Rhode Island Code of Regulations
Title 280 - Department of Revenue
Chapter 30 - Division of Motor Vehicles
Subchapter 15 - Safety and Emissions
Part 1 - Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Safety and Emission Control Regulation No.1
Section 280-RICR-30-15-1.3 - Definitions

1. "Authorized inspection repair station" or "AIRS" means an inspection location authorized by the Department to provide motor vehicle safety and emission inspection and repairs, or inspections only.

2. "Calibration" means the act of checking and adjusting the exhaust emission analyzer by introducing reference gases of known concentrations into the analyzer.

3. "CIRT" or "Certified inspection repair technician" means a person certified by the Department to provide both inspection and repairs for motor vehicle safety and emissions.

4. "CIT" or "Certified inspection technician" means a person certified by the Department to perform motor vehicle safety and emission inspections.

5. "Compliance certificate" means a written document or device with a serial number indicating that a motor vehicle complies with the requirements of the Department's regulations.

6. "Day" means a calendar day, unless otherwise designated.

7. "Dealer" means a person or entity engaged in the business of buying, selling, or exchanging vehicles and who has an established place of business for such purpose and as further defined in R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-1-19(b).

8. "Department" means the Department of Revenue.

9. "Director" means the Director of the Department of Revenue.

10. "Emission control device" means a component installed on or in a vehicle for the sole or primary purpose of reducing emissions (not including those vehicle components which were in general use prior to model year 1968 and the primary function of which is not related to emission control).

11. "Exchange engine" means an engine other than the specific engine originally installed by the vehicle manufacturer.

12. "Exhaust emissions standard" means the maximum allowable levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen appropriate for the age and type of vehicle tested.

13. "Fleet vehicle" means a nonexempt motor vehicle owned or leased by a fleet owner or operator.

14. "Gross vehicle weight rating" or "GVWR" means the weight value specified by the vehicle manufacturer on the Federal weight certification label as the loaded weight of a vehicle.

15. "Hearing board" means a board comprised of three (3) members as designated by the Administrator of Motor Vehicles to conduct hearings required by these regulations.

16. "Homemade vehicle" means a vehicle which has been materially altered from its original configuration so that it cannot be visually identified as a vehicle produced by a particular vehicle manufacturer; or a vehicle constructed entirely from homemade parts, or parts from one or more vehicles, or constructed by the use of custom kits and which cannot be identified as a specific make or model.

17. "Inspection" means the testing of the exhaust and functional emission controls along with a safety inspection of a subject vehicle.

18. "Inspection report" means a document or device automatically generated as a result of the enhanced safety and emission inspection, containing detailed inspection information.

19. "Inspection station" means a facility for motor vehicle safety, on-board diagnostics and emissions inspection operated by an AIRS.

20. "Model-year" means the manufacturer's annual production period for each engine family which includes January 1 of a calendar year or, if the manufacturer has no annual production period, the calendar year. In the case of any motor vehicle manufactured in two or more stages, the time of manufacture shall be the date of completion of the chassis.

21. "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which is self-propelled, except vehicles moved exclusively by human power and motorized wheelchairs.

22. "Motor vehicle safety and emission inspection" means a test of exhaust emissions of air contaminants from a motor vehicle and any functional evaporative emission tests related to the emission of air contaminants from a motor vehicle along with safety device inspection conducted pursuant to these regulations.

23. "New motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle that the equitable or legal title has never been transferred to the first person who in good faith purchases the vehicle for purposes other than resale.

24. "Operator" means any person in control of a motor vehicle.

25. "On-board diagnostics" and "OBD" mean the system that monitors and records the operations and faults of a vehicle's emissions controls and related systems.

26. "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, whether private, public or quasi-municipal, municipality, state governmental department or other legal entity.

27. "Reconstructed vehicle" means a vehicle constructed from two or more commercially manufactured vehicles of the same type and year which has not been altered and is recognizable as a commercially manufactured vehicle of a given year.

28. "Rhode Island I/M program" means the Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Inspection/Maintenance Program.

29. "Rhode Island I/M program manager" means a person, business firm, partnership, or corporation with whom the Department has a contract that provides for the establishment and operation of the Rhode Island Motor Vehicle Inspection/Maintenance Program.

30. "Remote sensing device" is a device which directs an infra-red or laser beam across a lane of traffic to instantly detect and read the concentrations of pollutants in a vehicle's exhaust.

31. "Safety and emission inspection program" means an enhanced vehicle emission inspection program as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency including, but not limited to, a network of computerized emission analyzers, on-road testing, and inspection of vehicle safety devices through an inspection program.

32. "Tampering" means the removal, disconnection, or rendering inoperative a safety or emission control device.

33. "Test" and "testing" mean the use of analyzers and diagnostic equipment as appropriate and the application of techniques, methods policies and procedures established or approved by the Department for the purpose of comparing emission levels and/or operating systems in vehicles to regulatory safety and emission standards.

34. "Vehicle identification number" and "VIN" means a combination of letters and numbers a vehicle manufacturer assigns to a vehicle for identification purposes.

35. "Waiver certificate" means a written document, instrument or device indicating the requirement of compliance with the standards and criteria for the Rhode Island I/M Program inspection for a particular motor vehicle has been waived.

36. "Waiver inspector" means a Department employee or designee who reviews, issues and audits waiver requests.

37. "Year" means a calendar year.