RI Gun Laws

RI Non-Res Still Almost Impossible

I was speaking with a RI BCI employee last night (he's a member of an "old gun" collector's org with me).

He informed me that the RI AG is still denying NR CCW permits (even renewals) for "insufficient reason" in almost all cases. He also agreed with me that it would be dangerous for a MA subjects to apply there, as the denial MUST be reported to MA on every renewal and (even though the denials are arbitrary) could be used by your local chief as a reason to deny you a LTC renewal in MA as an "unsuitable person". [Logic goes: if RI deems you unworthy of a CCW, then you must be "unsuitable" in MA too! I would expect almost every MA judge to agree with the chief on this.]
 
Tony, I don't live in RI so have no say in what they do. Frequently there is an investigation, discovery of mob links, arrest, prosecution, jail and another thug takes their place. RI is a smaller version of NJ politically!
 
RI Range Test

I am able to give the RI range test in Hopkinton on most Wednesday nights by advance appointment. It's often harder to find the targets than an NRA instructor, since RI use the "Army L" which has a huge bullseye.
 
Hi all, I am new to the forum, and a thank you in advance to all the members here....I am moving to RI from MA and I have a class A LTC in MA, an LTC which I will soon lose due to owning a firearm in RI is not a right it is a privledge. I gather I have to re-apply and meet with the Attorney Generals office (that should be fun). I was wondering if anyone has been through this process and could give me some tips.
 
Cpt5Spd, welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy it here and visit often, ask what you need and contribute when you can.

I have limited knowledge of RI laws, so I suggest you take a look at www.packing.org for RI and link to the state webpages for detailed info.

My limited info tells me that you need a course and qualification shoot for RI (on specific targets) and submit to your local RI chief. NRs get to deal with the anti-gun RI AG who will summarily reject most/all applicants.

So as a RI resident you should be able to get a CCW.
 
Great thank you LenS, I am not a fan of this process of changing states and having a LTC, I have my friend TYPEO1313 babysitting my firearms so I am trying to get this stuff done ASAP.
 
Cptn5spd said:
Great thank you LenS, I am not a fan of this process of changing states and having a LTC, I have my friend TYPEO1313 babysitting my firearms so I am trying to get this stuff done ASAP.

S&W .357 mag. No need to hurry. Thats what freinds are for. Always ready to go out on a limb for ya. [wink]
 
Moderator said:
Cptn5spd said:
Great thank you LenS, I am not a fan of this process of changing states and having a LTC, I have my friend TYPEO1313 babysitting my firearms so I am trying to get this stuff done ASAP.

S&W .357 mag. No need to hurry. Thats what freinds are for. Always ready to go out on a limb for ya. [wink]

Just make sure it's clean before you give it back. [lol] [lol] [lol]
 
Non-Residents have to apply to the AG's office.
RI residents can apply to either the AG's office or their local PD.

Most PD's will issue licenses; the AG's office denies most applications, regardless of thether they're residents or not.

Moral: Skip the RI AG's office and deal with your local PD.

Ken
 
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I tried the local PD and they said to go see the AG....ack, I called AFS and they said you will probably be denied and that will taint my record for when I try to apply in another state, so I will get my blue card and be happy with that I guess. I will have to wait until the politicians get thier heads out of their asses in RI and let us excercise our US citizen rights. Damn I already miss MA and I live only 200yds over the RI border.
 
Cptn5spd,

I am also from RI have you joined a shooting range yet? And have you been have any in mind. I belong to newport Rifle Club. Nice place. 24hour access. cant beat that.
 
Much like MA, some towns in RI issue, some don't. The local chiefs will always try to send you to the AG, but they have to accept your application for conssideration. There's a website devoted entirely to RI concealed carry that has a lot of helpfull info www.cralri.com

I'm probably moving to RI pretty soon, and I have a lot of friends down there, so I've been doing some research on it. While owning a gun in RI seems to be a little easier than in MA, carrying it is another story.
 
Hey fellaz, I know everyone says its hard but if you read the laws carefully what they basicly say is.. your not getting approved unless:

your health is in danger.
or.
you carry large sums of money on you.

If you can deminstrate the proper paperwork (make sure you include EVERYTHING!!) the permit will be approved. By everything i mean certifications / id's / medical records / business licenses and make sure all you submit is *notorized*. I do have my permit to carry so it is possible. However it did take me SIX MONTH of research and preporation just to submit my application!!

here is the thing about rhode island 11-47-18.. the law stats 'The attorney general may issue a license or permit to any person twenty-one (21) years of age or over to carry a pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not' .. so if you do get your license to carry (from a.g.) you can keep your gun in the open. Thats why the a.g. does not give them out! The only way to get an actually 'concealment' permit is thru your local police office which is stated under 11-47-11! But they dont do it! All police offices will make you go to the a.g. to get approved THIS IS NOT A CONCEALMENT THIS IS A CARRY PERMIT. Unless the a.g. sets 'consealment' as a restriction which i have not seen because as you see the law is clear on what the a.g. can approve 'consealed or not'. Only police chiefs can approve 'concealment'. Hope this information helps someone becasue no one helped me. If you have any questions feel free to message me. I will try to check them often.

p.s. expect everyone you come in contact with to make it hard! you need fingerprints / signatures / qualification shooting just to submit your application and it is not easy!
 
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Untrue

KMaurer said:
Non-Residents have to apply to the AG's office.
RI residents can apply to either the AG's office or their local PD.

Most PD's will issue licenses; the AG's office denies most applications, regardless of thether they're residents or not.

Moral: Skip the RI AG's office and deal with your local PD.

Ken

This is untrue. Jim and I from CRAL (www.cralri.com) have been dealing with this issue for a couple of years now.

Non residents can apply to any police chief as long as they have any other states permit to carry.

Mosby V Devine RI Supreme Court 4004 851 a2d. deals with CCW's. It says you have a constitutional right to a permit to carry from a police chief. On page 23 they clearly stated that Mosby, a resident of Mass with other state permits to carry was entitled to a carry permit from any city or town.

Most chiefs do not issue, this is why CRAL has sued a police chief in the past and is planning to sue 1 or 2 more by years end.

Keep in mind that there are differences between an AG permit and a town permit. A town permit is for concealed carry only, an AG permit is for concealed or unconcealed carry.

We have been looking for someone who has been denied an AG renewal because there is supreme court case law form 1972 that says more or less renewals of any license are shall-issue. Furthermore, RI has stronger case law on the matter. Bottom line is that even the AG can not deny a renewal as you have property interest in it.

If you have any questions contact CRAL or myself at [email protected]

We are interested in someone who wants to pursue a AG renewal denial. It should not be that hard and it should not cost much at all.

Getting a chief to issue to a non-resident is very hard right now and it will take a a long time but it would not be hard at all for a non resident to fight a denial on a renewal.
 
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After researching packing.org and other sites i haven't found any definitive answer to this but if you could let me know your opinions and views it would be greatly appreciate:

I live in Mass and have applied for my LTC (in Tewksbury so i'll let you know how that goes if i get approved). My family lives in RI. I know i can travel through RI without making stops (like dinner, stores, etc); but can i travel straight to my families property for a visit? Obviously, if i decide to go out in RI after that, the firearm must be left behind (locked up of course). Thanks everyone.
 
NO!

Traveling thru assumes that you are legal holder of whatever CCW is required at EACH END of the journey. Since your journey is to RI (terminates at Family homestead), you aren't legal unless you possess a RI NR CCW.

IANAL.
 
I disagree.

Rhode Island does not require any permit or license to merely possess a handgun (or long gun for that matter).

In fact, FOPA 86 protection is NOT contingent on the possession of a CCW permit so long as firearms are trasported in an unloaded and inaccesible state.

From the NRA-ILA summary of RI gun laws:
POSSESSION
There are no state licensing requirements for the possession of rifles, shotguns, and handguns by adults.

ALso, carrying a firearms in one's car while in Rhode Island can be done without a RI CCW permit as follows:
CARRYING
It is unlawful to carry a handgun on or about one’s person or in any vehicle or conveyance without a license to carry. Exceptions to this prohibition are:
• A person in his dwelling house, place of business, or on land possessed by him.
• A person licensed to carry in another state, provided he is merely transporting the weapon through the state with no intent to detain himself or remain within Rhode Island.
• Law enforcement personnel.
• Military personnel when on duty.
• Members of organizations authorized to purchase firearms from the U.S. provided they are at or going to or from their places of assembly or target practice.
• A person carrying a handgun unloaded and securely wrapped from the place of purchase to his home or place of business, or in moving goods from one’s place of abode or business to another.
A person who is transporting a handgun from his home or place of business to a “bona fide target practice range” and back, provided the handgun is broken down, unloaded, and carried openly, or is unloaded and secured in a separate container.

In short, since RI does not require a license to merely possess a firearm (jnlcuding a handgun), you can travel with your handgun (in a non-concealed status) to Rhode Island and you can take your handgun in the vehicle (again, out of reach and unloaded) if you wish to go shooting at a range or other "bone fide" shooting facility.
 
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In short, since RI does not require a license to merely possess a firearm (jnlcuding a handgun), you can travel with your handgun (in a non-concealed status) to Rhode Island and you can take your handgun in the vehicle (again, out of reach and unloaded) if you wish to go shooting at a range or other "bone fide" shooting facility.

Yeah, but the OP isn't talking about going to a range there or
passing through. He's talking about going into RI to visit someone
for dinner or something to that effect. The law does not cover that at all,
except if he has a permit. As Len stated, FOPA also doesn't apply if his
journey terminates in RI.

RI is -not- free by default. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that
it is. Free By Default = posession is legal regardless of your "business"
in the state. Any state that sets "posession is illegal except for this narrowly
defined list of exceptions" type of delimiters like RI and MA do,
generally has a hair up its ass and will arrest people on a whim, even if the
arrest is false half the time. Any state that will not at least let you
freely drive around with an unloaded gun in your trunk is 110% communist. About
the only thing protecting you from abuse in a place like MA, CT, RI, NY,
NJ, IL (at least some chunks of it) and DC is a combination of keeping one's
mouth shut in the presence of LEOs and the 4th amendment.


-Mike
 
I have a friend who's been a victim of violent crime (he was nearly killed and I won't get in to the whole story but the fact he's alive is a miracle). He's a MA resident and has gotten his Class A LTC. He works in RI. Now, he just found out that the guy who attacked him is getting out of jail...or is out now, I'm not sure which.

Since I'm not sure about the RI laws, I have 2 questions. 1 - Could he, before crossing the state line, take his gun and lock it up in the trunk of his car while he's in RI for work? (that way he has it when he crosses back over the line so he's not unarmed when he gets home) If not, then would fear of life be justification enough for him to request a NR license from the AG? If anyone has a documented fear of being unarmed, he most certainly does. Would a letter from the licensing officer, or other hometown officer, describing what happened be enough to maybe nudge the AG?
 
Lynne, no to having it in his car.

Maybe to getting a NR RI permit. I don't know who will be there AG and what attitudes may exist there now or in the near future. Take it up with Rob Boudrie, he's the authority here on RI. [wink]
 
Help

I Live In MA and I want to shoot at a range in RI. Is that legal? Or do I need RI permits? I have a class A with restricted to T&H. Will this be a problem for me?
 
I have a friend who's been a victim of violent crime (he was nearly killed and I won't get in to the whole story but the fact he's alive is a miracle). He's a MA resident and has gotten his Class A LTC. He works in RI. Now, he just found out that the guy who attacked him is getting out of jail...or is out now, I'm not sure which.

Since I'm not sure about the RI laws, I have 2 questions. 1 - Could he, before crossing the state line, take his gun and lock it up in the trunk of his car while he's in RI for work? (that way he has it when he crosses back over the line so he's not unarmed when he gets home) If not, then would fear of life be justification enough for him to request a NR license from the AG? If anyone has a documented fear of being unarmed, he most certainly does. Would a letter from the licensing officer, or other hometown officer, describing what happened be enough to maybe nudge the AG?


Lynn, if he goes up 95, I'll let him put a safe in my basement...and I'll give him full access so he can keep it here...being that I'm on the RI/MA border. My basement isn't accessible from inside my home...so it's only entrances are from a hallway in a common area... No residential access what so ever....so I can't see how it would be an issue. [wink]
 
Lynn, if he goes up 95, I'll let him put a safe in my basement...and I'll give him full access so he can keep it here...being that I'm on the RI/MA border. My basement isn't accessible from inside my home...so it's only entrances are from a hallway in a common area... No residential access what so ever....so I can't see how it would be an issue. [wink]

Thanks C. I'm not sure how he goes, but I'll pass that on to him. He may just try to get a Non-Res. We'll see what happens.
 
I Live In MA and I want to shoot at a range in RI. Is that legal? Or do I need RI permits? I have a class A with restricted to T&H. Will this be a problem for me?

Please read this entire thread. Much of the "exceptions" were posted above your request. Hopefully that will answer your question.
 
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