Woonsocket Continues Push to Curb Out-of-State License Plates Parked or Garaged in City

Office of the Mayor

WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 15, 2021

Contact: Deputy Chief Michael Lemoine

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: 401-767-8865

Woonsocket Continues Push to Curb Out-of-State License

Plates Parked or Garaged in City

WOONSOCKET, R.I.: Woonsocket Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, Public Safety Director Eugene Jalette, and Police Chief Thomas F. Oates III today detailed the latest results of the City’s continuing efforts to restrict out-of-state vehicles parked or garaged overnight in the City for more than 30 days. City Police issued 20 citations to vehicles with out-of-state plates culminating from the latest sweep across the City from February 1, 2021 through March 1, 2021. Violators are scheduled to appear before the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal (RITT) on May 27, 2021. Also, detailed were 40 citations issued in a sweep from August 1, 2020 through January 31, 2021 for which violators appeared before the RITT on February 25, 2021.

Mayor Lisa-Baldelli Hunt stated, "Our continuing clampdown on out-of-state license plate violators brings fairness to all the taxpayers in Woonsocket and enhances the safety of all of our residents. For safety’s sake and in the spirit of fairness, if you live and drive in our City, you must register your vehicle here!"

The City has made it a priority to enforce Rhode Island General Law 37-7-1 regarding out-of-state license plate violators; 1) to safeguard the public by being able to quickly identify and locate vehicle owners should an emergency need arise; and 2) to ensure all city residents are paying appropriate vehicle property taxes.

Public Safety Director Eugene Jalette offered, "As Public Safety Director, I have always believed it is important to focus on the problem of drivers with out-of-state license plates residing in our City and I commend the members of our Police Department who designed and implemented an innovative sweeps program to identify, track and control these violators. This is a very efficient program and we have issued over 320 out-of-state license plate citations since January 2018."

Chief Oates asserted, "While we have been very successful in enforcing the state statute and will continue to do so, the Department is continuing to appeal to residents who have their vehicles registered out-of-state to avoid getting a citation by properly registering their vehicle(s) to their address in Woonsocket."

The City’s targeting out-of-state license plate violations is compliant with Rhode Island General Law 31-7-1, which states, in part: "Any foreign registered vehicle parked or garaged overnight in this state for more than thirty (30) days in the aggregate in any one year……shall register the vehicle and pay the same fee that is required with reference to like vehicle(s) owned by residents of this state."

The 20 citations issued for the period ending March 31, 2021 had license plates registered to:

Massachusetts: 13

New Hampshire: 2

New York: 2

Connecticut: 2

Maine 1

The 40 citations for the period ending January 31, 2021 had license plates registered to:

Massachusetts 36

Florida 1

Utah 1

New York 2

City Hall ⬧ P.O. Box B ⬧ Woonsocket , RI 02895 Telephone (401) 767-9205 ⬧ Fax (401) 765-4569 ⬧ E-Mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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