The Insurance Requirement
R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-47-9 — driving without financial security, and suspensions that grow from three months to a year
An owner who knowingly drives or lets a registered vehicle be driven without the required financial security, or a driver who knows the owner has none, may have the license and registration suspended.
| Offense | Suspension | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| OffenseFirst | SuspensionUp to three months | Fine$100 up to $500 |
| OffenseSecond | SuspensionSix months | Fine$500 |
| OffenseThird or more | SuspensionUp to one year | Fine$1,000, as a civil violation |
At a crash investigation, or a stop for probable cause, the officer asks for proof of financial security. It may be shown on a mobile electronic device, and the officer may not view anything else on the device.
A driver with an operator's policy of their own at the time is outside the owner's offense. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-47-9 — Penalties
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-47-12 — Police officers and agents of administrator of the division of motor vehicles; Fees collected, forms of proof
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.