Report Out-of-State Registrations

If this is an Emergency please call 9-1-1

Woonsocket Police Department Witness Statement

DO NOT USE THIS FORM IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY. DIAL 9-1-1 OR CALL THE WOONSOCKET POLICE DEPARTMENT AT (401) 766-1212

The City of Woonsocket takes a proactive role in ensuring residents of this city comply with state law and register their vehicles in the State of Rhode Island.  Rhode Island General Law § 31-7-1 states the following:

§ 31-7-1. Right to operate on foreign registration.

(b) Any foreign vehicle(s) parked or garaged overnight in this state for more than thirty (30) days in the aggregate in any one year that is owned and/or operated by a resident of this state as defined in § 31-1-18 shall register the vehicle(s) and pay the same fee that is required with reference to like vehicle(s) owned by residents of this state. The state police and local police departments, upon observation of a foreign-registered vehicle present within the state for thirty (30) days or more shall identify the owner of the vehicle and, if a Rhode Island resident, provide a notice containing a copy of this section to the owner and to the tax assessor in the city or town in which the vehicle is located.

If you have reason to believe that a vehicle is improperly registered in a state other than Rhode Island and the owner resides in the City of Woonsocket, please complete the following form to report these vehicles.  Reported vehicles will be checked to determine if they are in violation of state law.  Some vehicles, such as vehicles registered to a company headquartered out of state or active military personnel, may be exempt.  Any vehicles found to be in violation of state law will be summonsed to the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal and appropriate notification will be made to the City of Woonsocket Tax Assessor's Office.