What to Do With Your RI License Plates After Selling to a Junkyard

When you finally decide to get junk cars for cash, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of clearing out your driveway. However, once the tow truck arrives, there is one critical step you must not overlook: removing your license plates.

In the state of Rhode Island, your license plates are more than just metal markers; they are the legal link between you and the vehicle. Leaving them on a car destined for a junkyard in Rhode Island can lead to unexpected tax bills and legal headaches.

Here is your guide to handling your plates and registration correctly.

1. Remove the Plates Immediately

Never let a vehicle leave your property with the license plates attached. Even if the buyer is a licensed professional, it is your responsibility to remove them.

Liability Protection: If those plates are stolen from a salvage yard and used on another vehicle, any tolls, parking tickets, or traffic violations will be sent to your mailbox.
Safety First: Removing the plates is the most straightforward way to signal to the state that you are no longer the operator of that vehicle.

2. Cancel Your Registration Online

The Rhode Island DMV has modernised the process, making it easier than ever to get cash for junk cars without spending a day in line at the Cranston headquarters.

To cancel your registration, visit the RI DMV website and use their online cancellation service. You will need:

The plate number.
The owner's name (exactly as it appears on the registration).
A valid email address is required to receive your confirmation receipt.

Pro Tip: Keep a digital and printed copy of your cancellation receipt. This is your "get out of jail free card" if your local city or town accidentally sends you an excise tax bill for the vehicle next year.

3. Don't Return Plates in Person

Contrary to popular belief, the Rhode Island DMV no longer accepts cancelled plates in person at their branch locations. Once you have cancelled the registration online, the state advises you to:

Destroy or Recycle them: You can cut them in half and place them in your recycling bin.
Keep them as souvenirs: Many Rhode Islanders choose to hang old plates in their garages or "man cave."

If you do not have internet access, you can still mail your plates to the DMV headquarters in Cranston or use the physical drop boxes located at DMV branches (be sure to include a photocopy of your ID and registration).

4. Stop the Tax Clock

In Rhode Island, vehicle excise taxes are calculated based on the length of time a vehicle is registered in a specific municipality. If you sell your car to a junkyard in July but don't cancel the plates until December, you may be billed for five months of taxes on a car you didn't even own.

By cancelling your plates the same day you get your cash for junk cars, you ensure your tax liability ends the moment the vehicle leaves your sight.

5. Transferring Plates to a New Car

If you are junking an old car to make room for a new one, you can "transfer" your existing plates. In Rhode Island, you have a 30-day grace period to transfer your registration from your old junk car to a newly purchased vehicle. You will still need to visit the DMV (or an AAA branch if you are a member) to link the plates to the new VIN officially.