David N. Cicilline - Mayor Thomas E. Deller - Executive Director

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The Mayor's Substance Abuse Prevention Council works in partnership with the Providence Board of Licenses. The Board of Licenses consists of (5) five members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council for (3) three-year terms, staggered. The Board of Licenses is responsible for approving, denying and regulating licenses issued under its authority, in section 1102 of the City Charter, City Ordinances, and various state statutes. Some examples of these licenses are Liquor, Food, Sunday Sales, Peddlers, Bingo, Entertainment, Second Hand Stores, and Junk etc.

The following types of businesses do not require a City License, even if they are governed by State regulation, or may need City Clerk tradename registration: Hair Salon, Barber Shop, Video Store, Bicycles, New Clothes or shoes.

The BOL adheres to General Laws Title 3

For more information visit the Providence Bureau of Licenses

 

A few Sample State Laws for Alcohol and Tobacco:

State Profiles on Underage Drinking

Rhode Island Social Host Law:

Information about the law, rules, regulations

§ 3-8-11.1 Furnishing or procurement of alcoholic beverages for underage persons. – (a) As used in this section: (1) "furnish" means to provide with, supply, give or purchase; (2) "procure" means to get possession of, obtain by particular care and effort; and (3) "permit" means to give permission for, or approval of, the possession or consumption of an alcoholic beverage by any form of conduct, that would cause a reasonable person to believe that permission or approval has been given.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section it is unlawful for any person twenty-one (21) years of age or older:

(1) to purchase from any licensee or any employee of a licensee any alcoholic beverage for the sale, delivery, service of or giving away to, any person who has not reached his or her twenty-first (21st) birthday;

(2) to purchase from any licensee or any employee of any licensee any alcoholic beverage with the intent to cause or permit said alcoholic beverage to be sold, or given to any person who has not reached his or her twenty-first (21st) birthday;

(3) to knowingly furnish any alcoholic beverage for the sale, delivery, service of or giving to any person who has not reached his or her twenty-first (21st) birthday;

(4) to procure alcoholic beverages for the sale, delivery, service of or giving to any person who has not reached his or her twenty-first (21st) birthday; or

(5) to otherwise permit the consumption of alcohol by underaged persons in his or her residence or on his or her real property.

(c) This section does not apply to use, consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages by a minor for religious purposes; or to a parent or legal guardian procuring or furnishing alcohol to, or permitting the consumption of alcohol by, his or her minor child or ward.

(d) Any person who violates this section will be subject to the penalties provided in § 3-8-11.2.

A first offense will still carry a fine of between $350 and $1,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months. For a second offense, the fine will remain between $750 and $1,000 but imprisonment would be increased from six months to one year. For a third or subsequent offense - which would be considered a felony - punishment will be a fine of between $1,200 and $2,500 and imprisonment of up to three years, up from the current one year.

The Keg Registration Book:

Did you know that Rhode Island passed a state law in 2004 that mandates keg registration and stickers for purchases?

 

§ 3-8-15 Sales of kegs of beer – Restrictions. – (a) Every retailer of kegs of beer shall affix a removable label to each keg of beer sold which shall contain the name, address, date of birth, type of identification document used to verify the date, and the last four (4) digits of the identification number of the document, of the person purchasing the keg and the following language: "Rhode Island law prohibits and imposes penalties for the sale, delivery, service of or giving away to, or causing, or permitting or procuring to be sold, delivered, served, or given away any alcoholic beverage to any person who has not reached his or her twenty-first (21st) birthday. A violation of this statute is an offense punishable by a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) and six (6) months imprisonment. Minimum fine for first offense is three hundred fifty dollars ($350). The purchaser shall not remove, deface or obliterate the keg label." A keg without a label attached shall be subject to confiscation by the police. Removing or defacing a keg label shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500).

 

(b) The retailer shall maintain a copy of the keg label in a keg sales book and shall note on that copy whether the keg was returned with the keg label or not returned at all. The director of the department of business regulation shall develop regulations for the design and production of the keg labels. The director shall produce and issue uniform keg labels and keg sales books that shall be made available to the retailer at cost.

(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to those classes of licensed beverage retailers which are prohibited by law from making off premises sales.

(d) The director of business regulation shall design a uniform keg label which fulfills the provisions of this section.

Minors in Possession of Alcohol:

individuals under 21 in possession of alcohol face a fine of $150 to $750 for a first offense, $300 to $750 for a second offense and $450 to $950 for a third offense. In addition, the penalty for possession by a minor will include 30 hours of community service and a license suspension for a minimum of 60 days. Anyone picked up on a second offense may also be required to undergo a substance abuse treatment program.

Under the new law, individuals under the age of 21 who possess and use fake identification cards to attempt to purchase liquor can be fined between $100 and $500, be assigned 30 hours of community service and have their license suspended for 30 days. A second offense carries a fine of between $500 and $750, 40 hours of community service and loss of license for 90 days. A third or subsequent offense carries a fine of between $750 and $1,000, 50 hours of community service and loss of license for one year.

Individuals who manufacture and provide fake IDs to underage individuals will face a fine of $500 per fake ID for a first offense, a fine of $1,000 per incident for a second offense and a fine of $2,000 for a third or subsequent offense.

Vendors who Sell Alcohol