R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-25-18: Weighing of suspected overweight vehicles.

Any proper officer having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful is authorized to require the driver to stop and submit to a weighing of the vehicle and load by means of either portable or stationary scales, and may require that the vehicle be driven to the nearest available stationary scales. Any carrier or persons found to be operating in excess of their registered, permitted, and/or legal weight limits may be fined and released, required to reduce weight or dimensions to legal, and/or required to pursue a legal permit at the officer’s discretion. Any carrier or persons found to have pending motor vehicle fines in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) may have their permit privileges suspended until pending fines are paid.