Junk and dead cars in South Kingstown

What section 11-17 covers

The full rule reads: "No owner shall keep, store or deposit, or allow another to keep, store or deposit, in the open on their premises, any dismantled, junked or abandoned vehicle or trailer that is not registered or if registered, because of its condition, cannot be legally operated or in the case of a trailer, towed, on any public roadway."

So two kinds of car fall under it. One has no registration. The other is registered but could not legally be driven on a public road in its current state. The rule is aimed at cars kept in the open, and it reaches trailers too.

Parking limits that catch a car that won't start

Section 10-38 covers Wakefield in winter. Between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. from December through March, South Kingstown bars parking on its streets or town hall grounds "for a period of time longer than two (2) hours" unless the chief of police gives permission.

Section 10-46 sets one-hour zones on parts of Holley Street, Kingstown Road and Robinson Street. On Oliver Drive and Seabreeze Terrace, the code adds "towing authorized" for anything left past the hour. A car with a dead battery cannot leave when its time runs out.

The DMV office in Wakefield

The state, not Washington County, issues Rhode Island titles. We checked the DMV branch on Tower Hill Road in Wakefield, number 4808. Its line is (401) 789-1430. It lies about 5 miles as the crow flies, northeast of the town's center.

Replacing a lost title is a separate errand. South Kingstown owners get duplicates through the DMV's Cranston office, which can take up to 90 days. The law sets $50.00, while the DMV fee table lists $53.50. Our junk car with no title page has other routes.

Heavy damage and salvage titles

Section 31-46-3 targets newer cars with big repair bills. When a car is under 7 years from its manufacture date and the repairs would top 75 percent of its fair market value, its owner has 10 days to turn in the title and get a salvage certificate of title instead. Insurers sort salvage into class A, good for parts only, and class B, damaged but repairable. More on salvage titles.

Signing over and the plates

South Kingstown sellers of a 2001 or newer car sign the title's reverse side before the buyer does, and the miles get written in. Put the sale price and your address on a bill of sale. You keep the plates, while a private buyer bolts their own onto the car. To end the registration, cancel it online, or fill out the Affidavit for Cancellation of Registration and leave it at a DMV branch drop box along with your ID or registration copy.

Nearby

North Kingstown is 12.2 miles away, Newport 12.6 and Westerly 14.5. See Rhode Island for the statewide picture.

Selling it

South Kingstown owners can call (877) 421-6008 or use the form. We load from yards, Kingstown Road driveways, or wherever it quit.