Carrying a firearm for self-defense comes with a lot of responsibility. Knowing the laws where you carry is just one important task you must undertake as an armed American.
To help with that, we’ve provided a comprehensive overview of Rhode Island gun laws. Learn about the most important things to know when carrying in the Ocean State below.
Can You Carry a Gun in Rhode Island?
Open carry is only legal in Rhode Island with a Rhode Island License to Carry Concealed Weapons (LCCW) issued by the attorney general. The Rhode Island attorney general “may issue” a license to carry a handgun “concealed or not” to a person 21 or older who makes a “proper showing of need” for the license and has certification of his or her ability to use the handgun.
Concealed carry is also legal only with a Rhode Island LCCW. Local law enforcement “shall issue” licenses to eligible applicants “if it appears” that the applicant is “a suitable person to be licensed” and either “has good reason to fear an injury to his or her person or property” or has any other “proper reason” for carrying a handgun.
The minimum age is 21 years old. LCCWs issued by local authorities are for concealed carry only.
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Rhode Island Concealed Carry Permit
Applicants can obtain a concealed handgun license by applying either to local licensing authorities or to the attorney general. The processes for each are similar.
Licenses are issued to residents and non-residents.
Applicants must be at least 21 years old and are required to explain why they need a firearm and how it will remedy their problem. Additionally, applicants must provide three notarized references.
A firearms training course that includes a live-firing test is required. Non-residents who have a permit from their home state may apply for an LCCW through local law enforcement.
The attorney general may issue LCCWs to non-residents without permits from their home states.
A blue card is a term used to describe a Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) Pistol/Revolver Safety Certificate. A blue card certifies that you have passed the state’s required handgun safety exam consisting of 50 questions with a minimum score of 80 percent.
The exam can be completed at any RIDEM-approved firearms dealer or sporting club in the state or at the RIDEM headquarters in Providence. There is no fee to take the exam.
Stand Your Ground
Rhode Island is a Castle Doctrine state. Rhode Island law states the owner, tenant or occupier of a place has no duty to retreat and can engage a threat with reasonable means of self-defense.
Reasonable means of self-defense may include use of lethal force in circumstances where there is reasonable belief of threat of serious and imminent bodily injury or death. There is a duty to retreat outside one’s home.
Gun Purchase and Handgun Registration Requirements
All purchasers of handguns must either have a Rhode Island License to Carry Concealed Weapons or have completed and passed a minimum two-hour basic handgun safety course administered by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM).
There is a seven-day waiting period for firearms purchases. Background checks are also required to buy a handgun from a private individual.
Firearms registration is not required in Rhode Island.
Gov. Daniel McKee signed into law a magazine restriction of no more than 10 rounds. The law went into effect on July 1, 2022.
Anyone still in possession of an outlawed magazine could face up to five years in prison or a fine of up to $5,000. Armor-piercing ammunition is prohibited.
Less-Lethal Legal Self-Defense Weapons
Stun guns and Tasers are illegal. Any person 18 years of age or older may carry and use, unless otherwise prohibited by law, any non-lethal pepper spray or noxious substance or liquid for his or her protection or the protection of others.
Where Can One Carry Concealed in Rhode Island?
- Restaurants that serve alcohol, unless posted, and provided you are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Roadside rest areas
Locations where carry is prohibited, even for permit holders, include:
- State parks, WMAs and state/national forests
- The property of a public or private elementary or secondary school or in those portions of any building, stadium, or other structure on school grounds which are being used for an activity sponsored by or through a school in this state or while riding school provided transportation (except unloaded firearms in locked containers or a locked rack in a motor vehicle)
- Any place if you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Secured areas in airports
- Any place where the carrying of firearms is prohibited by federal law or state law or regulation
Can You Have A Loaded Gun in Your Car in Rhode Island?
Anyone with any valid state or U.S. territory concealed carry permit, provided you are merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle or other conveyance without any intent to remain within the state of Rhode Island.
Without a valid permit, a firearm must be unloaded and neither the firearm nor any ammunition can be readily accessible from the passenger compartment. In vehicles without a trunk, the firearm or ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.
Ready to Learn More About Rhode Island Gun Laws?
It is your responsibility as a gun owner to know and understand the laws regarding your concealed carry rights. The USCCA’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity & Gun Laws Map has been designed to help inform and educate armed citizens like you.
To learn more about Rhode Island’s concealed carry permit application process, concealed carry restrictions and training requirements, visit the Rhode Island gun laws page now…
The information contained on this website is provided as a service to USCCA, Inc. members and the concealed carry community, and does not constitute legal advice. Although we attempt to address all areas of concealed carry laws in all states, we make no claims, representations, warranties, promises or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information disclosed. Legal advice must always be tailored to the individual facts and circumstances of each individual case. Laws are constantly changing, and as such, nothing contained on this website should be used as a substitute for the advice of a lawyer.
