(a)  No person shall deliver a rifle or shotgun to a purchaser until seven (7) days shall have elapsed from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the day of application for the purchase, and when delivered, the rifle or shotgun shall be unloaded and securely wrapped, with the bill of sale for it to be enclosed within the wrapper with the rifle or shotgun. Any citizen of the United States and/or lawful resident of this state who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older, and any nonresident member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in this state and who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older, may, upon application, purchase or acquire a rifle or shotgun. At the time of applying for the purchase of a shotgun or rifle the purchaser shall complete and sign in triplicate and deliver to the seller the application form described in this section, and in no case shall it contain the serial number of the rifle or shotgun.

(Face of application form)

Application to Purchase Shotgun or Rifle

Date ………………………………….. Hour ………………………………….. A.M. P.M.
Name …………………………………..
Address …………………………………..
     (Street and number)    (City or town)    (State)
Date of Birth ………………………………….. Place of Birth …………………………………..
Height ………………………………….. Weight ………………………………….. Color hair …………………………………..
Color eyes …………………………………..
Scars …………………………………..
Tattoos …………………………………..
Other identifying marks …………………………………..
Are you a citizen of the United States …………………………………..
Are you a citizen of Rhode Island …………………………………..
How long …………………………………..
Where stationed …………………………………..
(Armed Forces only)
Number of rifles and/or shotguns to be purchased …………………………………..
Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence …………………………………..
(See § 11-47-2 General Laws of Rhode Island)
Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement as addicted to a controlled substance …………………………………..
Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement for alcoholism …………………………………..
Have you ever been confined or treated for mental illness …………………………………..
From whom is shotgun or rifle being purchased …………………………………..
Seller’s address …………………………………..
Seller’s signature …………………………………..
Applicant’s signature …………………………………..
(See § 11-47-23 for penalty for false information on this application)
(Reverse side of application form)
AFFIDAVIT: I certify that I have read and am familiar with the provisions of § 11-47-1 — § 11-47-59, inclusive, of the general laws of the State of Rhode Island, and that I am aware of the penalties for violation of the provisions of the cited sections.
Signed …………………………………..
County of …………………………………..
State of Rhode Island
Subscribed and sworn before me this ….. day of ….. A.D. 20… .
Notary Public   
…………………………

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-35.2

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • 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 Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2
  • 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 that may readily be converted to expel a projectile, except crossbows, recurve, compound, or longbows, and except instruments propelling projectiles that are designed or normally used for a primary purpose other than as a weapon. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2
  • Person: includes an individual, partnership, firm, association, or corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8

(b)  The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall, on the date of application, sign and forward by registered mail or by delivery in person, or by electronic mail if approved by the applicable police department, the original and duplicate copies of the application to the chief of police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence or to the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police in the instance where the purchaser either resides in the town of Exeter or resides out of state. The superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or the chief of police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence shall mark or stamp the original copy of the application form with the date and time of receipt and return it by the most expeditious means to the seller. The triplicate copy duly signed by the seller shall within seven (7) days be sent by him or her by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail, to the attorney general. The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall retain the original copy duly receipted by the police authority to whom sent or delivered for a period of six (6) years with other records of the sale. It shall be the duty of the police authority to whom the duplicate copy of the application form is sent or delivered to make a background check of the applicant to ascertain whether he or she falls under the provisions of § 11-47-5, § 11-47-6, § 11-47-7, or § 11-47-23. If, after the lapse of seven (7) days from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the person who is selling the rifle or shotgun, he or she will deliver the firearm applied for to the purchaser. Upon the finding of no disqualifying information under the provisions of the above cited sections of this chapter, and in no case later than thirty (30) days after the date of application, the duplicate and triplicate copies of the application will be destroyed. Retention of the duplicate and triplicate copies in violation of this chapter or any unauthorized use of the information contained in them by a person or agency shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The provisions of this section shall not apply to bona fide sales at wholesale to duly licensed retail dealers, nor to purchases by retail dealers duly licensed under the provisions of § 11-47-39.

(c)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to full-time members of the state police, full-time members of city or town police departments, persons licensed under § 11-47-9 and § 11-47-11, or to sales of air rifles or “BB guns” or to sales of antique firearms as defined in § 11-47-2.

History of Section.
P.L. 1990, ch. 37, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 300, § 1; P.L. 1996, ch. 146, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 128, § 1; P.L. 2020, ch. 61, § 2; P.L. 2020, ch. 68, § 2; P.L. 2021, ch. 339, § 1, effective July 12, 2021; P.L. 2021, ch. 340, § 1, effective July 12, 2021; P.L. 2022, ch. 135, § 1, effective June 21, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 136, § 1, effective June 21, 2022.