Is it legal to own a pet armadillo?
Permit required
Rhode Island requires a state possession permit for armadillos because they're not on the exempt exotic list.
RI · State hub
Rhode Island
Every QuirkMaps topic for Rhode Island, grouped by category. Each answer links to the official source it comes from.
Exotic pets
Vehicles
Can car dealerships open on Sundays?
Limited by place or day
Rhode Island allows car dealers to open for sales on Sunday only between noon and 6 p.m.
Do adults have to wear motorcycle helmets?
Only some riders
Rhode Island requires helmets for operators under 21, all new operators for their first year, and every passenger.
Do you need a front license plate?
Front and rear plates
Rhode Island requires license plates on both the front and rear of a passenger car.
Is it legal to pump your own gas?
Self-serve allowed
Rhode Island law sets rules for self-service gas stations, including a qualified attendant on duty and a minimum age of 16 to pump.
Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Allowed with limits
Rhode Island has no express train-horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
Is there an annual vehicle safety inspection?
Regular safety inspection
Rhode Island requires vehicles to pass a combined safety and emissions inspection every two years.
Home & property
Are fireworks legal?
Sparklers and ground fireworks only
Rhode Island allows ground-based and hand-held sparkling devices for people 16 and older, but aerial consumer fireworks require a permit.
Food & drink
Are happy hour drink specials legal?
Happy hour banned
Rhode Island bans happy hours; bars may offer only 'daily specials' with one fixed price for the whole day.
Is there a bottle deposit?
No bottle deposit
Rhode Island has no bottle deposit law. The state is studying a possible 10-cent deposit system, but none has passed.
Where can you buy liquor?
Private licensed stores
Rhode Island liquor is sold by privately owned package stores holding Class A retail licenses; the state does not sell spirits.
Time & calendar
Does the state observe daylight saving time?
Observes DST
Rhode Island's law moves its clocks forward one hour each spring and back each fall.
Money & taxes
Are groceries taxed?
Groceries exempt
Rhode Island exempts food and food ingredients from its 7% sales tax.
Does the state have a lottery?
Has a state lottery
Rhode Island has a state lottery, run as a division of the state Department of Revenue.
Does the state have a sales-tax-free weekend?
No tax-free period
Rhode Island has no sales tax holiday. State law only sets rules for how a holiday would work if one were created.
Voting & elections
Do you need an ID to vote?
Photo ID requested
Rhode Island asks in-person voters for photo ID. A voter without one votes provisionally, and the ballot counts if the signature matches.