Suspended license in Rhode Island: points, other causes, and how to reinstate
Rhode Island does not use a points system; it counts convictions instead. No course removes points. The fee to reinstate after a suspension that is not alcohol-related is $153.50.
A DUI is only one of the ways a license gets suspended. Points from ordinary tickets, an unpaid ticket, a lapse in insurance, unpaid child support or a missed court date each carry their own suspension and their own path back. The rules below are the ones the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (Department of Revenue) states, each quoted from its page or from the statute.
How the points system works
This state does not use a points system. What it uses instead — a count of convictions inside a period, a driver-improvement rule or a habitual-offender rule — is described below in the state's own words.
The Rhode Island DMV describes no point schedule. Instead, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24 (the Colin Foote law) sanctions anyone convicted of four separate moving violations within an 18-month period to 60 hours of driver retraining and 60 hours of public community service, with the court able to suspend the license up to one year or revoke it up to two years, and § 31-11-7 lets the DMV suspend for up to one year a driver who commits offenses with such frequency as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws.
Points period stated by the agency: 18 months. The Colin Foote sanction counts moving violations on four separate occasions within an eighteen-month period; a dismissal based on a good driving record under § 31-41.1-7 looks at whether any other violation was issued within the preceding three years.
“the person's operator license in this state may be suspended up to one year or revoked by the court for a period of up to two (2) years.”
Check points or the driving record: dmv.ri.gov
The statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24
“Every person convicted of moving violations on four (4) separate and distinct occasions within an eighteen (18) month period may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1,000), and shall be ordered to attend sixty (60) hours of driver retraining”
Traffic school and point reduction
| Course | Defensive Driving Program (court-imposed, administered through DMV Driver Retraining) |
|---|---|
| Effect | No point-reduction course |
Rhode Island has no points to reduce, and the DMV describes the Defensive Driving Program as a court-imposed educational sanction rather than a remedy: a six-hour program held at the Community College of Rhode Island for which a registration packet is mailed after the court sanctions the driver, registered through the DMV Driver Retraining office for $200 (from January 1, 2026). Separately, § 31-41.1-7 allows a first violation in three years to be dismissed on a good driving record for a $35 administrative fee; that dismissal is a hearing request, not a course.
“The Defensive Driving course is a six (6) hour program. A registration packet will be mailed to you upon being sanctioned by the court of jurisdiction.”
Other reasons a license is suspended, and what ends each one
These are the causes the licensing agency itself lists on its suspension pages, with what it requires to lift each one. Court-imposed suspensions and DUI suspensions are covered on the state's DUI pages.
| Cause | What the agency states | To reinstate | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colin Foote - Multiple Moving Offenses | Conviction of four separate moving violations within an 18-month period brings 60 hours of education and 60 hours of public community service, a fine of up to $1,000, and a court suspension of up to one year or revocation of up to two years; drivers sanctioned by the Traffic Tribunal or a municipal court register with DMV Driver Retraining. | Register for and complete the Colin Foote program through DMV Driver Retraining (program fee $850), document 60 hours of community service by an original signed letter on the non-profit's letterhead, and pay the license reinstatement fee; reinstatement may occur within 120 days of conviction before community service is complete. | $153.50 |
| License Reinstatement Failure to Pay/Appear | A license suspended for a failure to pay or failure to appear can be reinstated through the DMV's online service; the Adjudication Office handles reinstatement case by case and fines may have to be paid first. | Pay outstanding fines, complete the online failure-to-pay/appear reinstatement or an Adjudication Office appointment, and pay the license reinstatement fee. | $153.50 |
| Insurance Verification Program (registration revocation and license block) | If a registered vehicle's VIN does not match an insurance policy for four consecutive weeks, a verification letter issues; non-compliance brings a Revocation Notice revoking the registration and blocking renewal of registrations and the license, followed by a twelve-month monitoring period after restoration. | Obtain insurance, complete an affidavit attesting to it, and pay the $253.50 restoration fee online through Insurance Revocation Reinstatement or by appointment at the Insurance Verification Office. | $253.50 |
| Frequency of offenses / reckless or negligent driving (DMV suspension under § 31-11-7) | The DMV may suspend without preliminary hearing, for any length of time not exceeding one year, a driver adjudicated to have committed offenses against traffic regulations with such frequency as to indicate disrespect for traffic laws, or to have been a reckless or negligent driver, or who committed an out-of-state offense that would be grounds in Rhode Island. | Serve the DMV-determined suspension and pay the license reinstatement fee through the Adjudication Office. | $153.50 |
| Unlawful or fraudulent use of a license (§ 31-11-7) | Permitting an unlawful or fraudulent use of a license is among the grounds on which the DMV may suspend a license without preliminary hearing for up to one year. | Serve the DMV-determined suspension and pay the license reinstatement fee. | $153.50 |
Source quotes for each cause
Colin Foote - Multiple Moving Offenses
“Multiple Moving Offenses - If you are convicted under this RIGL 31-27-24 , "Anyone convicted of four separate moving violations within an 18-month period shall be sanctioned to 60 hours of education and 60 hours of public community service.”
License Reinstatement Failure to Pay/Appear
“Reinstate your license privileges if you have been suspended for a failure to pay or failure to appear.”
Insurance Verification Program (registration revocation and license block)
“If a registration is revoked, you may restore your registration by obtaining insurance, completing an affidavit attesting to the fact that you have obtained such insurance and paying a fee of $253.50 .”
Frequency of offenses / reckless or negligent driving (DMV suspension under § 31-11-7)
“(B) Committed with such frequency of offenses against traffic regulations governing the movement of vehicles as to indicate a disrespect for traffic laws and a disregard for the safety of other persons on the highways;”
Unlawful or fraudulent use of a license (§ 31-11-7)
“(D) Permitted an unlawful or fraudulent use of a license;”
Reinstating after a non-DUI suspension
Reinstatement fee: $153.50. The Adjudication Office fee table lists License Reinstatement at $153.50 (all listed fees include a $3.50 technology surcharge); Registration Reinstatement and Insurance Verification Reinstatement are $253.50, DUI/refusal reinstatement $353.50. Program fees collected through Driver Retraining are separate: Defensive Driving $200, Colin Foote $850. A credit-card service fee of $1.55 or 2.40% is added by the payment provider.
“All fees listed below include $3.50 technology surcharge. If you are paying by credit card, there is a minimum service fee of $1.55 per transaction, or 2.40% for transactions of $65.00 and over.”
Contact the Adjudication Unit
License reinstatement is handled by the DMV Adjudication Unit on a case-by-case basis; reservations are required and no walk-in service is offered.
“Reinstatement is done on a case-by-case basis. You may have fines that must be paid before reinstatement can be processed. A hearing officer will be able to assist you.”
Pay outstanding fines and the reinstatement fee
Fines may have to be paid before reinstatement can be processed; the license reinstatement fee is $153.50, payable by cash, money order, personal or bank check, or credit card.
“Acceptable forms of payment are: cash, money orders, personal checks, bank checks, and credit card (MasterCard, Discover, Visa and American Express). Checks should be payable to Division of Motor Vehicles.”
Failure to pay or appear: reinstate online
Suspensions for failure to pay or failure to appear can be reinstated through the DMV online service; suspension information can also be requested by mail from the Adjudication Office.
“Reinstate your license privileges if you have been suspended for a failure to pay or failure to appear.”
Obtain the license at a branch
After reinstatement, the license is issued at a DMV branch on presentation of the reinstatement notice, one identity document and proof of residency.
“After reinstatement, to obtain your license, you must go to a DMV branch location with your reinstatement notice, one Identity Document, and Proof of Residency.”
Official page: dmv.ri.gov
After a DUI the steps are different: how to get a license back after a DUI in Rhode Island.
Driving during a non-DUI suspension
Not available · Hardship license (alcohol-related suspensions only). The DMV states that by statute hardship licenses are only available to motorists suspended for refusal to submit to a chemical test (§ 31-27-2.1) or convicted of driving under the influence (§ 31-27-2), and only a court may issue one; no restricted privilege is described for points-type, failure-to-pay or other non-alcohol suspensions.
“Per statute, hardship licenses are only available to motorists whose driver's licenses are suspended for either Refusal to Submit to a Chemical test (R.I.G.L. § 31-27-2.1) , or those convicted of Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol (R.I.G.L.§ 31-27-2).”
For the privilege after a DUI, see driving after a DUI in Rhode Island.
Questions about a suspended license in Rhode Island
- Does Rhode Island have a driver's license point system?
- The Rhode Island DMV describes no point schedule. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24, four moving violation convictions on separate occasions within 18 months bring 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service, and a possible court suspension of up to one year or revocation of up to two years. Under § 31-11-7 the DMV may suspend for up to one year for offenses committed with such frequency as to show disrespect for traffic laws.
- What is the Colin Foote program?
- The DMV Driver Retraining page states that anyone convicted under R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24 of four separate moving violations within an 18-month period is sanctioned to 60 hours of education and 60 hours of public community service, registered through DMV Driver Retraining; the Adjudication fee table lists the Colin Foote program at $850.
- Can a course dismiss a ticket or reduce a record in Rhode Island?
- The DMV describes the Defensive Driving Program as a six-hour court-imposed sanction, not a remedy. Separately, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-7 allows a driver licensed more than three years whose violations are the first in the preceding three years to request dismissal based on a good driving record, subject to a $35 administrative fee.
- What is the Rhode Island license reinstatement fee?
- The DMV Adjudication Office fee table lists License Reinstatement at $153.50 including a $3.50 technology surcharge; Registration Reinstatement and Insurance Verification Reinstatement are $253.50. The DMV states reinstatement is done case by case and fines may have to be paid first.
- Is a hardship or restricted license available for non-alcohol suspensions in Rhode Island?
- No. The DMV states that by statute hardship licenses are only available for refusal (§ 31-27-2.1) and DUI (§ 31-27-2) suspensions and are issued only by a court; no restricted privilege is described for other suspensions.
Sources
- RI DMV - Suspensions & Reinstatements (Adjudication services index)
- RI DMV - Driver Retraining (Defensive Driving, Colin Foote, community service; 2026 program fees)
- RI DMV - Adjudication Fees (License Reinstatement $153.50; program fees)
- RI DMV - Reinstatement (Adjudication Unit process)
- RI DMV - Online Services (failure to pay/appear reinstatement; driver record download; license status)
- RI DMV - Insurance Verification Program (registration revocation, license block, $253.50 restoration, 12-month monitoring)
- RI DMV - Suspension Information by Mail
- RI DMV - Hardship License/Ignition Interlock (hardship only for refusal and DUI)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24 - Multiple moving offenses (Colin Foote)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-11-7 - Authority of division of motor vehicles to suspend license
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-7 - Application for dismissal based on good driving record
Cite this page
Every state page quotes the statute or agency page each value comes from; when citing this page, include the verification date shown above.
WheelsBack. "Rhode Island license suspension, points and reinstatement rules." Verified against primary sources August 29, 2026; sources re-checked September 4, 2026. https://wheelsback.com/rhode-island/suspended-license/