Rhode Island Disorderly Conduct and Trespass Laws (2026)

Rhode Island punishes disorderly conduct under R.I. Gen. Laws 11-45-1 with up to 6 months in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. Criminal trespass is mainly section 11-44-26, which applies only after the owner or another authorized person has forbidden the person to enter or stay, and carries up to 1 year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Rhode Island has no degrees of trespass. When trespass or disorderly conduct is committed by one family or household member against another, section 12-29-2 lists it as a domestic violence crime, and section 12-29-5 sets a jail term of 10 days to 1 year for a second violation and makes a third or later violation a felony punishable by 1 to 10 years.

The state also has no general riot statute and no purple paint rule. For other states, see our guide to disorderly conduct and trespass laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-18. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Rhode Island's state criminal statutes on disorderly conduct (chapter 11-45), related public-order offenses in Title 11 and section 30-15-21, the protective-custody rule for intoxication (23-1.10-10), the domestic violence penalties of section 12-29-5 as they apply to these offenses, and criminal trespass (chapter 11-44 and sections 11-35-29 and 11-36-6). It does not cover local noise ordinances and quiet hours (see Rhode Island noise laws), the procedure for removing squatters (see Rhode Island squatters' rights), use of force against an intruder (see Rhode Island self-defense laws), civil trespass lawsuits, local ordinances, or rules for federal property.

What counts as disorderly conduct in Rhode Island

Under section 11-45-1(a), a person commits disorderly conduct if he or she "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly":

1. "Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior";
2. in a public place, or near a private residence that he or she has no right to occupy, disturbs another person by making loud and unreasonable noise which under the circumstances would disturb a person of average sensibilities;
3. "Directs at another person in a public place offensive words which are likely to provoke a violent reaction on the part of the average person so addressed";
4. alone or with others, obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building entrance, elevator, aisle, stairway or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access, or any other place ordinarily used for the passage of persons, vehicles or conveyances;
5. "Engages in conduct which obstructs or interferes physically with a lawful meeting, procession, or gathering";
6. enters upon the property of another and, for a lascivious purpose, looks into an occupied dwelling or other building on the property through a window or other opening; or
7. without the person's knowledge or consent, looks for a lascivious purpose through a window or other opening into an area where another would have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as a restroom, locker room, shower, changing room, dressing room or bedroom.

The noise clause is covered in more depth on our Rhode Island noise laws page.

Section 11-45-1(d) adds a limit: subdivisions (a)(2) through (5) shall in no event "be construed to prevent lawful picketing or lawful demonstrations including, but not limited to, those relating to a labor dispute."

Is disorderly conduct a misdemeanor? The penalty

"Any person found guilty of the crime of disorderly conduct shall be imprisoned for a term of not more than six (6) months, or fined not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both." (R.I. Gen. Laws 11-45-1(c))

Rhode Island classifies criminal offenses by their maximum penalty in section 11-1-2: an offense punishable by more than one year or a fine of more than $1,000 is a felony; one punishable by up to one year or a fine of up to $1,000 is a misdemeanor; and "any criminal offense which may be punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months or by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500), or both, is declared to be a petty misdemeanor"; and an offense punishable only by a fine of up to $500 "is declared to be a violation." Disorderly conduct's 6-month, $500 maximum fits the petty misdemeanor line, and section 11-45-1 has no violation-only tier.

When disorderly conduct is committed by one family or household member against another, section 12-29-2(a)(4) lists it as a domestic violence crime. Section 12-29-5(c) then provides that a person convicted of a misdemeanor involving domestic violence shall, "For a second violation, be imprisoned for a term of not less than ten (10) days and not more than one year," and, "For a third and subsequent violation, be deemed guilty of a felony and be imprisoned for a term of not less than one year and not more than ten (10) years." It adds: "No jail sentence provided for under this section can be suspended."

Indecent exposure

Section 11-45-2 is a separate offense titled indecent exposure/disorderly conduct, covering exposure of the genitals for sexual arousal in circumstances likely to cause affront. It carries up to 1 year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both, and any subsequent offense is punishable by up to 3 years. The section provides that it does not apply to breastfeeding in public (11-45-2(e)).

Related public-order offenses in Rhode Island

No general riot or unlawful assembly statute

Chapter 11-38, Riotous Assembly, no longer has a general riot offense: sections 11-38-1 through 11-38-4 are repealed. Title 11 contains no general riot, unlawful assembly or failure-to-disperse offense. What remains is inciting a riot at a detention facility:

• Adult correctional institutions (11-38-5): any person who, "with intent to cause a riotous assembly at the adult correctional institutions, shall incite a riot or a continuance of a riot or destruction of property while rioting" may be fined up to $10,000, imprisoned up to 10 years, or both.
• Wyatt Detention Facility (11-38-6): a prisoner, detainee or other person confined at the Wyatt facility who incites a riot there with intent to cause a riotous assembly may be imprisoned up to 10 years, fined up to $10,000, or both, with the term starting when the original term of imprisonment ends.

Disturbing meetings, worship, schools and military funerals

Section 11-11-1 punishes every person who "shall willfully interrupt or disturb any town or ward meeting, any assembly of people met for religious worship, any military funeral or memorial service, any public or private school," or any other lawful meeting, exhibition or entertainment, "either within or without the place where the meeting or school is held," with up to 1 year or a fine of up to $500. Title 11 has no separate buffer-zone statute for funeral picketing; the military funeral and memorial service words in section 11-11-1 are the funeral provision.

Placing a substance or object at a theater, hall or other place where people are assembled that is liable to interrupt and disturb the peace and order of that place is punishable by up to 5 years, a fine of up to $1,000, or both (11-11-2).

Chapter 11-11 also punishes attempting by force, violence, threats or intimidation to prevent a person from entering upon and pursuing any employment, a misdemeanor carrying a fine of up to $100 or up to 90 days (11-11-4); keeping goods for sale, peddling, gaming or exhibiting a show within one mile of an outdoor religious meeting without the society's consent, a fine of $5 to $20 or up to 30 days (11-11-3); and exceeding the occupant load of an assembly, a petty misdemeanor for the person in control or possession of the building, fined up to $500 for a first offense, with the fine doubling for a second and tripling for a third (11-11-7).

Section 11-11-5 provides: "Every person who shall be guilty of profane swearing and cursing shall be fined not exceeding five dollars ($5.00)." The section dates from the General Laws of 1896 and has not been amended since the 1956 recodification.

Bomb threats, false alarms and false reports

• False report of explosives (11-35-18): knowingly transmitting a false report of the location of an explosive or other dangerous substance or contrivance, "causing anxiety, unrest, fear, or personal discomfort," is a felony punishable by up to 10 years, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
• False alarms (11-44-21): giving a false alarm of fire or emergency, falsely summoning an ambulance, or tampering with signal boxes is punishable by up to 1 year, a fine of up to $500, or both, plus restitution.
• False report of a crime (11-32-2): knowingly making a false oral or written statement of a crime, with intent that police rely on it, is punishable by up to 1 year, a fine of up to $500, or both, and the court must also order restitution to the person falsely accused.

Emergency orders, curfew streets and loitering

• Emergency management (30-15-21): violating chapter 30-15 or "any rule, order, or regulation promulgated pursuant to this chapter" is punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days, or both.
• Curfew streets (11-9-12): a minor under 16, not accompanied by an adult, who loiters on a designated curfew street "after being directed by any police constable to cease loitering" may be fined up to $5.
• Railroad and bus property (11-36-5): loitering on railroad or bus property after a request to leave carries a fine of $5 to $100.

Title 11 contains no general loitering or prowling offense.

Public intoxication

Title 11 contains no public intoxication offense. Under section 23-1.10-10, a person who appears to be incapacitated by alcohol "shall be taken into protective custody by the police" and brought to an approved public treatment facility; an intoxicated person in a public place who needs help may, with consent, be assisted home or to a treatment facility. The statute is explicit: "A taking into protective custody under this section is not an arrest. No entry or other record shall be made to indicate that the person has been arrested or charged with a crime."

For assault and battery offenses, see Rhode Island assault and battery laws.

Criminal trespass in Rhode Island

The general trespass statute is section 11-44-26(a):

"Every person who willfully trespasses or, having no legitimate purpose for his or her presence, remains upon the land of another or upon the premises or curtilage of the domicile of any person legally entitled to the possession of that domicile, after having been forbidden to do so by the owner of the land or the owner's duly authorized agent or a person legally entitled to the possession of the premises, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both."

Being told to leave is part of the offense

Under the statute's wording, the person must have been forbidden to enter or remain by the owner, the owner's duly authorized agent, or a person legally entitled to possession. There are no degrees of trespass. Outside domestic violence cases, the penalty for willful trespass under section 11-44-26 is capped at one year and $1,000. Under section 11-1-2, an offense punishable by up to one year or $1,000 is a misdemeanor.

Domestic violence cases

Section 11-44-26(c) provides: "Where the provisions of The Domestic Violence Prevention Act, chapter 29 of title 12, are applicable, the penalties for violation of this section shall also include the penalties as provided in § 12-29-5." Section 12-29-2(a) lists trespass (11-44-26) and disorderly conduct (11-45-1) among the crimes that are domestic violence "when committed by one family or household member against another." For those cases, section 12-29-5(c) sets a jail term of 10 days to 1 year for a second violation and makes a third or later violation a felony punishable by 1 to 10 years, and no jail sentence under that subsection can be suspended. Trespass against someone who is not a family or household member stays under the one-year ceiling of section 11-44-26(a).

Tenants holding over

"This section shall not apply to tenants or occupants of residential premises who, having rightfully entered the premises at the commencement of the tenancy or occupancy, remain after that tenancy or occupancy has been or is alleged to have been terminated. The owner or landlord of the premises may recover possession only through appropriate civil proceedings." (11-44-26(b))

Chapter 11-44 contains no separate squatting offense, and Rhode Island's landlord-tenant act separately bars a landlord from taking possession of a dwelling unit "by action or otherwise," including by cutting off heat, water, electricity or other essential services, except in case of abandonment, surrender or as that chapter permits (34-18-44). For the civil removal procedure, see Rhode Island squatters' rights. Questions about removing an intruder or defending property are covered on the Rhode Island self-defense laws page.

Schools, recreational facilities, utilities, railroads and rights-of-way

• Schools and colleges (11-44-26.1): willfully trespassing, or remaining without a legitimate purpose or after a suspension, in a public or private school, college or university building or on its grounds after being forbidden by an officer, guard, security officer or school official is punished "at least by a fine of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than five hundred dollars ($500)" for a first offense, $100 to $500 for a second, and $150 to $500 for a third or later offense, "and may in addition, be imprisoned not exceeding six (6) months."
• Private recreational facilities (11-44-28): willfully trespassing and remaining on the land or premises of private recreational facilities after being forbidden by the owner or person in control is punishable by a fine of up to $500; "the existing rights of fishers shall not be infringed."
• Utility property (11-35-29): willfully remaining on utility land or premises after being forbidden is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 1 year, or both.
• Utility rights-of-way (11-35-28): without right, knowingly making attachments to, or disposing on, the facilities or rights-of-way of an electric, gas, telephone or water utility is subject to a fine of up to $250 per incident, plus the cost of repair.
• Public rights-of-way to water (11-44-24): obstructing or blocking a public right-of-way to the state's water areas is punishable by up to 1 year or a fine of up to $500.
• Railroad rights-of-way (11-36-6): without right, knowingly standing, walking or riding on a private railroad right-of-way is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to 1 year, or both.

What counts as notice: signs, not purple paint

Rhode Island's posting rule is short:

"Whenever any signs are required to be posted to indicate no trespassing, shooting, trapping, fishing, or the like, it shall be sufficient to post the land conspicuously with clear and legible signs which signs can be affixed with cloth, metal, or paperboard, or by conspicuously stencil-painting the word 'Posted.'" (11-44-30)

Chapter 11-44 (sections 11-44-1 through 11-44-32) contains no paint-color or purple-mark provision. The general trespass offense in section 11-44-26 turns on the person having been forbidden by the owner or other authorized person.

Hunting, trapping and fishing on posted land

Under section 11-44-4, whoever enters another's land without permission to shoot, trap or fish when the land is conspicuously posted with clear and legible signs prohibiting it, remains to shoot, trap or fish after being forbidden by the owner or authorized agent, or without right mutilates, destroys or removes such a sign, "shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars ($20.00)." The hunting chapter, section 20-13-1, preserves "the provisions of the laws relating to trespass."

Desecration of places of worship and public buildings

Section 11-44-31 makes it a felony to willfully and maliciously or mischievously injure, destroy, write upon, paint or otherwise damage or deface a church, synagogue or other place used for religious worship, a cemetery or mortuary, a building used for education or as a community meeting place that is owned by an organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. 501, or a public building, or their grounds or personal property inside them, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, up to 5 years, or both.

Trespass versus burglary

Burglary-type offenses in chapter 11-8 require more than an unlawful entry. Under section 11-8-3, entering a dwelling house or apartment at any time, or another building in the daytime, "with intent to commit murder, sexual assault, robbery, arson or larceny" is punishable by up to 10 years, a fine of up to $500, or both.

Rhode Island disorderly conduct and trespass penalties at a glance

Section 11-1-2 sets Rhode Island's felony, misdemeanor, petty misdemeanor and violation lines by maximum penalty. For the full class table, see Rhode Island felony and misdemeanor classes.

Federal law separately governs conduct on federal property and at the U.S. Capitol; the disorderly conduct and trespass laws by state hub covers that layer.

Recent changes

The core sections have not been amended in recent years. Section 11-45-1 was last amended by P.L. 2008, chapter 183, which also amended section 11-45-2. Section 11-44-26 was last amended in 1988, and the school trespass section, 11-44-26.1, in 1986. The words "any military funeral or memorial service" were added to section 11-11-1 in 2007 (P.L. 2007, chapters 183 and 212).

Related Rhode Island laws

• Disorderly conduct and trespass laws by state
• Rhode Island noise laws
• Rhode Island felony and misdemeanor classes
• Rhode Island squatters' rights
• Rhode Island self-defense laws
• Rhode Island assault and battery laws
• Massachusetts disorderly conduct and trespass laws

This article provides general legal information about Rhode Island's disorderly conduct, public-order and criminal trespass statutes as of 2026-10-18. It is not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Rhode Island.

Last updated: 2026-10-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is disorderly conduct in Rhode Island?

Under R.I. Gen. Laws 11-45-1(a), a person commits disorderly conduct by intentionally, knowingly or recklessly fighting or acting violently or threateningly, making loud and unreasonable noise, directing fighting words at someone in public, obstructing a public passageway, physically interfering with a lawful meeting, procession or gathering, or peeping for a lascivious purpose.

Is disorderly conduct a misdemeanor in Rhode Island?

Section 11-45-1(c) calls it the crime of disorderly conduct, punishable by up to 6 months, a fine of up to $500, or both, which section 11-1-2 classifies as a petty misdemeanor. When it is committed against a family or household member, section 12-29-5 sets 10 days to 1 year for a second domestic violence misdemeanor violation and makes a third or later violation a felony punishable by 1 to 10 years.

Can you get disorderly conduct for swearing in Rhode Island?

The words clause, 11-45-1(a)(3), reaches offensive words directed at another person in a public place that are likely to provoke a violent reaction on the part of the average person so addressed. Separately, 11-11-5 provides that profane swearing and cursing is punishable by a fine of not more than $5.

Is public intoxication illegal in Rhode Island?

Title 11 contains no public intoxication offense. Under 23-1.10-10, a person who appears incapacitated by alcohol is taken into protective custody by the police, which is not an arrest, and no record may be made indicating that the person was arrested or charged with a crime.

Is trespassing a felony in Rhode Island?

Usually not. Willful trespass under 11-44-26 carries up to 1 year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. When the trespass is committed by one family or household member against another, it is a domestic violence crime, and section 12-29-5 makes a third or later domestic violence misdemeanor violation a felony punishable by 1 to 10 years. Felony penalties also apply to separate offenses such as desecrating places of worship, cemeteries and public buildings (11-44-31, up to 5 years) and burglary and breaking and entering (chapter 11-8).

Does Rhode Island have a purple paint law?

No. Under 11-44-30, where signs are required to indicate no trespassing, shooting, trapping or fishing, it is sufficient to post the land conspicuously with clear and legible signs or by conspicuously stencil-painting the word Posted. Chapter 11-44 contains no paint-color rule.

What happens if a store or owner tells me to leave in Rhode Island?

Section 11-44-26(a) applies to a person who willfully trespasses, or remains without a legitimate purpose, after having been forbidden to do so by the owner, the owner's authorized agent or a person legally entitled to possession. The penalty is up to 1 year, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Is squatting a crime in Rhode Island?

Chapter 11-44 contains no separate squatting offense. The general trespass statute, 11-44-26, applies after a person has been forbidden by the owner, but it does not apply to residential tenants or occupants who rightfully entered and stay after the tenancy ends; the owner or landlord may recover possession only through civil proceedings.