Weapons in CMVs - Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, concealed carry of a firearm is legal for adults aged 21 and older who are allowed under state and federal law to possess a firearm and who have a state License to Carry Concealed Weapons (LCCW). It is generally legal to carry a weapon in a private vehicle with a state LCCW. Non-residents who hold a valid permit from another state may be allowed to transport a weapon through the state, provided the weapon is unloaded and secured away from the passenger compartment.

Permits

Permits are available to qualified Rhode Island residents and to non-residents who already hold a valid carry permit from their home states. Permits usually are issued by local police departments (or by the attorney general). A firearms training course with a live-firing test is required, and applicants must explain their reason for wanting a permit and provide notarized references. Rhode Island has limited reciprocity with other states and does not honor permits from other states except in the limited sense described above.

Magazine capacity limits

Rhode Island law limits magazine capacity to no more than 10 rounds.

Other weapons

No weapons other than handguns may be carried concealed in Rhode Island, even with a permit.

Permitted non-lethal weapons include:

• Stun guns/tasers (technically illegal, but enforcement of the law is uncertain due to case law)
• Pepper spray (18 years and older)
• Bear spray (legal for self-defense against wildlife; 18 years and older)
• Bludgeons/batons (local enforcement may vary)
• Less-lethal launchers (legal with LCCW permit only)

Duty to inform

There is no duty to inform in Rhode Island.

Employee parking lots

This issue is not addressed in Rhode Island law.