shall be administered by the director,
who shall allocate and spend monies from the fund only in accordance with the purposes
and procedures set forth in this chapter.