Non-Resident Guide to Rhode Island Firearms Laws

Rhode Island does not recognize another state's concealed carry permit for carrying in the state, except that under 11-47-8(a) the holder of a valid permit from another state may carry while merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle without intent to remain. If you are visiting Rhode Island or passing through with a firearm, you must understand the specific rules that apply to non-residents. This guide covers what you need to know before crossing the state line.

Entering Rhode Island with Firearms

RIGL 11-47-10^[1] provides a narrow transport exemption that applies to residents and non-residents alike. It allows a person to carry or transport a pistol or revolver without a license only between their home or place of business and a bona fide target practice range, to engage in a shoot meet or practice. The handgun must be unloaded, and it must either be broken down and carried as openly as circumstances permit or be secured in a separate container suitable for the purpose. The exemption does not cover firearms expositions or other destinations beyond a bona fide target practice range, and it does not authorize carrying a loaded firearm in public. A person holding a valid carry permit from another state may transport a handgun through Rhode Island in a vehicle or other conveyance under the transient provision of RIGL 11-47-8(a), provided they are merely passing through without intent to remain in the state. Federal law also provides a separate transport safe harbor described below.

Long Guns Do Not Require a Handgun Carry Permit

The license or permit requirement in 11-47-8(a) applies to carrying a pistol or revolver, not to rifles and shotguns. Non-residents may bring lawful long guns into the state for hunting, target shooting, or other lawful purposes without a Rhode Island handgun carry permit, but hunting and range permits may still be required. It is unlawful to have a loaded rifle or shotgun, or one whose magazine has not been emptied, upon or along a public highway, road, lane or trail, with the exceptions in RIGL 11-47-51. While no Rhode Island handgun carry permit is needed for a lawful rifle or shotgun, all other Rhode Island firearms laws apply, including prohibited places restrictions and safe storage requirements when a firearm is stored or left in a vehicle. The storage rule does not apply to a firearm that is being carried by or can be readily carried by a lawfully authorized user who is in proximity to it.

Handguns: The Attorney General LCCW

A non-resident aged 21 or over who wants to carry a concealed handgun may apply to the Attorney General under RIGL 11-47-18, and a non-resident aged 21 or over with a bona fide residence in the United States and a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon their person issued by another state or subdivision of the United States may also apply to a city or town licensing authority under RIGL 11-47-11^[2]. The local track under RIGL 11-47-11 is available to applicants age 21 or over with a bona fide residence or place of business within the issuing city or town, and to any person age 21 or over with a bona fide residence within the United States who holds a concealed carry license or permit issued by another state or subdivision of the United States. The AG track is may-issue, meaning the Attorney General has discretion to approve or deny applications. Applicants must make a proper showing of need, and the permit is subject to the fee in 11-47-12 and the qualification in 11-47-15. Without a license or permit, a person may not carry a pistol or revolver in a vehicle or on the person, visible or concealed, except in his or her dwelling house or place of business or on land possessed by him or her, as provided in 11-47-9 and 11-47-10, or, for the holder of another state's valid permit, while merely transporting the firearm through the state (RIGL 11-47-8(a)).

FOPA Protections for Interstate Travel

The interstate transport protection enacted as part of the federal Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986 (FOPA) and codified at 18 U.S.C. 926A^[3] protects persons who are not otherwise prohibited under federal firearms law from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm when transporting it for a lawful purpose through any state, including Rhode Island, between places where they may lawfully possess and carry it, subject to the conditions below. To qualify for FOPA protection:

You must be legally permitted to possess and carry the firearm at both your origin and destination
The firearm must be unloaded
Neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported may be readily accessible or directly accessible from the passenger compartment
In a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment, the firearm and any ammunition must be in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console

FOPA protects transit through Rhode Island. An overnight stay with ready access to the firearm and ammunition can fall outside FOPA protection. Extended stops or recreational activities must still meet the statute's transport conditions. Section 926A does not specify how fuel or emergency stops affect its protection. A dinner or sightseeing stop can leave you outside FOPA protection if the firearm or ammunition becomes readily accessible or the journey no longer qualifies as protected transport.

What Visitors Need to Know

A person transporting a handgun under 11-47-10 must have it unloaded and either broken down and carried as openly as circumstances permit or secured in a separate container, and 18 U.S.C. 926A protects transport that meets its conditions notwithstanding state law. Rhode Island prohibits firearms on school grounds under RIGL 11-47-60 regardless of permit status, with the exemptions listed in that section^[4]. Under 18 U.S.C. 930, knowingly possessing a firearm in a federal facility or a federal court facility is a federal offense, with the exceptions in that section.

Carrying a firearm while intoxicated is prohibited under RIGL 11-47-52^[5] and applies to all persons, not just Rhode Island residents. It is unlawful to carry or transport any firearm in Rhode Island when intoxicated or under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic drugs (RIGL 11-47-52).

No Reciprocity

Your home state's concealed carry permit does not authorize carry in Rhode Island, except while merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle without any intent to remain. This is true even for states that unilaterally recognize Rhode Island permits. An out-of-state permit still has two limited uses under Rhode Island law. It qualifies a person aged 21 or over with a bona fide U.S. residence to apply for a local permit under RIGL 11-47-11, and the transient provision of RIGL 11-47-8(a) allows a person holding a valid out-of-state permit to transport a handgun through the state in a vehicle or other conveyance while merely passing through with no intent to remain. Beyond those provisions and the exceptions in 11-47-8(a), 11-47-9 and 11-47-10, carrying a concealed handgun in the state requires a Rhode Island license or permit through the local or Attorney General track.

Practical Steps for Non-Residents

Transporting through: Follow FOPA requirements. Unload the firearm and keep it and its ammunition not readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment. In a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment, keep the firearm or ammunition in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.
Visiting for a shoot meet or practice at a target range: The RIGL 11-47-10 exemption covers transport of a handgun between your home or place of business and a bona fide target practice range. Keep the handgun unloaded, and either broken down and carried as openly as circumstances permit or secured in a separate container suitable for the purpose.
Planning an extended stay: Apply for an AG LCCW well in advance. Without a Rhode Island license or permit, state law limits carrying a pistol or revolver to the exceptions in 11-47-8(a), including transport under 11-47-10.
Bringing long guns for hunting: No handgun carry permit is required for a lawful rifle or shotgun, but required hunting permits still apply. Carry your valid hunting license and keep the firearm unloaded during vehicle transport.