Rhode Island camera ticket, but you weren’t driving.
If a friend, partner, or anyone else genuinely had your car, Rhode Island law lets you say so under oath and shift the ticket off your name. It’s called a statement to the court.
Does the form work in Rhode Island?
Important caveat: Rhode Island makes the registered owner "primarily responsible," with no clean statutory "I wasn’t driving" affidavit. The not-the-driver / stolen-plate affidavit is an administrative form printed on the citation by the processing center — not a guaranteed safe harbor — and the owner stays primarily liable. You can still raise general defenses by contesting at the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal. The only statewide speed-camera authority is geofenced to within a quarter-mile of a school.
Statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.3-10 · last verified June 2026. Confirm with your court before filing.
How to file in Rhode Island
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i
Make sure it’s true.Someone other than you, or a co-owner, genuinely had the car. The form is sworn, so this part isn’t flexible.
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ii
File before the deadline.Submit by contesting at the RI Traffic Tribunal, by the date on the citation.
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iii
Let the court decide.They cancel the ticket or set a hearing. Either way it stays civil: no points, no hit to your record.
The court reviews your declaration — usually within a couple of weeks. You’ll get a decision by mail or email: the ticket is canceled, or a hearing is set. Don’t pay the fine while you wait — paying can withdraw the declaration. Heard nothing by the follow-up date? Call the court and confirm they received it.
Rhode Island camera tickets: FAQ
If someone else was driving, can I get out of a camera ticket in Rhode Island?
Partly. Rhode Island lets the registered owner file a statement to the court (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.3-10) stating you weren’t the driver. But the remedy is limited — see the caveat above. It must be true — it’s sworn under penalty of perjury.
How do I fight a traffic camera ticket in Rhode Island?
If someone else was driving, file a statement to the court (R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.3-10) — follow the steps above. If it was you, request a hearing to contest the citation itself. Either way these are civil tickets, so no license points.
What is the statement to the court in Rhode Island?
It’s a sworn statement to the court that the vehicle was in someone else’s control at the time of the camera infraction. File it by contesting at the RI Traffic Tribunal, by the date on the citation.
Do camera tickets in Rhode Island put points on my license?
No. Automated red-light and speed camera citations in Rhode Island are civil — they don’t add points to your driving record. Don’t pay the fine before filing, though — paying usually withdraws your right to declare.
This is a statement under penalty of perjury. If it was genuinely someone else, use the remedy without hesitation. If it was you, just pay it or ask for a hearing — a false oath is never worth it.
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