Rhode Island driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID
How to get a first Rhode Island license through a learner's permit and road test, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace a license, get a REAL ID, and apply for a state ID card, from the RI DMV.
Guide · Rhode Island · REAL ID · Driver licenses · Renewals · ID cards · updated October 29, 2026
The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) issues driver licenses, learner's permits and state ID cards. This guide follows the DMV's own pages and covers a first license, moving to Rhode Island with a license, renewal, replacement, REAL ID and state IDs. For booking and general visit tips, see the Rhode Island DMV visit guide.
Getting a first license
Rhode Island uses a learner's permit, then a road test. The DMV says that before a first license, residents must pass a road test.
Age 18 and older. A resident who has never held a Rhode Island license, or whose license has been expired more than five years, applies for a learner's permit by passing the computerized knowledge exam at the Cranston headquarters. The exam is given in English, Spanish and Portuguese by reservation. A driver education course is not required for adults. After holding the permit for 30 days you can take the road test, and the DMV says you may drive alone during that period without supervision. Adult permits are valid for one year and can be renewed once for one more year; after that you must pass the knowledge exam again if you have not yet obtained a full license.
Under 18. Rhode Island uses graduated licensing:
- Limited instruction permit (ages 16 to under 18). You need to have completed the 33-hour driver education course certified by the Community College of Rhode Island. The DMV says online driver education courses are not accepted. A parent, legal guardian, licensed foster parent or adult spouse must be present to sign the application. The permit must be held for six months before a road test, and you need a notarized affidavit of at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night.
- Limited provisional license. The DMV lists conditions, such as limits on driving hours (5 a.m. to 1 a.m. without supervision, with exceptions for work and some volunteer or school activities) and a limit of one passenger under 21 for the first 12 months, with household members excepted. Everyone in the vehicle must wear a safety belt.
- Full operator's license. Provisional license holders can get a full license when the provisional license expires on their 18th birthday, or earlier from age 17 after 12 months with no violation in the preceding six months.
The road test. The DMV's road test page describes non-commercial tests given on a closed course, with the examiner outside the vehicle. After a failed test the waiting period is at least 30 days after a first failure, 90 days after a second, and 180 days after three or more. The vehicle must have a valid Rhode Island registration and a valid inspection sticker (with some exceptions), and rental vehicles are not allowed. Cancel at least 48 hours ahead to avoid paying the fee again.
Moving to Rhode Island with a license
The DMV states that within 30 days of moving and establishing residency you must obtain a Rhode Island operator's license, citing state law. To transfer, bring your current out-of-state license if it is valid or has been expired less than five years, or a certified driving record from your state if you do not have it. If your out-of-state license has been expired five years or more, you must take the learner's permit knowledge test and then a road test. The initial Rhode Island license is valid for up to two years.
Licenses from US territories and from outside the country must be handled at the Cranston headquarters. A REAL ID from another state does not transfer automatically; you submit the REAL ID documents with your transfer application.
Renewing
You can renew up to 90 days before expiration. Renewal options are online with a credit card, at a DMV branch, at a AAA branch (members only), or by mail with the Driver's License Renewal form or the LI-1 application. Licenses are renewed for up to five years. For customers over 72, the expiration is prorated to the 75th birthday and every two years after.
If you renew online you do not receive a temporary license with a photo. If you need one, renew in person or by mail with a request. A temporary license is valid for 90 days. If your permanent license has not arrived more than 60 days after the temporary copy, the DMV gives a number to call: (401) 462-5862. A license expired five years or more means the permit test and road test described above.
Replacing a lost or damaged license
A lost or damaged license can be replaced online, at any DMV branch, or at a AAA branch (members only). You complete and sign the LI-1 application, and the DMV's fee table lists the cost. Commercial licenses cannot be renewed or duplicated by mail.
Changing your name or address
Do a name change with Social Security first; the DMV says it takes 24 hours for the change to become effective. You then bring your current license, the LI-1 and one document showing the new name. For an address change, the DMV says license holders must notify it within ten days. You can change it online or by mail; it does not produce a new card.
REAL ID
REAL ID is optional, and the DMV says you do not need one if you have a valid passport. Your first REAL ID must be applied for in person with original documents, at a DMV office or, for AAA members who are U.S. citizens, at a AAA branch. You need:
- One proof of identity, such as a certified birth certificate
- Your Social Security number or an SSA letter
- Two proofs of Rhode Island residency
Cards with a gold star in the upper right corner are REAL ID, and later renewals can be done by any method. Standard cards carry the legend "NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION". The DMV's page gives two different figures for the REAL ID fee outside a renewal period, so check the current fee table. Your REAL ID arrives by mail after you apply in person. See REAL ID explained and the DMV's checklist.
State ID cards
A state ID is for Rhode Island residents who do not hold a valid license in Rhode Island or any other state. A first ID needs one proof of identity, a Social Security number (or SSA letter), and two proofs of residency. The DMV says people aged 59 or older pay no fee, checks are not accepted, and IDs from other states do not transfer: they are done as new IDs. An ITIN is not accepted as proof of identity.