Rhode Island General Laws Chapter 11-47.1[1] establishes a comprehensive ban on large capacity feeding devices, defined as any magazine, box, drum, tube, belt, feed strip, or other ammunition feeding device capable of holding, or readily extendable to hold, more than 10 rounds of ammunition to be fed continuously and directly into a semi-automatic firearm. An attached tubular device capable of holding only .22 caliber rimfire ammunition is excluded from the definition. Enacted as the Rhode Island Large Capacity Feeding Device Ban Act of 2022 (P.L. 2022, ch. 99), effective June 20, 2022, the statute prohibits any person other than a federally licensed firearm dealer from manufacturing, selling, offering to sell, transferring, purchasing, possessing, or having under their control such a device. June 20, 2022 is the statutory baseline date for the 180-day possession-compliance window.
Grandfathering and Permanent Modification
The law provided a 180-day compliance window following its enactment. Individuals who lawfully possessed large capacity magazines on June 20, 2022 had until December 17, 2022 (180 days from the June 20, 2022 statutory baseline) to either surrender them to law enforcement, transfer or sell them to a federally licensed firearm dealer or to a person or firm outside Rhode Island lawfully entitled to possess them, or permanently modify them so they cannot hold more than 10 rounds. Permanent modification requires that the magazine be physically altered so that it cannot be readily restored to its original capacity. Methods such as epoxying or riveting the magazine body are accepted forms of permanent modification. Magazines that were simply fitted with removable capacity-limiting devices do not qualify.[2]
Exemptions
The statute exempts law enforcement officers who are exempt under RIGL 11-47-9 and 11-47-9.1, and retired law enforcement officers exempt under those sections who are not otherwise prohibited from receiving such a device from their agency upon retirement and who hold a carry permit issued under RIGL 11-47-18(b). It also exempts active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard who are authorized to possess and carry such a device. Federally licensed firearm dealers are excepted from the prohibition itself and may lawfully possess and transfer large capacity feeding devices. The exemptions do not extend to private security personnel or holders of concealed carry permits.
Penalties
A person who violates the large capacity magazine ban faces imprisonment for up to 5 years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.[3] Each magazine possessed in violation constitutes a separate offense. The grandfathering deadline has passed, so there is no longer a lawful path to possess an unmodified large capacity magazine in Rhode Island for civilians.
Legal Status: No Active Challenge
Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island challenged the magazine ban on Second Amendment and Takings Clause grounds. The United States Supreme Court denied certiorari on June 2, 2025, leaving the First Circuit's ruling upholding the ban in place.[4] Three justices (Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch) indicated they would have granted review. With cert denied, there is no active federal court challenge and no injunction or stay affecting the law. The magazine ban is fully effective and no appeal pathway remains at the federal level.