R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-8-1: Operation of vehicles without evidences of registration.

No person shall operate, nor shall an owner knowingly permit to be operated, upon any highway or bicycle trail or path, any vehicle required to be registered pursuant to this title unless there has been issued for it a valid registration card and unless there is attached to it and displayed on it, when and as required by chapters 3 — 9 of this title, a valid registration plate or plates issued for it by the division of motor vehicles for the current registration year except as otherwise expressly permitted in those chapters. Any violation of this section shall be punishable by a fine of one hundred dollars ($100).