Coverage line

An open repair bay reveals a raised car, scattered tools and the path a visitor must cross.Illustration for The General Average

Rhode Island garage liability for motor vehicle dealers

Rhode Island requires an insurer-issued GU-1338 special financial responsibility certificate for dealer plates and auto-body plate types, filed with the DMV Financial Responsibility Office. A dealer application packet also calls for the original certificate in the dealership’s DBA name.

What Is Garage Liability Insurance?

Garage liability can address injury and property-damage claims from auto repair and related garage operations. If you run a repair or service shop, check separately whether customer cars in your care need garagekeepers coverage for vehicle damage. Read the national Garage liability guide.

Rhode Island Garage Liability Insurance Requirements

Requirement	Details
Dealer and auto-body plates	GU-1338 insurance certificate from an authorized insurer, recorded with DMV Financial Responsibility Office ¹

What to Watch for With Garage Liability in Rhode Island

File The GU-1338 With Cranston DMV
Rhode Island requires a GU-1338 for dealer plates and auto-body plate types, and the form must be on record with the Cranston DMV Financial Responsibility Office. Ask your insurer to send the original filing and confirm DMV has recorded it before using the plates. ¹
Match The Dealership DBA
Rhode Island’s new-dealership instructions call for the dealer-plate GU-1338 in the dealership’s DBA name. Have the insurer match the filed business name to the dealership name in the license application. ²
Update DMV Before A GU-1338 Cancellation
Rhode Island says canceling a GU-1338 requires the insurer’s SR-26 cancellation form; the cancellation takes effect for all vehicles and plate types on that date. Replace the filing before that date if dealer or body-shop plates must remain active. ¹

Which Garage Liability Providers Have Rhode Island License Records?

No provider in our research documents both a state license record and this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Who Regulates Insurance in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Insurance Division

The DBR Insurance Division provides an online public verification service for producers, adjusters, surplus-lines brokers, and other licensees, and accepts insurance complaints online. Contact the Division for help determining whether it has authority over a particular policy or dispute. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Rhode Island

Reported tax rate. 4% of net taxable premium; 2018 filing guide excludes listed broker, carrier and inspection fees ^6,⁷

Rhode Island’s 2024 return applies 4% to net taxable premium (gross premium less returned premium); its 2018 filing guide excludes broker, carrier, and inspection fees from the base. Confirm fee treatment with the Division of Taxation if your bill separates those charges, because no newer official fee-base guidance was located.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Garage Liability in Rhode Island

Has our Rhode Island insurer filed a GU-1338 under the dealership’s exact DBA with the Financial Responsibility Office?
Does the filing include all dealer plates and any separate auto-body or bailee plate exposure we have?
If we change insurers, can the new GU-1338 reach Cranston before the existing filing is canceled?

Garage Liability Insurance in Rhode Island: Frequently Asked Questions

What insurance filing does Rhode Island require for dealer plates?

Rhode Island requires an insurer-issued GU-1338 certificate for dealer plates and requires the filing to be on record with the DMV Financial Responsibility Office. ¹

What happens when a Rhode Island dealer’s GU-1338 is canceled?

An insurer issues an SR-26 cancellation form, and the DMV cancels all vehicles and plate types on the filing date unless a new policy filing is received first. ¹

Sources

13 documents, numbered as cited. Open the sources

Sources for Garage Liability Insurance in Rhode Island

1
GU-1338 Rhode Island Special Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate. Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles; GU-1338 business and plate types, DMV filing location, and SR-26 cancellation procedure. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
Instructions for Application for New Dealership. Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles, Dealers’ License and Regulations Office; Items 14–16, dealer-plate insurance GU-1338 filing in DBA name. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3
rhode-island insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; DBR Insurance Division overview links to complaint, license lookup, statutes, and regulations. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
DBR License Status Verification. State insurance regulator; Official page identifies online NAIC-partnered status checks for producers, adjusters, motor vehicle appraisers, surplus-lines brokers, and reinsurance intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
DBR Insurance Consumers. State insurance regulator; Official consumer page explains the division's regulated insurance lines and online complaint route. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
2025 T-71A Surplus Line Broker Return of Gross Premiums. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2025 return, p. 1, lines 1–4: net taxable premium is gross premium less returned premiums; 4% tax; filing due April 1, 2026. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Guide to Tax Filings for Surplus Lines. Rhode Island Division of Taxation; 2018 Guide to tax filings, surplus-lines section: gross premium for tax purposes excludes carrier, broker, and inspection fees; no newer official fee-base instruction located as of 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
9
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
10
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.