Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 280 - Department of Revenue
Chapter 30 - Division of Motor Vehicles
Subchapter 10 - Registration
Part 14 - Issuance of Year of Manufacture License Plates
Section 280-RICR-30-10-14.5 - Administrative Policies

1. YOM plates from only the following plate types will be considered: Passenger, Commercial, Combination, Antique, Motorcycle, Camper, Suburban, and Veteran.

2. All YOM registrations must be dual register.

3. The primary plate for the vehicle does not need to be an Antique Plate.

4. If the primary plate (whether antique or other type) were to expire, the YOM registration would be deemed inactive regardless of its expiration date. The primary plate must be active in order for the vehicle to be considered validly registered.

5. The primary registration must be provided to the DMV for confirmation that it is valid.

6. An applicant may not reserve a YOM plate unless the vehicle is an eligible vehicle which is already registered with a primary plate.

7. Only one (1) YOM plate is required. Front and rear plates are not mandatory, however, if a registrant has only one (1) YOM plate, it shall be displayed on the REAR of the vehicle. The primary plate must be displayed on, or carried in the vehicle, and available to be furnished to law enforcement at all times.

8. Two (2) registration certificates must be carried in the vehicle; one (1) for the YOM and one (1) for the primary plate. Both registration certificates must be furnished to law enforcement, or other government officials upon demand.

9. When traveling outside of Rhode Island, the primary plates must be the plates displayed on the vehicle.

10. If the vehicle requires a biannual safety and emissions inspection (due to the primary plate being something other than Antique), the primary plates must be displayed at the time of inspection.

1. All YOM plates are subject to approval by the Administrator or his or her designee.

2. The plate must be physically presented at the RIDMV for inspection and final approval.

3. A YOM plate must be clearly legible, in generally good repair and its letters and/or numbers must be unaltered. The plate must meet or exceed minimum visibility requirements as set by the Safety and Emissions Office and law enforcement. The plate must be clearly visible in accordance with current Safety and Emissions license plate standards.

4. Reconditioned plates are acceptable, provided that they comply with these Regulations.

5. Only Rhode Island plates shall be permitted.

6. Acceptable YOM plates include original, authentic plates which were issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles during the calendar year of the model of the vehicle, or replicas of authentic plates issued and/or manufactured as such.

7. The YOM plate type must correspond to the type of vehicle to which it is to be affixed. (e.g., a YOM plate that states "commercial" or "Comm" on it cannot be used on a passenger vehicle.)

8. No duplicates of any particular sequence of numbers or letters shall be permitted, regardless of the year of the YOM plate. Once a number/letter sequence has been registered as a YOM plate, the same number/letter sequence cannot be used again no matter the year of the plate. YOM is its own plate type, and sequencing will not delineate the year of the plate.

9. Sequencing will be on a first come, first served basis.

10. There will be no "preferred" YOM plates.

11. No "courtesy" plates as defined in R.I. Gen. Law §31-3-17.1 shall be permitted.

12. Validation stickers, besides the original sticker showing the year of manufacture, will NOT be required on these plates. The DMV will not issue new validation stickers for these plates upon renewal.

13. Tabs and stickers can either be authentic (issued and/or manufactured under the auspices of the Rhode Island DMV during the calendar year of the model of the vehicle) OR they can be a "replica" of same. The customer will be responsible for obtaining the stickers and/or tabs. When the plate is approved for registration, the stickers or tabs must be properly affixed to the plate.

1. There shall be no fee for applying for approval for a YOM plate.

2. Upon approval of the physical plate, fees would be identical to those of antique registrations and renewals.