Rhode Island has a graduated licensing system for persons under age eighteen (18) wishing to drive a motor
vehicle. The three levels of the graduated licensing system are : limited instructional permit, limited
provisional license and full operator's license.
Rhode Island's Graduated Licensing System
Level One: Limited Instructional Permit - The Limited Instructional Permit is a preliminary license for persons learning to drive who have passed the computerized test.
The computerized test questions are based on the motor vehicle laws and the rules of the road. Applicants
should study the driver's manual to prepare for the test. The test is available in other languages upon request.
Level Two: Limited Provisional License - You must go to the DMV to get your Limited Provisional License after you have passed your driving test. You must do this before your Limited Instructional Permit expires.
If you fail your driving test, you must call or visit a DMV office to schedule another driving test. You will not
be allowed to re-take the test immediately. You must wait at least 30 days before your next appointment. If an
appointment is not available before your permit expires, you may need to take the written test again and obtain
a new permit. You are not eligible to take the written test until your present permit has expired.
Level Three: Full Operator's License - With a Full Operator's License, you may drive without restrictions concerning time of driving and supervision. You are still required to follow all the other rules of the road, including those applying to safety belts and child restraint systems.
License Requirements
To receive a Level 1: Limited Instructional Permit, you must:
1. Be sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) years of age.
2. Successfully complete the Rhode Island Driver Education thirty-three (33) hour class administered by CCRI or its equivalent.
3. Apply for a permit at the DMV in the company of a parent, guardian, adult spouse, or licensed foster parent.
To receive a Level 2: Limited Provisional License, you must:
1. Have held a limited instructional permit for at least six (6) months without any conviction of motor vehicle moving violations or seat belt infractions during the previous six (6) months.
2. Pass the motor vehicle road test administered by the DMV. If the owner of the vehicle used for the road test is not present, a notarized letter from the owner giving permission to use the vehicle for this purpose must be presented to the DMV examiner. In addition, the vehicle must be actively inspected and insured.
3. Apply for the license at the DMV in the company of a parent, guardian, adult spouse, licensed foster parent, or driving instructor.
4. Must complete fifty (50) hours of supervised driving with a qualified supervising driver. The permitee must complete ten (10) of those hours at night.
To receive a Level 3: Full Operator's License you must:
1. Be between seventeen (17) years, six (6) months and eighteen (18) years of age.
2. Have held a Limited Provisional License for at least twelve (12) months and be free of any convictions for motor vehicle moving violation or safety belt infraction for the previous six (6) months.
3. Apply for this license in the company of a parent, guardian, adult spouse, or licensed foster parent.
4. At Level 3, you may drive a motor vehicle without Level 1 and 2 restrictions concerning time of driving, supervision and passenger limitations.
Rhode Island DMV Drivers' License Info & Resources: