Rhode Island State NFA Rules and Allowable NFA Items

Rhode Island law clearly prohibits possession and ownership of silencers and all NFA firearms.

Possession of NFA items:

§ 11-47-2 Definitions. – When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases are construed as follows:
(1) "Antique firearm" is defined as that term is defined under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 921.
(2) "Crime of violence" means and includes any of the following crimes or an attempt to commit any of them: murder, manslaughter, rape, first or second degree sexual assault, first or second degree child molestation, kidnapping, first and second degree arson, mayhem, robbery, burglary, breaking and entering, any felony violation involving the illegal manufacture, sale, or delivery of a controlled substance, or possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a controlled substance classified in schedule I or schedule II of § 21-28-2.08, any violation of § 21-28-4.01.1 or 21-28-4.01.2 or conspiracy to commit any violation of these statutes, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault or battery involving grave bodily injury, and/or assault with intent to commit any offense punishable as a felony; upon any conviction of an offense punishable as a felony offense under § 12-29-5.
(3) "Firearm" includes any machine gun, pistol, rifle, air rifle, air pistol, "blank gun," "BB gun," or other instrument from which steel or metal projectiles are propelled, or which may readily be converted to expel a projectile, except crossbows, recurve, compound, or longbows, and except instruments propelling projectiles which are designed or normally used for a primary purpose other than as a weapon. The frame or receiver of the weapon shall be construed as a firearm under the provisions of this section.
(4) "Fugitive from justice" means any person who has fled from any state, territory, the District of Columbia, or possession of the United States to avoid prosecution for a crime of violence or to avoid giving testimony in any criminal proceeding.
(5) "Licensing authorities" means the board of police commissioners of a city or town where the board has been instituted, the chief of police or superintendent of police of other cities and towns having a regular organized police force, and, in towns where there is no chief of police or superintendent of police, it means the town clerk who may issue licenses upon the recommendation of the town sergeant, and it also means any other person or body duly authorized by the city or town charter or by state law.
(6) "Machine gun" means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The term also includes the frame or receiver of the weapon, any combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if the parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
(7) "Person" includes an individual, partnership, firm, association, or corporation.
(8) "Pistol" includes any pistol or revolver, and any shotgun, rifle, or similar weapon with overall length less than twenty-six inches (26"), but does not include any pistol or revolver designed for the use of blank cartridges only.
(9) "Sawed-off rifle" means any rifle with overall length of less than twenty-six inches (26") and/or barrel length of less than sixteen inches (16").
(10) "Sawed-off shotgun" means any shotgun with overall length of less than twenty-six inches (26") and/or barrel length of less than eighteen inches (18").
(11) "Sell" includes let or hire, give, lend, and transfer, and "purchase" includes hire, accept, and borrow, and "purchasing" shall be construed accordingly.

History of Section.
(P.L. 1927, ch. 1052, § 1; G.L. 1938, ch. 404, § 1; P.L. 1950, ch. 2452, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-2; P.L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 1974, ch. 184, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 660, § 1; P.L. 1989, ch. 542, § 7; P.L. 1991, ch. 333, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 153, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 275, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 213, § 1; P.L. 2012, ch. 232, § 1.)

§ 11-47-8 License or permit required for carrying pistol – Possession of machine gun. – (a) No person shall, without a license or permit issued as provided in §§ 11-47-11, 11-47-12 and 11-47-18, carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed, except in his or her dwelling house or place of business or on land possessed by him or her or as provided in §§ 11-47-9 and 11-47-10. The provisions of these sections shall not apply to any person who is the holder of a valid license or permit issued by the licensing authority of another state, or territory of the United States, or political subdivision of the state or territory, allowing him or her to carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed, provided the person is merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle or other conveyance without any intent on the part of the person to detain him or herself or remain within the state of Rhode Island. No person shall manufacture, sell, purchase, or possess a machine gun except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Every person violating the provision of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both, and except for a first conviction under this section shall not be afforded the provisions of suspension or deferment of sentence, nor a probation.
(b) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any sawed-off shotgun or sawed-off rifle as defined in § 11-47-2. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for up to ten (10) years, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
(c) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any firearm while the person delivers, possesses with intent to deliver, or manufactures a controlled substance. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2) years nor more than twenty (20) years, and the sentence shall be consecutive to any sentence the person may receive for the delivery, possession with intent to deliver, or the manufacture of the controlled substance. It shall not be a defense to a violation of this subsection that a person has a license or permit to carry or possess a firearm.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1927, ch. 1052, § 4; G.L. 1938, ch. 404, § 4; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-5; G.L., § 11-47-8; P.L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 1968, ch. 183, § 3; P.L. 1974, ch. 184, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 1988, ch. 389, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 227, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 422, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 460, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 11.)

§ 11-47-19 Machine gun manufacturers' licenses or permits.– The attorney general may issue to any person, firm, or corporation, engaged in manufacturing in this state, a license or permit to manufacture and sell machine guns and any or all machine gun parts under any regulations that the attorney general may prescribe.

History of Section. (G.L. 1938, ch. 404, § 7; P.L. 1941, ch. 991, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-12; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-19; P.L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 1975, ch. 278, § 1.)

§ 11-47-20 Sale or possession of silencers. – It shall be unlawful within this state to manufacture, sell, purchase, or possess any muffler, silencer, or device for deadening or muffling the sound of a firearm when discharged. Violations of this section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year and one day.

History of Section. (P.L. 1927, ch. 1052, § 8; G.L. 1938, ch. 404, § 8; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-14; G.L. 1956, § 11-47-20; P.L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1.)

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This information is provided as a service to the public. It is NOT intended as legal advice and should never be considered as such. This information was up to date at the time of publication.