Rhode Island § 44-18-21 - Sales and Use Taxes — Liability and Computation

§ 44-18-21. Liability for use tax.

(a) Every person storing, using, or consuming in this state tangible personal property, including a motor vehicle, boat, airplane, or trailer, purchased from a retailer, and a motor vehicle, boat, airplane, or trailer, purchased from other than a licensed motor vehicle dealer or other than a retailer of boats, airplanes, or trailers respectively; or storing, using or consuming specified prewritten computer software delivered electronically or by load and leave, or vendor-hosted prewritten computer software, or specified digital products, or services as defined in § 44-18-7.3 is liable for the use tax. The person’s liability is not extinguished until the tax has been paid to this state, except that a receipt from a retailer engaging in business in this state or from a retailer who is authorized by the tax administrator to collect the tax under rules and regulations that he or she may prescribe, given to the purchaser pursuant to the provisions of § 44-18-22, is sufficient to relieve the purchaser from further liability for the tax to which the receipt refers.

(b) Each person before obtaining an original or transferral registration for any article or commodity in this state, which article or commodity is required to be licensed or registered in the state, shall furnish satisfactory evidence to the tax administrator that any tax due under this chapter with reference to the article or commodity has been paid, and for the purpose of effecting compliance, the tax administrator, in addition to any other powers granted to him or her, may invoke the provisions of § 31-3-4 in the case of a motor vehicle. The tax administrator, when he or she deems it to be for the convenience of the general public, may authorize any agency of the state concerned with the licensing or registering of these articles or commodities to collect the use tax on any articles or commodities which the purchaser is required by this chapter to pay before receiving an original or transferral registration. The general assembly shall annually appropriate a sum that it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of §§ 44-18-19, 44-18-22, and 44-18-24, the sales or use tax on any motor vehicle and/or recreational vehicle requiring registration by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall not be added by the retailer to the sale price or charge but shall be paid directly by the purchaser to the tax administrator, or his or her authorized deputy or agent as provided in this section.

(c) In cases involving total loss or destruction of a motor vehicle occurring within one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of purchase and upon which the purchaser has paid the use tax, the amount of the tax constitutes an overpayment. The amount of the overpayment may be credited against the amount of use tax on any subsequent vehicle which the owner acquires to replace the lost or destroyed vehicle or may be refunded, in whole or in part.