LCCW Through the Attorney General (RIGL 11-47-18)

RIGL 11-47-18 authorizes the Rhode Island Attorney General to issue a license to carry a pistol or revolver, whether concealed or openly, upon a "proper showing of need."^[1] This creates the second track of Rhode Island's dual-track carry permitting system, operating alongside the local track of RIGL 11-47-11, under which licensing authorities shall issue a permit to a qualified applicant age 21 or over who shows good reason to fear injury or any other proper reason for carrying and is a suitable person.

The "Proper Showing of Need" Standard

The Attorney General's published policy requires denial when an applicant does not demonstrate a proper showing of need and leaves issuance discretionary even when need is shown. All applicants must submit a dated, typed letter explaining why they need the permit and include supporting documentation. Employment use also requires an employer's letter and a copy of the business license, while retired police applicants must submit a letter verifying their qualifying service. The Attorney General's guidance states that the local permit process requires no showing of need and that both Rhode Island permit tracks remain available and unimpacted by NYSRPA v. Bruen.^[2]

Open Carry Authorization

The Attorney General's office describes the 11-47-18 permit as a concealed or open carry permit. A local license under RIGL 11-47-11(a) is issued to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon the person everywhere within the state, and RIGL 11-47-8(a) makes a license or permit under 11-47-11, 11-47-12 or 11-47-18 the condition for carrying a pistol or revolver on or about the person whether visible or concealed. The Attorney General's office describes its permit as a concealed or open carry permit and the local license as a concealed carry license, and the two differ in the issuing authority and its standard. Under RIGL 11-47-8(a), a person without a license or permit may carry a pistol or revolver only in his or her dwelling house or place of business or on land possessed by him or her, or as provided in sections 11-47-9 and 11-47-10. Carrying elsewhere requires a license or permit issued under 11-47-11, 11-47-12 or 11-47-18 (RIGL 11-47-8(a)). Section 11-47-51 prohibits carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun upon or along any public highway, road, lane, or trail. The history of RIGL 11-47-51 lists P.L. 1959, ch. 75 and amendments by P.L. 2022, ch. 133 and ch. 134, effective June 21, 2022.^[1]

Application Requirements

The AG application instructions require the application to be signed and stamped by the local police chief or a city hall official in the city or town of the applicant's permanent residence. The applicant must meet the same firearms qualification standard as the local track: a minimum score of 195 out of 300 on an Army "L" target at 25 yards, firing 30 rounds. The application fee is $40 and the permit is valid for four years. The AG track has no residency requirement, so a non-resident may apply through it whether or not they hold an out-of-state permit. The local track under 11-47-11 is limited to applicants with a bona fide residence or place of business within the issuing city or town and to applicants with a bona fide residence within the United States who hold a concealed carry license or permit issued by another state or subdivision of the United States.^[2]

Post-Bruen Constitutional Questions

Following NYSRPA v. Bruen, which invalidated New York's "proper cause" requirement for concealed carry permits, the Rhode Island Attorney General shared guidance on July 19, 2022 with Rhode Islanders and local police departments on the state's dual permitting scheme. The guidance advises that the state's dual concealed carry permitting scheme is constitutional and unimpacted by Bruen. In August 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island upheld this position in O'Neil v. Neronha^[4]. Judge William E. Smith granted summary judgment for the state, ruling that Bruen does not require states to permit open carry specifically and that the manner of public carry may be regulated as long as one lawful method of carrying remains available. The plaintiffs appealed to the First Circuit, where the case is docketed as No. 25-1814. If the First Circuit reverses or if the shall-issue local track proves functionally inaccessible in certain municipalities, the AG's reasoning could face renewed scrutiny.^[3]