Does a home seller have to disclose the property’s condition in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, the seller of vacant land or of a house or building with one to four dwelling units must give the buyer, before any agreement to transfer is signed, a written disclosure on the real estate commission’s form of every deficient condition the seller actually knows of. The agent may not communicate the buyer’s offer until the buyer has received a copy of the disclosure and signed a written receipt. A failure to provide the form does not void the agreement or create a defect in title, but each violation by the seller or the seller’s agent is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000. Transfers under a court order, to or by a foreclosing mortgagee, between co-owners and of a new unoccupied home by its builder are among those exempt. Federal law separately requires a lead-based paint disclosure when selling most homes built before 1978. This is R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 5-20.8-2, 5-20.8-3, 5-20.8-5.
| What | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Seller disclosure | Required before the purchase agreement is signed |
| Kind of rule | A written property condition statement is required |
What the statute says
“As soon as practicable, but in any event no later than prior to signing any agreement to transfer real estate, the seller of the real estate shall deliver a written disclosure to the buyer …”
Quoted word for word from the section’s text.
Source
R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 5-20.8-2, 5-20.8-3, 5-20.8-5
Read the statute in the Rhode Island General Laws (Rhode Island General Assembly): webserver.rilegislature.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 15, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states the state’s rule so the costs and paperwork of a sale can be checked against it before a contract is signed. An owner on Seayora keeps each property’s owners of record and its documents in one place.
Guides on this rule
- Seller Disclosure Requirements by State — Whether a home seller must give a written property condition disclosure, with the rule in each of the 48 jurisdictions with a statute.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana