§ 31-3.1-37. Passage of title upon death of owner. Unless otherwise provided in the last will and testament of a decedent, any motor vehicle(s) owned by the decedent shall belong, and title to them shall pass, to the surviving spouse.

(1) The administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall register the motor vehicle(s) in the name of the surviving spouse upon presentation to the division of motor vehicles of:

(i) A certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse;

(ii) Registration(s) of the motor vehicle(s) of the deceased spouse.

(2) No fee shall be charged to the surviving spouse for issuance of a new certificate of title.

(3) A surviving spouse shall not be charged a registration fee during the year he or she is registering the vehicle(s) in his or her name and having a new certificate of title issued,

(i) Where the deceased spouse registered that motor vehicle(s) with the division of motor vehicles; and

(ii) Paid the registration fees provided in § 31-6-1 for the motor vehicle(s) for the year.

(4) Where the deceased spouse did not register the motor vehicle(s) or failed to pay a registration fee pursuant to § 31-6-1 for the year in which the surviving spouse appears to register the motor vehicle(s) and have a new title certificate issued in his or her name, then the surviving spouse shall pay a pro rata amount of the annual registration fee for the remaining months of the year.

History of Section. (P.L. 1972, ch. 98, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 285, § 1; P.L. 2010, ch. 239, § 27.)