Getting your Rhode Island learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the documents you need to apply for a permit.
• You can explain who must go with you to the DMV.
• You can state the vision standard and how it is checked.
• You can describe the rules for driving on a permit.

What you need to know and understand

• You must be 16 to 18 and have a 33-hour driver education certificate of completion.
• You need an original identity document such as a certified birth certificate or passport. Photocopies are not accepted.
• Bring two proofs of Rhode Island residency and the completed LI-1 application.
• A parent, legal guardian, licensed foster parent or adult spouse who lives in Rhode Island must come with you, unless their signature on the LI-1 is notarized.
• Your vision must be at least 20/40, with glasses or contacts if you normally wear them.
• A supervising driver must be at least 21 and licensed for at least 5 years.
• The DMV says the teen permit is valid for one year or until you turn 18, whichever is longer.

Your document checklist

• Proof of identity and age: a certified birth certificate, a valid passport, a Rhode Island or government ID card, or a resident alien card.
• Your 33-hour driver education certificate of completion (if you are under 18).
• Two proofs of Rhode Island residency. For minors, a current school record showing your address is one accepted option.
• The Application for Limited Learner Permit (form LI-1).
• The permit fee. Check the DMV fee table for the current amount; cash, check, card or money order are accepted.

Who comes with you

A parent, legal guardian, licensed foster parent or adult spouse must go with you and sign, or have their signature on the LI-1 notarized. They must live in Rhode Island and qualify as a supervising driver. Guardians and foster parents bring court or DCYF paperwork.

A parent without a valid Rhode Island license may still sign for a child under 18, but cannot act as your supervisor and must sit in the back seat during practice drives.

Eyes and the rules of the permit

Every applicant takes a vision test or brings a Vision Examination Card signed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. You need at least 20/40 vision, and you wear your glasses or contacts for the test if you use them for distance.

On the permit, a supervising driver who is 21 or older and licensed for at least 5 years must sit beside you at all times, ready to take control. Nobody else may sit in the front seat, and every person in the car must be belted or in a child restraint. The supervisor is legally responsible for any violation you commit.

Common mistakes

• Bringing a photocopy of your birth certificate. Only originals or certified copies are accepted.
• Forgetting the second proof of residency.
• Asking an older sibling who has been licensed for only 2 years to supervise. Supervisors need 5 years of licensed driving and must be 21 or older.
• Letting a friend ride in the front passenger seat while your supervisor sits in the back.

Test yourself: Getting your Rhode Island learner permit

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Learning to Drive in Rhode Island
• Rhode Island Permit Test
• Rhode Island Permit Practice Test