Gun Laws in Rhode Island
Gun Friendliness Score
How We Calculate Gun Friendliness Scores
The Gun Friendliness Score ranges from 0 to 100 and represents how favorable a state's laws are toward gun ownership and use. We evaluate each state across 50 key gun policies, assigning points based on how these policies affect gun owners:
- Policies that support gun rights, reduce restrictions, or expand legal protections for gun owners receive positive points
- Policies that restrict firearm ownership, limit purchase options, or add regulatory burdens receive negative points
Rhode Island's low score of 18 reflects the state's restrictive gun laws, including mandatory permits for concealed carry, assault weapons bans, magazine capacity limits, and red flag laws.
Rhode Island Gun Laws Summary
Rhode Island has established itself as one of the most restrictive states in the nation regarding firearms. The state has comprehensive gun control laws that go well beyond federal requirements, imposing significant restrictions on firearms ownership, sales, and carry rights.
Rhode Island is a may-issue state for concealed weapons permits, meaning local authorities have discretionary power to deny permits even to otherwise qualified applicants. The Attorney General's office handles permit issuance, and applications undergo extensive review. Permits are required for concealed carry, and the state does not recognize constitutional carry.
Rhode Island has never adopted constitutional carry and maintains strict permitting requirements. The state requires permits for concealed carry, has implemented assault weapons bans, magazine capacity restrictions, and red flag laws. Rhode Island prioritizes public safety through comprehensive regulation rather than expanding Second Amendment freedoms.
Permitting, Sales and Transfers
Rhode Island requires background checks for all firearm sales, including private sales between individuals. All firearms transfers must go through a federally licensed dealer (FFL) and be subject to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).
Private sales between individuals require background checks and must be conducted through an FFL. Rhode Island maintains records of firearm sales and transfers through various permitting and licensing requirements.
Firearms in Public and in the Home
Rhode Island requires permits for concealed carry and does not allow constitutional carry. Residents must be at least 21 years old and demonstrate proper cause to obtain a concealed carry permit. Rhode Island has limited reciprocity with other states' concealed carry permits.
Open carry is generally prohibited in Rhode Island without a permit. Certain locations strictly prohibit carry, including schools, government buildings, and places of worship. Rhode Island requires firearms safety training and background checks for permit applications. The state has no provisions for non-resident permits except in limited circumstances.
Firearm, Feature and Accessory Bans
Rhode Island has comprehensive bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. The state prohibits the sale, transfer, and possession of assault weapons and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. Certain NFA items are restricted or prohibited. Rhode Island allows local governments to enact additional restrictions beyond state law.
Local Laws
Rhode Island allows local governments to enact firearms regulations that are more restrictive than state law. This creates a patchwork of local ordinances that gun owners must navigate carefully. Cities and towns can impose additional restrictions on carry, storage, and transfer of firearms within their jurisdictions.
2025 Gun Law Checklist
Rhode Island Gun Policy Profile: 50 Key Legislative Points
Purchasing and Sales Regulations
Background Check for Any Firearm Sale
State requires any firearm sale to go through a licensed dealer (FFL) and be subject to a background check. (Federal law requires those "engaged in the business" of buying/selling firearms to perform a background check during a sale). A private sale or transfer of any firearm between individuals (non-family members) must be also conducted through an FFL.
Background Check for Any Handgun Sale (Including Private Sales)
All handgun sales and most transfers are subject to a background check. Private sales of handguns between individuals (non-family members) must be conducted through an FFL.
Background Check Extensions
State will halt the transfer of a firearm if a background check is delayed. Some states will halt the process indefinitely, some for a set amount of time.
Failed Background Check Reported to Law Enforcement
The firearm dealer (or state agency conducting the background check) has a responsibility to notify local law enforcement of a failed background check.
Must be 21 or Older to Purchase
Most firearms–including rifles, shotguns, and handguns–cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 21. (Federal laws permit long guns to be sold to those over the age of 18.)
Permit to Purchase
State requires a permit (single-use or renewable) for all firearms or specifically for handguns. States typically charge a fee for the permit and a background check is performed during the application.
Mandatory Waiting Periods
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must wait a specified period (typically between 3-14 days) between initiating the purchase and taking possession of the firearm.
State Licenses All Gun Dealers
State has a licensing system for firearms merchants above and beyond the federal (FFL) system.
Purchase Rejected for Public Safety Reasons
State officials able to block sales of firearms if the purchaser is deemed to be a threat to themselves or to public safety (according to the judgment of the official)
Approved Handgun Roster
State controls what make and model handguns are sold; according to their own criteria. Often, this involves a "roster" of approved handguns with the right "safety" features, such as a loaded chamber indicator, or even the amount of metal in the firearm (Maryland). Often, LE are exempt from these requirements.
Strict Unfinished Frames and Receivers Laws
State sets a lower threshold for unfinished frames and receivers (beyond ATF rule 2021R-05F). Includes ban on 3D-printing of these parts in some states.
Law Enforcement Oversight and Accountability
No LE Officers Bill of Rights
Some states never passed (or passed and later repealed) a set of basic protections for public safety officers. These protections vary by state. They often include the right to engage in political activity and run for public office, and the right to refuse a lie detector test, among other things.
Heavy Restrictions on LE Use of Deadly Force
State laws severely limit the discharge of firearms to apprehend criminals, including against individuals suspected of murder or fleeing a felony in many cases.
Reports for LE Deadly Force Incidents
Law enforcement agencies are required to report any officer-involved shootings that result in serious injury or death. Monthly or annual reports are compiled using this data and made available to the public.
No Qualified Immunity Defense Laws
In civil court, LE officials may not use a defense of qualified immunity if they are accused of certain civil rights violations. This includes situations in which a firearm was used.
Monitoring and Threat Assessment
Mental Health Database
State maintains records of anyone that has been committed or involuntarily committed to psychiatric hospitals. They send this information to the FBI for use by the NICS (or when conducting a state background check, if applicable).
School Officials Conduct Threat Assessments
Teams of mostly school officials are empowered by law to refer children for mental health assessments or take more drastic action if they believe the child poses a threat to themselves or others.
Mandatory Tracing of "Crime Guns"
Law enforcement must use either a state system or the federal firearm tracing system to research any firearm recovered from a crime scene or used in a crime.
Prohibited Persons and Possession Restrictions
Felons are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting felons from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Fugitives are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting fugitives from justice from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this.
Involuntarily Committed are Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those who have been involuntarily committed (to a psychiatric hospital or mental institution), or those found to be a danger to themselves or others from owning guns and ammo. Federal law already prohibits anyone found to be mentally defective or committed to a mental institution at 16 years or older.
Violent Offenders Cannot Possess
State will take away firearms, deny future possession, or at minimum deny future purchase of firearms for certain misdemeanor crimes of violence (besides domestic violence violence).
Domestic Violence Offenders Also Prohibited Persons at State Level
State has a law prohibiting those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from owning guns and ammo, even though federal law already does this
Stalkers are Prohibited Persons at the State Level
State has either made stalking a felony (instant prohibitor) or makes an individual convicted of misdemeanor stalking a prohibited person.
Intervention and Seizure Provisions
Red Flag Law
Law enforcement (and others, depending on the state) is allowed to request that firearms be taken away from others with limited due process.
Emergency Gun Seizure Before Restraining Orders
Similar to a red flag law, state will take away guns before an actual conviction. This is often during domestic disputes, before a restraining order takes effect, and in similar situations.
Guns Seized for Hate Crimes
State will take away all firearms from an individual in response to a misdemeanor hate crime conviction.
Guns Seized After Becoming Prohibited
State will quickly respond when an individual's status changes to prohibited and take away all firearms belonging to that person.
Guns Seized After Domestic Violence Conviction
State will quickly respond to take away firearms from an individual if they are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence.
Guns Seized Amid Restraining Orders
State will take away all firearms from anyone who is subject to a restraining order, even though federal law already does this.
No Stand Your Ground Law
State imposes a "duty to retreat" before using force or requires "proportional force" when responding to an attack or dangerous situation with force.
Carry and Location Restrictions
Mandatory Permit for Concealed Carry
State requires a permit to carry a concealed pistol. This includes all states that "may issue" a permit (where officials may deny a permit for subjective reasons).
Officials Can Deny Carry Permit
State allows the carry permit officials to deny an application based on the state's own criteria.
Open Carry Limited or Banned
State restricts open carry to rifles and shotguns or bans open carry completely unless you are LE or special permit holder.
No Carry Mandate for College Campuses
State has not passed a blanket law permitting concealed carry on college campuses.
Gun Ban on Most Public Property
State limits or bans any type of carry in and around government facilities (state, county, municipal) and/or limits carry of firearms in parades and demonstrations
Guns Banned in Bars
State prohibits carry inside bars or consumption of alcohol while carrying.
No Guns in K-12 Schools
Only LE (and in some states, specially licensed school officials) may carry on school property.
Does Not Recognize Other States' Carry Permits
State doesn't consider concealed carry permits from other states valid
Ownership and Registration Requirements
Permit to Possess
Several states require a permit just to possess: a handgun (New York); any firearms or ammunition (Illinois).
State Firearm or Handgun Registry
State keeps a record of every firearm or handgun sold. Includes states with a permit to purchase and states that keep records of purchases.
Mandatory Firearms Training
Prior to purchasing a firearm, an individual must prove they completed the state ordered training. Often, this is part of the application process for a Permit to Purchase.
Secure Storage Requirement
Gun owners must lock up firearms in the home (or anywhere else a minor or prohibited person may have access).
Magazine Capacity Limits
State limits magazine capacity for some or all firearms.
"Assault Weapons" Ban
Magazine fed, semi-automatic, centerfire rifles cannot have other "features" (pistol grip, flash hider, etc.) or they are considered "assault weapons." New guns cannot be registered as "assault weapons." Possession is prohibited with limited exceptions.
Microstamping Law
State has a law banning the sale of a new pistol unless its firing can imprint its serial number somewhere on the cartridge case during firing. This technology is make-believe at present, but these laws will effectively ban the sale of new handguns in the state if/when they become effective
Penalties for Not Reporting a Lost or Stolen Firearm
Gun owners must report the loss or theft of firearms–usually within several days of the incident or first discovering the loss–or potentially face a criminal penalty.
Prevention and Support Programs
Dedicated Office of Gun Violence Prevention
Some states have passed legislation creating gun violence prevention offices that target "community gun violence." Taxpayer funds are used to support these programs, which may have little to no effect on violent crime.
Funding for Services of Victims of Gun Violence
Some states maximize the use of federal money intended for victims of violent crime by increasing pool of eligible claimants. Money is paid out to families of convicted felons in many cases.
Local Control
Counties / Cities / Towns Can Pass Stricter Gun Laws
Local governments are free to pass their own gun control laws in addition to any existing laws at the federal and state levels. Some states prohibit local governments from passing laws about specific things-including guns. This is known as preemption.
Conclusion
This piece discusses the firearms and ammunition laws that apply in the state of Rhode Island. To do so, the piece starts off with RI’s ammo laws, with the goal of explaining the legal processes for having ammo shipped to a residential address in the state. From there, we dive into the gun laws, explaining the rules around buying guns in the state as well as the laws governing the carriage of firearms. To wrap things up, we include some resources and information that you’ll find useful if you’re interested in legally owning, possessing, and carrying firearms and ammo in Rhode Island.
We do not intend this piece as legal advice. Instead, we hope that you can use the information here to make your own, better-informed decisions.
Similar to many other states, Rhode Island has preemption. This means that the state has a law that prohibits smaller political sub-units such as counties, cities, and towns from making laws that are stricter than those at the state level when it comes to firearms and ammo. Preemption is a good thing for gun owners because it means that your understanding of the state laws can be applied in the entire state.
Rhode Island is a fairly strict state when it comes to firearms and ammunition laws. There is a minimum age to buy any kind of firearm or ammo in the state in addition to several bans on firearms and ammunition in certain categories. Additionally, the state’s concealed carry permitting scheme is restrictive. All of this put together makes Rhode Island a less permissive state when it comes to the legal ownership of firearms.
Ammo Laws/Buying Ammo in Rhode Island
First, we will cover the ammo laws of the state.
Before discussing ammo laws in the state, there’s a minimum age to purchase firearms or ammo at all in the state: buyers have to be twenty-one years of age or older. To ensure compliance with this, most online retailers insist that people have to have the state’s pistol purchase permit to buy any ammo and have it shipped to the state.
In addition to this state-level age requirement, Rhode Island also bans armor-piercing ammunition.
Assuming that the buyer is 21, has the state’s pistol permit, and does not want to buy armor-piercing ammunition, federal restrictions also apply in Rhode Island. This means that buyers would have to be 21 to buy pistol ammo anyway. Despite the ATF only requiring people buying long gun ammo (for rifles and shotguns) to be 18, Rhode Island’s stricter laws take precedence here and make the federal rule irrelevant. So, all ammo buyers in the state have to be 21, and they cannot be prohibited persons. Prohibited persons are those who have been convicted of felonies or domestic violence, people who’ve been found mentally incompetent in court, and people who have been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility for inpatient treatment.
With the state and federal rules met, Rhode Island does allow for ammo to be shipped to a residential address, though the vendor will ask for the state’s pistol permit and proof of age. The carrier might well ask for that person to show ID to receive packages containing ammunition to remain in compliance with state laws.
Although it is possible to have ammo shipped to a residence in Rhode Island, the state is not permissive about it: the age rules and ammo bans add some hoops to jump through for gun owners.
Gun Laws/Buying Guns in Rhode Island
Next, we will do the same exercise for the state’s gun laws.
There are several outright bans in Rhode Island. The state bans the sale of new magazines over ten rounds in capacity, bans some gun accessories such as binary triggers, and prohibits anyone but Class III FFLs from owning NFA Items.
The state requires a permit to purchase a handgun in the state: this permit requires a class and a state-administered exam. While there is no state fee for this, the classes, offered privately, are almost certainly not free.
Buying a firearm in the state can be something of a process. The buyer should bring a valid form of ID, their pistol purchase permit (if buying a handgun), and a form of payment to the store. The FFL will have the buyer fill out ATF’s Form 4473 to do a background check and make a record of the purchase. Payment will also be taken at that time. But, the buyer will not go home the same day with their new firearm, as the state has a seven-day waiting period for firearm sales.
This same waiting period applies to private sales as well, as does the background check requirement. This means that all gun sales in the state, practically, go through an FFL which will facilitate the 4473 and the waiting period. These rules exempt law enforcement and people with active concealed carry permits.
Carrying a firearm in the state is also somewhat restrictive. Open carry is effectively outlawed in the state. Concealed carry permits are issued on a quasi-may-issue basis that requires applicants to provide a good reason to the Attorney general’s office or local law enforcement. The state’s position, given their press release on the matter, is clear: the state does not want people to carry a firearm. What the permit does is also more or less up to the body that issues it: the state can, apparently, also issue open carry permits if it wishes. Because the information on what, exactly, a permit entails in terms of its process varies by locality and by issuing office, it is inherently not permissive since it requires substantial legwork on the part of law-abiding gun owners to figure out where to begin based on their current address. It will likely be a long process to acquire a permit to carry a firearm in Rhode Island.
For those who do manage to get a Rhode Island concealed carry permit, it is not recognized in any of the bordering states, though it is recognized in many other, more permissive states.
Very unusually, Rhode Island does not have a single list of places where it is illegal to have a firearm. With that said, it is always illegal to carry a firearm on most federal property, including your local post office. This lack of a list is highly unusual, and it is likely due to the fact that the state discourages people from carrying firearms anywhere in the state, making such a list less necessary.
Rhode Island is fairly strict in terms of its gun laws. While there’s no assault weapons ban as of this writing, the state has several bans, ranging from NFA items to magazines. The state’s permitting system for carrying firearms is opaque and the state openly discourages people from exercising their Second Amendment rights.
Sales Tax on Guns/Ammo in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has a 7% sales tax that does not vary across the small state. Thus, shopping around for an FFL based on tax jurisdiction within the state will not yield any savings in the state.
The state does not impose additional, specific taxes on firearms or ammunition.
More Resources:
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The ATF maintains a list of every FFL in the country, including in Rhode Island. This list is kept well up to date: generally, gun stores are either Type 1 or Type 2 FFLs.
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Wheretoshoot.org is a great tool for finding ranges: use the mileage, city, and zip code filters to find ranges in your area. Users can add more ranges, too, and the information is regularly checked for accuracy.
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There are a number of well-rated gun stores in the state: these will also be good resources to ask about local permitting processes.
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There is a reasonably active subreddit that caters to gun owners in the state.