State Tax Laws > Property Taxes > Rhode Island (Summary)

Tax Type: Current Use or Exemption

Description: The assessment rate is set by the state Forestry Commission each year for all site classes and species.

Law: Farm, Forest, and Open Space Act, Modified Assessment Law Gen. Laws Title 44 Sec. 5-12, 5-39 to -41, 27-1 to -6

Objective: To encourage the preservation of farm, forest, and open space land in order to maintain readily available source of food and farm products close to the metropolitan areas of the state, to conserve the state's natural resources, and to provide for the welfare and happiness of the inhabitants of the state.

Forest Tax Program Requirements

Min/Max Acreage: 10

Min. Stocking Growth: Dense growth of trees.

Forest Management Plan: Plan approved by the Director of Environmental Management.

Evidence of Use: Director of Environmental Management certifies forest land use and assessor requests periodic checks.

Duration of Enrollment: Annual confirmation to assessor that land is still in forest use.

Penalties for Use Change: Land use change tax is 10% of FMV in first 6 years of classification, 1% in the 15th year.

Program Administration

State: Department of Administration compiles land values of forest management plan approved by Director of Environmental Management.

County Tax Assessor and Commissioner: County Tax Assessor requests check of use and receives annual submission of use verification.

University: N/A

Private Forestry Consultant: Consultant can prepare plan.

Landowner: N/A

For a more in depth discussion of Rhode Island property taxes click here!