Requires that the license plates of a vehicle be confiscated by a police officer if the owner was arrested for driving while their license was suspended, revoked or cancelled for refusing to submit to a chemical test or for operating under the influence.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: License Plate Confiscation for Suspended License Violations

This bill would require police officers to take away the license plates from a vehicle at the time of arrest if the driver is caught driving with a suspended, revoked, or cancelled license — specifically in cases where that suspension was related to a DUI (driving under the influence) or refusing to take a chemical test (such as a breathalyzer). Under the proposal, the plate confiscation would be a mandatory step officers must take, not something left to their discretion.

The bill is aimed at people who continue to drive even after their license has been taken away due to alcohol- or drug-related offenses. By physically removing the license plates, the bill creates an additional consequence meant to make it harder for someone to keep driving an unregistered or unauthorized vehicle on public roads. Without valid plates, the vehicle would be more easily identified by law enforcement as one that should not be in operation.

This measure would most directly affect drivers in Rhode Island who have lost their licenses due to DUI-related reasons and are caught driving anyway. It could also indirectly affect vehicle owners who may not be the ones driving — for example, if someone else uses their car. Law enforcement officers would take on the added responsibility of carrying out the plate confiscation process at the scene of an arrest. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for a hearing in April 2026.