Non-Resident permit · CO → RI
Is a Colorado Non-Resident Permit Valid in Rhode Island?
Colorado doesn't put this permit on the table for non-residents (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))). See our non-resident permit guide for the states that do, and which of their permits Rhode Island accepts.
Why
- Colorado does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no non-resident permits. armed-forces members stationed in colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in colorado, are deemed legal residents (c.r.s. 18-12-203(1)(a))).
No reciprocity for carrying within the state. Sole exception (§ 11-47-8(a)): a holder of a valid carry license from another state may transport a handgun through Rhode Island in a vehicle only while merely passing through, with no intent to stop or remain in the state.
The permit (Colorado)
- Permit
- Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP)
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — No non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a)).
The destination (Rhode Island)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Rhode Island
Your Colorado habits may not match Rhode Island's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- No Rhode Island statute imposes a duty to proactively inform police that you are carrying; licenses must be carried and produced on demand.
- Rhode Island limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Rhode Island is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Rhode Island recognizes.
- Carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle requires a Rhode Island carry license; an out-of-state permit holder may only transport through the state without stopping (§ 11-47-8(a)).
Off-limits places in Rhode Island
- Elementary and secondary school premises (R.I.G.L. § 11-47-60)
- Courthouses (barred by judicial administrative order rather than statute)
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Colorado non-resident permit valid in Rhode Island?
- Colorado doesn't put this permit on the table for non-residents (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))). See our non-resident permit guide for the states that do, and which of their permits Rhode Island accepts.
- Do I have to tell police in Rhode Island that I am carrying?
- No Rhode Island statute imposes a duty to proactively inform police that you are carrying; licenses must be carried and produced on demand.
- Does Rhode Island limit magazine capacity?
- Rhode Island limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Does Colorado issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Colorado issues carry permits to residents only (no non-resident permits. Armed-forces members stationed in Colorado on permanent duty station orders, and their immediate family living in Colorado, are deemed legal residents (C.R.S. 18-12-203(1)(a))). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.
Official sources
- RI Attorney General — Pistol Permits (BCI) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-8 — Carrying of weapons (out-of-state pass-through exception) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-11 — License or permit to carry concealed (municipal shall-issue, non-resident eligibility) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47.1-3 — Large capacity feeding devices prohibited (10-round limit, eff. 2022-06-20) — accessed 2026-08-08
- RI Attorney General — Concealed-Carry Permit Guidance (AG 2022-01, post-Bruen) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation - CHP Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Bureau of Investigation - Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-203 - Criteria for obtaining a permit (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-204 - Permit contents, carrying requirements (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- C.R.S. 18-12-214 - Authority granted by permit, carrying restrictions (CBI-hosted) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado General Assembly - SB24-131 Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Attorney General - statement on 15-round large-capacity magazine limit — accessed 2026-08-08