Why am I being taxed for a vehicle I no longer own?

The two most common reasons are the following:

  • Motor Vehicle tax bills are billed in arrears. Tax bills are based on Rhode Island (RI) Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records of vehicles registered for the period of the prior calendar year. Therefore, tax bills may not reflect the vehicles you currently own. Your tax bill will reflect the information provided by the RI DMV with the following information:
    • Plate Number
    • Number of Days
    • Date Range
    • Year
    • Make
    • Model
    • Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
    • Net Valuation
    • Tax Adjusted
    • Tax Due
  • You did not cancel the registration after you sold, donated, disposed of, or traded in your vehicle. Motor Vehicle tax bills are assessed on vehicles that were registered according to RI DMV records. If you did not cancel the registration with the RI DMV, the Town does not know that you no longer own the vehicle.

Show All Answers

1. When will I receive my tax bill?
2. I didn't receive a tax bill. Why not?
3. Why am I being taxed for a vehicle I no longer own?
4. How do I remove a vehicle from the tax roll?
5. I'm a new owner on a property. Will I automatically get the current tax bill?
6. How do I get a record of the tax payments I have made to the Town?
7. What are the tax payment due dates?