Rhode Island Title Transfer

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A Rhode Island title transfer moves vehicle ownership from the seller to the buyer through a single RI DMV transaction governed by the TR-1 application. The buyer has 30 days from the sale to complete the transfer along with new registration, the 7% Sales and Use Tax, and any lien recording. Skipping the transfer is the most common cause of vehicle ownership disputes the DMV resolves every year.

Seller's responsibilities

Before handing over the keys:

Locate the original Rhode Island title (or the RI registration if the title is held by a lender).
Complete the assignment of title on the back — printed name, signature, sale date, sale price, and odometer reading at the time of sale.
Complete a bill of sale listing the buyer, seller, year/make/model, VIN, sale price, and date.
Remove the Rhode Island plates — plates stay with the seller, not the vehicle.
Report the sale to the RI DMV using the online "Notice of Vehicle Sold" form to release liability.

Buyer's responsibilities

Within 30 days of the sale, the buyer must:

Apply for the new title with form TR-1.
Apply for new registration using form TR-2 at the same DMV visit.
Submit the original title with the seller's assignment fully completed.
Pay the $52.50 title fee, the registration fee, and the 7% Sales and Use Tax on the higher of the bill-of-sale price or NADA Clean Retail value.
Show proof of Rhode Island insurance meeting the 25/50/25 + UM 25/50 minimums.
Bring a valid Rhode Island driver's license or state ID.

Title transfer fees

$52.50 — standard title transfer.
$5 — lien recording fee, if the buyer financed the purchase.
7% — Sales and Use Tax based on price or NADA Clean Retail value.
$30-$60+ — passenger registration, scaled by vehicle weight and registration term.

The 30-day deadline

The 30-day window starts on the date written on the title assignment by the seller. Rhode Island assesses a $10 late fee if the transfer is filed within the next 30 days, escalating after that. The DMV can also charge a backdated registration violation if the buyer was driving on expired or non-RI plates during the lapse. There's a strong incentive to handle the transfer in the first two weeks rather than wait until the last day.

Vehicles with a lien

If the seller still owes a lender on the vehicle, the seller must contact the lender to pay off the loan and request the title release before the transfer can be completed. Some Rhode Island lenders offer "lien-perfected" letters that allow the title to ship directly to the buyer's lender or the DMV. Buyers financing a Rhode Island vehicle list the new lender on the TR-1 so the lien is recorded on the new title.

Transfers between family members

Rhode Island treats most family-to-family transfers (parent to child, between spouses, etc.) as exempt from the 7% Sales and Use Tax when filed with a signed casual-sale exemption affidavit. The title fee and registration fee still apply. Inheritance transfers use a separate form and require a copy of the death certificate plus the executor's appointment.

Out-of-state title transfer

Buyers moving into Rhode Island with a vehicle titled in another state file the same TR-1, but they bring the out-of-state title (or current registration if the title is held by a lender) instead of an RI title. The DMV issues an RI title in the new owner's name, applies any sales-tax credit from the prior state, and issues new RI plates. A passing safety inspection is required within 5 days of the new registration if not done at the DMV office.

Lost or damaged titles

If the original title has been lost or destroyed, the seller cannot transfer ownership until a duplicate is issued. See Rhode Island title replacement for the duplicate process. Don't accept a vehicle without a clean title in hand — "title pending" or "the lender has it" excuses leave the buyer exposed.

Branded titles

Rhode Island brands titles for salvage, rebuilt salvage, flood, hail, and other significant prior-history events. Branded-title vehicles can be registered in RI but must pass a special inspection at a regional DMV office, and resale value is reduced. Always check the title brand before completing the transfer; the DMV's title history is also accessible through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS).