Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-6 (2026)

Mental incompetents and drug addicts prohibited from possession of firearms

✓ current as of July 2026

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No person who is under guardianship or treatment or confinement by virtue of being a mental incompetent, or who has been adjudicated or is under treatment or confinement as a drug addict, shall purchase, own, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession or under his or her control any firearm. Any person affected by the provisions of this section, other than a person who has been pronounced criminally insane by competent medical authority, after the lapse of a period of five (5) years from the date of being pronounced cured by competent medical authority, may, upon presentation of an affidavit issued by competent medical authority to the effect that he or she is a mentally stable person and a proper person to possess firearms, make application for the purchase of the firearm(s). Any person affected by the provisions of this section, in making application for the purchase of firearms and in executing the application, voluntarily waives his or her right to refuse or refrain from disclosing any confidential information, including, but not limited to, any information arising from the physician-patient relationship, pertinent to a determination by the proper authorities regarding the approval or disapproval of this application. Any person affected by the provisions of this section, in making application for the purchase of firearms and in executing the application, further agrees to allow the proper authorities to investigate any and all medical records of the applicant pertinent to a determination by the authorities regarding the approval or disapproval of this application. In the event that the application is approved, and if the person has no other disqualifying record, he or she will be allowed to purchase and possess firearms.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 1973–2015 · leading case: State v. Adrian Hazard, 68 A.3d 479 (R.I. 2013).

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State v. Adrian Hazard, 68 A.3d 479 (R.I. 2013). · cites it 4× “19 Indeed, the 19 This policy is further reflected in G.L. 1956 § 11-47-6, which prohibits ―[m]ental incompetents, drug addicts, and drunkards‖ from the possession of a firearm, and in § 11-47-7, which prohibits ―unnaturalized foreign born person[s] who entered the United States…”

Mosby v. Devine, 851 A.2d 1031 (R.I. 2004). · cites it 4× “[10] Section 11-47-6. [11] Section 11-47-7. [12] Section 11-47-52.”

United States v. Yancey, 621 F.3d 681 (7th Cir. 2010). “13(A)(4); R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-6; S.C.Code Ann. § 16-23-30(A)(l); S.”

Norman T. Gadomski, Jr. v. Joseph H. Tavares, Chief of Police for the City of East Providence, 113 A.3d 387 (R.I. 2015). “General Laws 1956 § 11-47-5 (persons convicted of crime of violence or who are fugitives from justice); § 11-47-6 (mental incompetents and drug addicts); § 11-47-7 (illegal aliens); § 11 — 47—15 (persons who have failed to meet minimum firing qualification score).”

State v. Storms, 308 A.2d 463 (R.I. 1973). “3 Thus, one convicted of a crime of violence or a fugitive from justice or a mentally incompetent person, a drug addict or an habitual drunkard may not carry or possess any firearm (§11-47-5 and §11-47-6), and an unnaturalized foreign-born person who has resided in the United…”

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