Rhode Island Alcohol Related Laws and Regulations

Where to Buy Alcohol
Local ordinances determine the hours and days that alcohol can be sold by private retailers in Rhode Island.

Legal Age for Drinking/Serving Alcohol
The legal drinking age is 21, but if a person is 18 years old, they are able to handle or sell alcohol.

Open Container Laws
If a bottle of alcohol has been previously opened, it must be carried in the trunk of the vehicle so neither the passengers nor driver have access.

BAC Limits
A driver is considered ‘per se intoxicated’ if their chemical test determines a BAC (blood-alcohol content) of over .08 percent. The driver will be charged with DUI (driving under the influence), as the courts need no further evidence.

More severe punishment will be given to drivers that have a BAC level of .15 percent or more over the legal limit of .08.

Due to ‘zero tolerance laws,’ drivers under the age of 21 years old can face DUI penalties if their chemical test shows that they have a .02 percent BAC level or higher.

Penalties
The ‘implied consent laws’ deal with drivers that refuse a law enforcement officer’s request to submit a breath, blood, or urine test to determine their level of intoxication. This entitles the officer to suspend the driver’s license for up to one year.

A driver’s license can be suspended by the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) for certain periods of time depending on their number of convictions. They are suspended for 45 days for the first offense, one year for the second, and two years for the third.

The state can also confiscate the driver’s vehicle (either temporarily or permanently) with the conviction of the third offense.

A possible punishment for the convicted DUI offender in Rhode Island is where an ignition interlock device would be installed in their car.

DUI offenders can also be required to engage in alcohol education, treatment, or assessment. Instead of serving a sentence of incarceration or paying fines, this might be what convicted driver’s do.

After the third conviction within five years, DUI is considered a felony.