Rhode Island General Laws 31-11-18. Driving after denial, suspension, or revocation of license

(a) Any person who drives a motor vehicle on any highway of this state who never applied for a license, or who drives after his or her application for a license has been refused, or after his or her license has expired, or who otherwise drives without a license, or at a time when his or her license to operate is suspended, revoked, or cancelled, for reasons other than those provided for in § 31-11-18.1, may be guilty of a misdemeanor.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-11-18

Motor vehicle: means any vehicle driven or drawn by mechanical power for use on the public streets, roads, and highways;

(2) "Odometer" means an instrument for measuring and recording the actual distance a motor vehicle travels while in operation;

(3) "Person" means any individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, or business trust including, but not limited to, private individuals and motor vehicle dealers, both wholesale and retail, whether the private individual or dealer is a dealer in the ordinary course of business or not;

(4) "Repair and replacement" means to restore to a sound working condition by replacing the instrument or any part thereof or by correcting what is inoperative;

(5) "Transfer" means to acquire ownership by purchase, gift, bequest, or any other means. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-23.2-2
person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.

(b) Upon a first violation under this section, a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), shall be imposed. For the second violation, a civil penalty of not less than three hundred fifty dollars ($350), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), may be imposed.

(c) Any person convicted of a third or a subsequent violation of subsection (a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may, in the discretion of the sentencing judge, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding ninety (90) days, fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both. Additionally, the sentencing judge may suspend the person’s license for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), any person driving after his or her license has expired shall be issued a summons to appear in district court not fewer than ten (10) days after the issuance of the summons, and shall not be taken into custody based solely on this charge absent a warrant. Any person who shall cause his or her expired license to be reinstated by the division of motor vehicles within ten (10) days after issuance of the summons may present proof of reinstatement at the headquarters of the charging police department. Presentation of proof of reinstatement within ten (10) days after the issuance of the summons shall cause the summons to be voided and shall otherwise constitute a complete defense to the charge of driving after expiration of license and a bar to prosecution for that charge. Any convictions under subsection (c) shall be expunged pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1.3 of Title 12. For the purposes of this subsection, each of the several state police barracks shall be considered as a separate police headquarters.

History of Section.
P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 17, § 3; P.L. 1951, ch. 2826, § 16; G.L. 1956, § 31-11-3; G.L. 1956, § 31-11-18; P.L. 1962, ch. 204, § 1; P.L. 1979, ch. 278, § 1; P.L. 1980, ch. 323, § 1; P.L. 1982, ch. 279, § 1; P.L. 1983, ch. 229, § 3; P.L. 1988, ch. 646, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 157, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 446, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 128, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 134, § 1.

§ 31-11-18. Driving after denial, suspension, or revocation of license. [Effective January 1, 2023.]

(b) Upon a first violation under this section, a civil penalty of not more than one hundred fifty dollars ($150) shall be imposed. For the second violation, a civil penalty of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) shall be imposed. For a third violation, a civil penalty of not more than three hundred fifty dollars ($350) shall be imposed. All violations under this subsection shall be heard in the traffic tribunal.

(c) Any person convicted of a fourth or a subsequent violation of subsection (a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may, in the discretion of the sentencing judge, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year, fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). Additionally, the sentencing judge may suspend the person’s license for a period not to exceed one year. All violations under this subsection shall be heard in the district court.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any person driving after his or her license has expired shall be issued a summons to appear in the traffic tribunal not fewer than ten (10) days after the issuance of the summons, and shall not be taken into custody based solely on this charge absent a warrant. Any person who shall cause his or her expired license to be reinstated by the division of motor vehicles within ten (10) days after issuance of the summons may present proof of reinstatement at the headquarters of the charging police department. Presentation of proof of reinstatement within ten (10) days after the issuance of the summons shall cause the summons to be voided and shall otherwise constitute a complete defense to the charge of driving after expiration of license and a bar to prosecution for that charge. Any convictions under subsection (c) shall be expunged pursuant to the provisions of chapter 1.3 of Title 12. For the purposes of this subsection, each of the several state police barracks shall be considered as a separate police headquarters.