Vehicles registered in Newport, RI are taxed for the PREVIOUS calendar year, (i.e. 2019 tax bills are for vehicles registered during the 2018 calendar year).
By law you are required to change your address with the Rhode Island DMV within 10 days of moving. By law you are required to physically return your plates to the Rhode Island DMV.
You are taxed on the amount of days you have an active registration. Moving, selling, gifting, junking your vehicle, throwing away your plates, registering your vehicle in a new State etc. do not constitute the proper way of canceling your registration.
If you do not return your plates to the DMV you will be responsible for the taxes until you do so or the plates expire, whichever occurs first. Please see www.dmv.ri.gov for more information and the correct procedure for returning your license plates. Do not mail your plates to the Assessor's office.
Businesses registered in Newport, RI are taxed for the PREVIOUS calendar year, (i.e. 2020 tax bills are for active businesses during the 2019 calendar year).
You have an active business if you have not properly closed your business by either closing with the Assessor's office in person or by filling out the Close of Business form by mail.
Submitting a Close of Business form is the ONLY acceptable way of officially closing your business with the City as stated on your application with the Tax Assessor's office when you opened your business.
We cannot close your account retroactively. Example: If you say you closed your business in 2017 but did not file the close of business until 2018, you will be responsible for the tax bill you receive in 2019
Active duty Military members stationed in Newport (and not residents of Rhode Island) please see Service Member's Civil Relief Act Tax Exemption Application.
Follow the instructions listed and submit your application to this office as soon as possible. You are exempt for the time you are on orders in Newport. If you retain the plates after you have transferred from the area, you will be responsible for any taxes that have accrued or will accrue once you leave the area.