Custom Built Car Registration in Rhode Island

The folks at Rhode Island's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) define a custom-built car as:

• Any vehicle that has been modified from the manufacturer's original configuration

• Any vehicle that has been fashioned together from non-original materials

• Any vehicle that is 25 years old or more, but is not a model built before 1948

If your vehicle falls into the custom-built category, you must register it as such if its use will be restricted to occasional exhibitions, club gatherings, and parades. You will not be allowed to register it as custom-built if you plan on using it for everyday travel.

Registration and Title Requirements

Rhode Island's registration and titling requirements are as follows:

• You must submit a completed Application for Registration and Title Certificate.

• You must provide proof that the vehicle passed a safety inspection.

• You must provide detailed evidence that authenticates every part used to construct your vehicle. This must be submitted to the Enforcement Section located in the DMV's Cranston location. Once approved, you must then take all your paperwork over to the Title Office located in the same building.

• You must pay the $51.50 title fee.

• Once all papers and forms are properly processed and deemed in order, you will be issued a special custom vehicle license plate. Possession of this plate exempts your car from annual inspections and conforming to special emission regulations.

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