R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-5-13.38 — Assessment and taxation of new real estate construction in the town of Exeter

(a) Completed new construction of real estate in the town of Exeter completed after any
assessment date is liable for the payment of municipal taxes from the date the certificate
of occupancy is issued or the date on which the new construction is first used for
the purpose for which it was constructed, whichever is earlier, prorated for the assessment
year in which the new construction is completed. The prorated tax is computed on the
basis of the rate of tax applicable with respect to the property, including the applicable
rate of tax in any tax district in which the property is subject to tax following
completion of the new construction, on the date the property becomes liable for the
prorated tax in accordance with this section.
(b) The building official issuing the certificate shall, within ten (10) days after issuing
the certificate, notify the assessor of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy.
(c) Not later than ninety (90) days after receipt by the assessor of the notice from the
building inspector or from a determination by the assessor that the new construction
is being used for the purpose for which it was constructed, the assessor shall determine
the increment by which the assessment for the completed construction exceeds the assessment
on the tax roll for the immediately preceding assessment date. The assessor shall
prorate the amount from the date of issuance of the certificate of occupancy or the
date on which the new construction was first used for the purpose for which it was
constructed, as the case may be, to the assessment date immediately following and
shall add the increment as so prorated to the tax roll for the immediately preceding
assessment date and shall, within five (5) days, notify the record owner as appearing
on the tax roll and tax collector of the additional assessment.
(d) Any person claiming to be aggrieved by the action of the assessor under this section
may appeal to the assessment board of review within sixty (60) days from notification
of the additional assessment or to superior court as provided.
(e) Upon receipt of the notice from the assessor, the tax collector shall, if the notice
is received after the normal billing date, within ten (10) days thereafter mail or
hand a bill to the owner based upon an amount prorated by the assessor. The tax is
due and payable and collectible as other municipal taxes and shall be subject to the
same liens and processes of collection; provided, that the tax is due and payable
in an initial or single installment due and payable not sooner than fifteen (15) days
after the date the bill is mailed or handed to the owner, and in any remaining, regular
installments as they are due and payable, and the several installments of a tax due
and payable shall be equal.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize the collection of taxes twice
with respect to the land upon which the new construction is located.
(g) This section applies only to taxes levied and properly assessed in the town of Exeter.