Storing a Gun at Home
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-60.1 — locked or locked up, unless it is carried or within reach, and a crime if a child gets to it
A person who stores or leaves a firearm anywhere commits unsafe storage unless it is in a locked container, or has a tamper-resistant lock or other safety device engaged so that no one but the owner or another authorized user can fire it.
That does not apply to a firearm carried by, or that can readily be carried by, an authorized user who is close to it.
| Unsafe storage | Kind | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Unsafe storageFirst | KindCivil infraction | PenaltyFine of not more than $250 |
| Unsafe storageSecond | KindCivil infraction | PenaltyFine of not more than $1,000 |
| Unsafe storageThird or more | KindCrime | PenaltyUp to six months, or up to $500, or both |
When a child gets to it. Leaving a firearm where one knows or should know a child under eighteen years, or a person barred from firearms, is likely to reach it is criminal storage in the second degree if that person does reach it: up to one year, or up to $1,000, or both.
The section says it gives no agency authority to enter a home except by lawful warrant. A particular situation is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-60.1 — Safe storage; Unsafe storage of a firearm
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.