Speed Limits
R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-2 — twenty-five in town, fifty by day and forty-five by night elsewhere, twenty near a school
No one may drive faster than is reasonable and prudent for the conditions and hazards, and speed is always controlled enough to avoid a collision.
| Where | Limit unless posted |
|---|---|
| WhereBusiness or residence district | Limit unless postedTwenty-five miles per hour |
| WhereElsewhere, daytime | Limit unless postedFifty miles per hour |
| WhereElsewhere, nighttime | Limit unless postedForty-five miles per hour |
| WhereWithin three hundred feet of a school entrance, school days, daytime, where signs are posted | Limit unless postedTwenty miles per hour |
A speed above those limits is prima facie evidence that it was not reasonable and was unlawful.
The fine. One to ten miles per hour over the posted limit is $95. Eleven or more is ten dollars a mile over, a $205 minimum. Repeat offenses within twelve months go to $15 or $20 a mile, and the license may be suspended up to sixty days.
Local authorities may set other limits by sign. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-1 — Reasonable and prudent speeds
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-14-2 — Prima facie limits
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-4 — Schedule of violations
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.