Rhode Island § 31-10-2 - Operators’ and Chauffeurs’ Licenses

§ 31-10-2. Persons exempt from licensing requirements.

The following persons are exempt from the licensing requirements of this chapter:

(1) Any employee of the United States government while operating a motor vehicle owned by or leased to the United States government and being operated on official business;

(2) A nonresident who is at least sixteen (16) years of age and who has in his or her immediate possession a valid operator’s license issued to him or her in his or her home state or country may operate a motor vehicle in this state only as an operator;

(3) A nonresident who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who has in his or her immediate possession a valid chauffeur’s license issued to him or her in his or her home state or country may operate a motor vehicle in this state either as an operator or chauffeur. Subject to the age limits applicable to chauffeurs in this state, that license shall be accepted as a chauffeur class I license. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a nonresident must submit an application for a chauffeur class I license which must be approved before a nonresident may be employed as a chauffeur in this state;

(4) Any nonresident who is at least eighteen (18) years of age, whose home state or country does not require the licensing of operators, may operate a motor vehicle as an operator only, for a period of not more than ninety (90) days in any calendar year, if the motor vehicle so operated is duly registered in the home state or country of that nonresident;

(5) Any operator of any traction engine, road roller, farm tractor, crane, power shovel, well-borer, and any other road and building construction machinery and equipment, other than a truck used for the transportation of materials.