R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-25-11

(a) By examination. The applicant is required to pass, with a grade determined by the division, an examination approved by the division; upon payment of an examination fee as set forth in § 23-1-54, every candidate who passes that examination and in the opinion of the division meets the qualifications of § 5-25-10, shall, upon payment of an initial license fee, which shall be equal to the biennial license renewal fee in effect, be issued a license to practice veterinary medicine. Veterinarians licensed under the provisions of this chapter on August 31, 1985, shall continue to be licensed.

(b) Without examination by endorsement. A license to practice veterinary medicine may be issued without examination to an applicant who has been duly licensed by examination as a veterinarian under the laws of another state or territory or District of Columbia, if, in the opinion of the division, the applicant meets the qualifications required of veterinarians in this state, as further defined in rules and regulations.

(c) Emergency or natural disaster. A veterinarian who is properly and currently licensed or credentialed in another state may practice, without written examination or other qualification, in the state of Rhode Island during an emergency or natural disaster as determined by the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the chief of the division of agriculture. The veterinarian shall provide only those services that are at the direction of the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the chief of the division of agriculture and that are directly related to a response to an emergency or natural disaster and only until the services of the veterinarian are no longer required as determined by the Rhode Island state veterinarian or the chief of the division of agriculture.