Rhode Island · Permit testWhat’s the driving age in Rhode Island?
You can get a limited instruction permit at 16, once you’ve finished the 33-hour driver education course and passed the knowledge exam. State law and the Driver’s Manual give different ages for the move to a full license, and the provisional license page sets out both.
What are the steps to a Rhode Island driver’s license?
Students of the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) take the exam through the college. Here’s how the two routes compare on the DMV’s pages:
| Step | Under 18 | 18 or older |
|---|---|---|
| Driver education | 33-hour course first | Not needed |
| Knowledge exam | Through CCRI or in Cranston | In Cranston |
| Supervised practice | 50 hours, 10 at night | Recommended, not set |
| After the road test | Provisional license | Full license |
The road test page has the wait between permit and test, and the provisional license page has the under-18 driving limits.
Moving to Rhode Island with a license
With a valid license from another state, you can transfer it. If it’s valid, or expired less than five years ago, the manual says you take no knowledge exam and no road test. Fill in an Application for First License, bring the documents and proof of Rhode Island residency, and hand in your out-of-state license. A suspension in another state has to be cleared with that state first.
Restrictions and endorsements on your old license, such as a motorcycle endorsement, carry over. The manual says the transferred license is valid up to two years, to your second birthday after you get it, and you then renew for five years.
With a license from another country, the DMV’s road test page says you take the road test, and its licensing page says that at 18 or older you apply for an instruction permit, with no driver education needed.
Rhode Island license fees
In November 2026, the DMV’s license fee table listed:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First license, 18 or older | $44.50 |
| Limited provisional license, under 18 | $29.50 |
| Transfer from another state | $49.50 |
| Renewal (5-year license) | $73.50 |
| Duplicate license | $28.50 |
| Update to a license | $28.50 |
Each fee includes a $3.50 technology surcharge. Paying by credit card adds a service fee from a third-party processor of at least $1.55, or 2.40% from $65. The permit fees are on the overview and the road test fee is on the road test page.
Renewing your license
You can renew online, at a DMV branch or, if you’re a member, at a AAA branch. From age 71, the license term gets shorter: four years at 71, three at 72 and two from 73, with the fee prorated to match.
Sources: Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles · State of Rhode Island General Assembly and 3 more. Checked November 2026.
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles: New licenses and permits ↗
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles: License fees ↗
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles: Rhode Island Driver’s Manual (PDF, April 2024) ↗
- Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles: Road tests ↗
- State of Rhode Island General Assembly: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-10-6, graduated licensing ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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