Serving Auto Body Shops & the Community
Rhode Island Laws, Regulations, and Bulletins
ABARI has been Responsible for many of the Laws and Regulation that protect the RI CONSUMER and promote safe and efficient Collision Repairs.
Use this PORTAL to view and access the Laws & Regulations that are most relevant to your situation.
Please Note:
In the event that any Law has been amended through Legislation recently passed, it may take up to a year for both the LAW and any effected DBR REGULATION to be updated on either the State of RI or DBR Websites. In that case, the Legislative Bill that shows the changes and effective date is all that is available as reasonable evidence of the changes made and how the Law currently reads.
For 2025, please be aware of these changes:
RI General Law 29-9.1-4 was changed by Senate Bill S0902 Substitute A
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0902A.pdf
This Bill became effective July 5, 2025
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RE General Law 27-10.4-1 was changed by Senate Bill S0901 Substitute A
https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText/BillText25/SenateText25/S0901A.pdf
This Bill became effective July 2, 2025
REGULATIONS
AUTO BODY LICENSING
Motor Vehicle Body Repair (Regulates A/B Licensing and Requirements)
Automobile Body Shop On-Site Inspection Standards
Automotive Body Shop STORAGE RATES
INSURANCE
Unfair Property/Casualty Claims Settlement Practices
Motor Vehicle Damage Appraisers
Insurance Claims Adjusters
Re-inspection of Collision Damage Claims
Procedures in Payment of Automobile Damage Claims
Auto Body Labor Rate Survey
BULLETINS
INSURANCE
Approved Total Loss Evaluation Services
This is where it is stated that “Insurers may utilize valuations from any of the other applicants, however, insurers may not offer less than NADA or KBB in settlement of the claim.
RI GENERAL LAWS
Motor Vehicles – General Provisions – Self-insurers
This Law basically states that Self-insurers are subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Business Regulations; however, they do not necessarily have to abide by the same rules as insurers do.
Towns and Cities
This Act allows City and town councils and regional school districts to jointly establish and insurance corporation, to obtain insurance, and to enter into a cooperative risk management program.
NOTE: The Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust is exempted by §45-5-20.1 and they are not subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to insurance companies.
This is the most current listing of the SELF INSURERS as posted on the DBR Website
Process for Rebuilding a Total Loss
Consumers and Salvaged Vehicles - This BULLETIN was posted by the DBR as a warning intended to be informational and assist the Consumer in their decision-making process before attempting to Rebuild a Total Loss.
TOTAL LOSS – What you should know
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
ABARI posted this article to advise both the CONSUMER and their chosen REBUILDER of the PIT-FALLS that the consumer should be informed of before starting the Rebuilding Process.
WHAT TO DO if a HYPER-LINK does not WORK
In the EVENT that one or more of the Hyper-Links are not working it will most likely be that either the State House or DBR made an update and the link was lost. Follow these directions:
Go to the DBR Website “Home Page”: http://www.dbr.ri.gov/
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Once you are here look for the Link for either “REGULATIONS” or “BULLETINS” and click on that link. Follow the path that leads you to the specific link that you are looking for.
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From the DBR Home Page you can also access the State site for Rhode Island LAWS. At the bottom of the DBR Home Page look for “Related Links” and click on the link for “Rhode Island General Laws” or use this link: